If a person owns a vending machine, such as in the case of a launder mat or a candy machine, and he receives profits from the purchases made from the machine, may he allow the machine to operate on Shabbat? Assuming the machine is not situated in a Jewish area, and there is no indication that it is owned by a Jew, is it permissible to have the machine operate on Shabbat, or is this forbidden in light of the fact that the owner is earning revenue on Shabbat?
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Hazon Ovadia (vol. 6, p. 11; listen to audio recording for precise citation), writes that it is permissible for one to earn profits from a vending machine that remains operational on Shabbat. He explains that although it is forbidden for a person to perform Melacha (forbidden activity) on Shabbat, there is no prohibition that forbids his Kelim (utensils, or belongings) from performing Melacha. Thus, for example, it is permissible to place wheat in a mill on Friday even though the water will turn the mill and cause it to grind the wheat during Shabbat. Since it is the person’s possessions – and not he himself – who is performing the Melacha, no prohibition is involved. Hacham Ovadia cites in this context a discussion by Rabbi Akiva Eiger (1761-1837) regarding a case where the day for a Pidyon Ha’ben falls on Shabbat. Obviously, one cannot perform a Pidyon Ha’ben on Shabbat, and Rabbi Akiba Eiger was asked whether one may give the Kohen the money before Shabbat and stipulate that the Kinyan (legal transfer of ownership) should take place only on Shabbat. Rabbi Akiba Eiger discusses this issue at length and concludes that this should not be done because the Berachot cannot be recited if one performs the Pidyon Ha’ben in this fashion. As Hacham Ovadia notes, Rabbi Akiba Eiger did not appear to have any problem with the fact that the Kohen would be acquiring money on Shabbat; he ruled against this practice only because of the issue concerning the Berachot. This would certainly suggest that passively earning income on Shabbat is permissible.
Furthermore, it is not certain that somebody will make a purchase from the machine on Shabbat, and this is another reason why the owner is not required to deactivate the machine before Shabbat.
Hence, as long as the machine is not situated in a Jewish area, and it is not recognizable as the property of a Jew, one may have a vending machine operate on Shabbat.
Summary: It is permissible to own a vending machine that operates on Shabbat, and to receive revenue from the machine’s sales on Shabbat, as long as the machine is not situated in a Jewish area, and it is not recognizable as the property of a Jew.
