Topic

Shabbat questions

Can you carry keys, set lights on a timer, ride a Shabbat elevator, or ask a non-Jewish neighbor to turn off a light? Plus candles when traveling.

These are questions we chose and published. What readers ask here is private, and is never added to this archive.

• Can I use a Shabbat elevator?

  A Shabbat elevator stops on every floor so that nobody operates it. Using one is widely accepted, though not in every community.

• Can I set my lights on a timer before Shabbat?

  Setting lights on a timer before Shabbat is permitted, and they may switch on or off during Shabbat on their own.

• Can I carry my keys outside on Shabbat?

  Whether you can carry keys outside on Shabbat comes down to one thing: whether your area has an eruv. With one you may; without one, generally not.

• What time do I light Shabbat candles when I'm traveling or away from home?

  Away from home, light Shabbat candles by local time, generally 18 minutes before sunset. Where the local custom differs, follow the local practice.

• Can I ask a non-Jewish neighbor to turn off a light on Shabbat?

  You may hint to a non-Jewish neighbor that a light needs turning off on Shabbat, but you should not ask them directly. That difference is the whole answer.

All questions