DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

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

      
(File size: 1.23 MB)
Is It Permissible to Read a Newspaper That was Delivered on Shabbat?

There are different layers of Halachic issues regarding the reading of newspapers on Shabbat. One issue is the content of the paper. That is, certain content is prohibited to be read on Shabbat because it is considered mundane and inappropriate for Shabbat reading. In fact, many of today’s newspapers and magazines are not even suitable for weekday reading.

Nevertheless, even if the content of the newspaper is permissible, there is still a question as to whether it may be read on Shabbat, because it was delivered by a non-Jew on Shabbat. The Halacha is prohibits subscribing to a newspaper delivered on Shabbat, because it is tantamount to directing the non-Jewish delivery agent to perform the melacha of carrying on Shabbat.

If a person, nevertheless, violated this prohibition, and a newspaper was delivered on Shabbat, it is forbidden to read the newspaper on Shabbat. In fact, the newspaper is muksa and cannot even be moved or brought into the house. The reason is that one is not allowed to benefit from melacha that was done for a Jew on Shabbat until after Shabbat. According to the Be’er Moshe (Ch. 95), it is permitted on Mosei Shabbat only "Bichdai Sheya'asu." That means the time that it would have taken that newspaper to be delivered on Mosei Shabbat. If it takes the delivery boy half an hour to bring the paper from the place he picks them up, then one would have to wait a half hour after Habdalah before reading the newspaper. The Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchata is a little more lenient. He ruled that one doesn’t have to wait "Bichdai Sheya'asu;" it can be read right away on Mosei Shabbat. This applies to cases in which the newspaper was delivered in violation of the Shabbat. However, if the subscriber stipulated that he is not interested in Shabbat delivery, and nevertheless, the paper was delivered, it is permissible to read on Shabbat.

There is no problem having mail delivered on Shabbat, since the Jew did not request that it arrive specifically on Shabbat. Therefore, it is permitted to read "kosher" magazines that happen to arrive on Shabbat.

SUMMARY
One should cancel his subscriptions to newspapers that arrive on Shabbat. If one cannot cancel the subscription totally, he should at least stipulate to the company that he is not interested in Shabbat delivery.

Newspapers delivered on Shabbat, in violation of the Halacha, are muksa and cannot be read until after Mosei Shabbat.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Pesah Seder – U’rhatz
Within How Much Time Must One Eat the Masa at the Seder?
Passover- Eating Masa, Marror or Eggs on Ereb Pesah
Passover – Laws of Kadesh
Checking One’s Books for Hametz Before Pesah
Ereb Pesah – The Custom to Bake Masot; Reciting Minha Early
Eating Roasted Zeroa, Meat or Chicken at the Seder
Pesah – Bittul Hames, Preparing the Hames for Burning
Pesah – Does One Recite "She'he'heyanu" Before Searching for Hames?
Pesach - Shulchan Orech, Tzafun, Barech, Hallel and Nirtza
Passover- Eating the Charoset at the Seder
Passover- The Laws of Maror, Korech and Shulchan Orech at the Seder
Passover- Laws of "Heseiba" – Leaning at the Seder
Passover- The Procedure for Rochtza and Motzi-Matza at the Seder
The Proper Procedure for Yachatz and the Recitation of "Ha Lachma Anya" at the Seder
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found