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...
Affixing Mezuzot in a Short-Term Rental
Wearing the Tefillin Shel Rosh Over a Toupee
The Definition of "Left-handed" for Purposes of Tefillin
Tefillin – Looking at the Tefillin Shel Rosh Before Placing It on the Head; When to Remove the Tefillin Shel Rosh From Its Bag; The Earliest Time for Tefillin
If a Person Mistakenly Removed His Tallit From its Bag Before the Tefillin
Does One Wear Tefillin Shel Yad if His Arm is in a Cast?
Must One Wear Specifically a Woolen Tallit Katan?
The Proper Position of a Mezuza on the Doorpost
The Beracha of Yoser Or – Touching the Tefillin, and Punctuating the Phrase, “Be’safa Berura U’bi’n’ima Kedusha”
The Leather Used for the Parchment Inside the Tefillin and the Tefillin Boxes
Elul - Wishing “Le’Shana Toba” in Written Correspondence, Checking Tefillin and Mezuzot
Speaking, Answering “Amen” and Gesturing While Putting On Tefillin
Using a Mirror to Check the Placement of One’s Tefillin
The Importance of the Misva of Tefillin
One Who Mistakenly Recited “Barech Alenu” in the Amida Instead of “Barechenu”
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found