question about Jewish custom

[Redisca]

Originally Posted by mommytotwo

Are they allowed to push stollers in their courtyard (And what about carrying things)?

Carrying things out of necessity (carrying plates to the dinner table, a child from room to room, etc.) or pushing a stroller is permitted within a house, or a within a courtyard shared by two or more houses.

Originally Posted by mommytotwo

The only thing I am confused about is if you aren't supposed to operate machinery, why can you ride in machinery which is only operating to carry you?

It goes back to the prohibition against kindling or extinguishing fire. Operating machinery is tantamount to lighting a fire or (if you are, say, turning the engine off) extinguishing it. If machinery is already at an equilibrium autopilot operation, then you can use it without violating Shabbat -- but as soon as you change something (e.g., typing something on a computer), you've committed a violation. Theoretically, if there was a bus moving at a slow, steady speed (and not braking), an observant Jew could hop on and off on Shabbat -- except, of course, there is a separate prohibition against travel.

[uncleirv1]

We live in a NYC Co-op which still includes a few sponsor owned rent stabilized apartments. Several families in our building are orthodox Jewish and have asked our Co-op Board to consider a sabbath elevator. Does the changing of one of our three elevators to become a sabbath elevator not reduce the services of these rent stabilized residents and is therefore a violation of NYC Rent Stabilization laws.

[Tzaphkiel]

Originally Posted by uncleirv1

We live in a NYC Co-op which still includes a few sponsor owned rent stabilized apartments. Several families in our building are orthodox Jewish and have asked our Co-op Board to consider a sabbath elevator. Does the changing of one of our three elevators to become a sabbath elevator not reduce the services of these rent stabilized residents and is therefore a violation of NYC Rent Stabilization laws.

the elevator still runs, so it does not reduce services.
if my understanding of what a Sabbath elevator is, is this:

"A Shabbat elevator is an elevator which works in a special mode, operating automatically, to satisfy the Jewish law requiring Jews to abstain from operating electrical switches on Shabbat (the Sabbath)."

so the elevator is still running. it just runs without having to push a button. how does that reduce anyone's services?

[JB from NC]

As Tzaph said, the elevator will stop and open on each floor as it moves up and down.
While it might be inconvenient for non-Jewish residents if it's the only elevator in the building, it does not reduce service.

[theflipflop]

Originally Posted by uncleirv1

We live in a NYC Co-op which still includes a few sponsor owned rent stabilized apartments. Several families in our building are orthodox Jewish and have asked our Co-op Board to consider a sabbath elevator. Does the changing of one of our three elevators to become a sabbath elevator not reduce the services of these rent stabilized residents and is therefore a violation of NYC Rent Stabilization laws.

Even if it does violate, maybe you all can approve the request simply to be nice and accommodating?

[Richard1965]

Originally Posted by theflipflop

Even if it does violate, maybe you all can approve the request simply to be nice and accommodating?

Hear, hear...