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A few news sources have been reporting on Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's having been granted rabbinic permission to drive on Shabbat after Ivanka's father's inauguration as president. (See, for example, here).

Without knowing any of the details surrounding this (such as who was the posek), what are the sorts of circumstances that might have been factored in? The article in The Forward mentions their "safety", but doesn't elaborate as to how this could possibly be a case of pikuach nefesh. Might there be other factors as well?

msh210
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Shimon bM
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    I can't imagine any factor but Pikuach Nefesh (theirs or others) being relevant. Driving on Shabbat, at least in a classic gasoline-combustion engine, is unquestionably a biblical prohibition. – Double AA Jan 19 '17 at 23:26
  • possible dupe http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/13181/759 – Double AA Jan 19 '17 at 23:30
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    On example that comes to mind (although I don't see how it's relevant) is the Talmudic passage in Rosh Hashanah 21b that allows for travelling on Shabbes to testify concerning the new moon. – Shimon bM Jan 19 '17 at 23:30
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    @doubleAA,This has been reported inaccurately,the article that is going around mentions someone else driving the car they are just passenger(still assur in classic halachic texts) but very different than actual driving the car – sam Jan 20 '17 at 00:47
  • The crux of the question seems to be the following. Even if we accept that they have to be driven in order be secured (which makes perfect sense) are they allowed to put themselves in a situation (going to the inauguration events) on Shabbos that they know will probably/surely lead to a situation in which they will have to be michallel Shabbos? We do a similar thing when a woman is pregnant and due/overdue, she doesn't find a place near the hospital for Shabbos. Instead she stays at home with the knowledge that when labor starts she will be michallel Shabbos by travelling to the hospital. – Mark A. Jan 20 '17 at 02:26
  • What trustworthy Orthodox rabbi in his right mind would give someone permission to drive on Shabbos?! Driving a car is a Biblical prohibition. – ezra Jan 20 '17 at 02:41
  • @ezra. Being driven by a non-Jew. Not driving. – Mark A. Jan 20 '17 at 02:52
  • @MarkA. - And how would this make it any better? – ezra Jan 20 '17 at 02:52
  • @ezra,there are poskim who do differentiate in diff cases,see Chazon Ovadia on shabbas,I beileve the Chasam Sofer discusses a train,but is more machmir – sam Jan 20 '17 at 03:38
  • @sam. What u mean "there are poskim who differentiate"? Are there any poskim who DON'T differentiate between actually driving and being driven?! – Mark A. Jan 20 '17 at 04:35
  • Unless full details are given, as well as who paskened and what they will do, the article is not valid. – sabbahillel Jan 20 '17 at 11:06
  • I'd be more interested in the ACTUAL reason given by the Rav who pasken for them. – Heshy Jan 20 '17 at 11:11
  • @MarkA. In many cases, we are told that it is better to arrange for a cab in which a non-Jew will drive us in a taxi cab rather than drive ourselves. In Baltimore, there is a cab company that arranges to get paid by the Eruv committee (after Shabbos) by putting the bill "on the account" to send a non-Jewish driver for emergencies. We then repay the Eruv Committee. If it is an immediate emergency, we call hatzalah as that is usually faster than trying to drive ourselves. This is also done (as an actual example) when someone requires radiation therapy on Yom Tov and is not allowed to skip a day. – sabbahillel Jan 20 '17 at 13:58
  • Good article to review about this http://www.jewishlinknj.com/features/16914-riding-home-from-the-inaugural-ball – rosends Jan 29 '17 at 00:07

1 Answers1

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If they are not driving, and if a non-Jew opens and closes the doors for them, then the halachic issues are relatively minor.

Under such circumstances, in cases of significant need or hardship, rabbonim will sometimes permit being a passenger in a car even without any actual issue of pikuach nefesh (risk to life).

LazerA
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    can you source that please,because what I have seen elsewhere in the poskim says otherwise – sam Jan 20 '17 at 14:31
  • @sam, sourcing the absence of a problem is tricky. There is obviously no direct melacha involved in merely being a passenger in a vehicle. The main problem would be amira l'akum, which is subject to numerous exemptions. Thus, Rav Bodner writes (Halachos of Refuah, p. 124) that a choleh sh'ain bo sakana may directly ask a non-Jew to transport him for medical treatment. I am personally aware of a case where a rav permitted a couple undergoing fertility treatment to make use of a non-Jewish car service on Shabbos (scheduled and paid for before Shabbos, of course). – LazerA Jan 20 '17 at 14:42