Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Shmittah Shyla - Spoiled - Slavery

Today I was asked an interesting Shmittah question. Due to the heat wave that has overtaken Israel, many feel it necessary to turn on the air-conditioners. What happens if the air-conditioner drips water outside on the plants?

Rav Eliyashiv paskened that it is forbidden. Many others permit this because the persons intention is not to water the plants but to cool off and it is a דבר שאינו מתכוין and thus permitted.


Note: We are a spoiled generation. From the time of the creation of the world until just a few years ago people lived without air-conditioning. When your grandparents were young they didn't have air-conditoners. Today, people can't function without them. One of the many signs of our spoiled generation.... I am NOT saying that you shouldn't use an air-conditioner. I AM saying that we should learn to function at a high level and with joy even when our creature comforts are denied to us for a few minutes:-).

Note - I am not old and when I was young we didn't have .... cell phones, home computers, fax machines, Internet, email, GPS, ways etc. etc. and WE MANAGED JUST FINE. I don't see that today people are happier than they one were. Don't be a slave to technology.

:-)

לע"נ אסתר בת שמואל