DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 748 KB)
Renting Hotel Rooms to non-Jews for Shabbat

The Shulhan Aruch (246:1) rules that it is permitted to rent utensils to a non-Jew on Friday, even if he will do melacha with them on Shabbat. This leniency is based on the principle "En Shvitat Kelim B’Shabbat"-a Jew is not required to ensure that his utensils desist from working on Shabbat. The accepted interpretation of this ruling is that it is permissible to rent to a non-Jew even for the day of Shabbat alone. All the more so if it was done "B'havla'ah,"-where it's done for Friday and part of Saturday night, where the Shabbat rental is encompassed within the weekday period.

One important application of this Halacha is a Jew renting hotel rooms to non-Jews for Shabbat. The issue of the non-Jew using hotel amenities, such as lights and hot water, is not a problem because "En Shvitat Kelim B’Shabbat." There is also no issue of profiting from the Shabbat, since part of Friday and Mosei Shabbat are also included in the rental term. This constitutes "Havla’ah" and would solve the problem of earning profit on Shabbat, even according to the stricter opinions.

The same principle is also the basis for permitting the rental of cars and telephones over Shabbat. Hacham David permits this even if the client is paying per mile or minute.

SUMMARY
It is permitted to rent hotel rooms, cars or cellular phones to non-Jews on Friday.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Preparing for Shabbat on Friday
Avoiding Anger on Mosa’eh Shabbat
Carrying in the Public Domain Before Shabbat Starts
If a Person Did Not Recite Habdala on Mosa’eh Shabbat
Is It Permissible for Everyone On The Table To Eat From Their Own Bread After Hearing HaMotzih On Shabbat Before Eating From The Bread Of The Mekadeshv
Speaking Before the Person Reciting Kiddush or Habdala Drinks the Wine
Drinking the Cup of Birkat Ha’mazon After Se’uda Shelshit
Eating and Drinking Before Habdala
Using A Light Bulb for the Habdala Candle; The Habdala Candle on Mosa’eh Yom Kippur
May a Person Recite the Beracha of “Besamim” if He Cannot Smell?
The Beracha Over the Besamim at Habdala
The Procedure for Habdala
Remaining Silent and Attentive Throughout Habdala
Shabbat Havdalah- Proper Use of Wine and Haddasim
Reciting Ata Honantanu on Mosa’eh Shabbat
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found