DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

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

      
(File size: 550 KB)
May One Leave a PayPal Account Active on Shabbat?

The Halacha prohibits conducting business transactions, "Mekach U’Memkar," on Shabbat. In the era of e-commerce, many new questions arise. For example, the Poskim discuss whether it is permissible to leave a PayPal account active on Shabbat. The issue is whether any money deposited on Shabbat or Yom Tob constitutes a prohibited transaction.

The consensus is to be lenient, provided the Jew did not instruct that the money be deposited specifically on Shabbat. The precedent for this ruling is found in Shulhan Aruch (Siman 246), where Maran permits giving money to a non-Jew to make a purchase, without specifically indicating to do so on Shabbat. The fact that the non-Jew actually bought the items for the Jew on Shabbat is inconsequential. Maran also rules (Siman 243) that the only reason it is prohibited to hire a non-Jew to manage a bathhouse is "Marit Ayin," people may misconstrue the arrangement. He does not cite the problem of the non-Jew receiving the money on the Jew’s behalf. From these precedents, it is derived that one may leave his PayPal account active on Shabbat, and any money deposited on Shabbat is permitted for use immediately after Shabbat.

SUMMARY
It is permitted to leave a Pay Pal account active on Shabbat.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Must Rings Be Removed Before Netilat Yadayim?
Netilat Yadayim: Washing Without a Utensil, With Liquids Other Than Water, and With Hot Water
If One Forgot to Recite the Beracha of “Al Netilat Yadayim” Before Drying His Hands
May a Person Answer “Amen” After Washing Netilat Yadayim But Before Drying His Hands?
Saying Birkat Hagomel Within 3 Days and Laws of Birkat Hagomel Following A Sickness
Reciting Asher Yasar to Avoid Sickness
Reciting 100 Berachot Each Day To Protect From A Plague
Reciting a Beracha Over a Whole Food Product
If a Person Ate an Amount of “Mezonot” Food Requiring Birkat Ha’mazon, and Cannot Remember if He Recited Birkat Ha’mazon
The Time-Frame Within Which Consuming a Large Amount of Cake or Cookies Requires Birkat Ha’mazon
Reciting Ha’mosi and Birkat Ha’mazon Over “Pat Ha’ba’a Be’kisnin”
Must a Person Recite Birkat Ha’gomel After Swimming in the Ocean?
May Birkat Ha’gomel be Recited at Night?
If One Ate Fruit for Dessert After the Table or Tablecloth Was Removed
Which Beracha Does One Recite Over Garlic?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found