Another perspective on ‘hypocrisy’ of what’s allowed on the Sabbath

Eli Knight

I have often commented that although most of our Torah is oral and the written Torah is the tip of the iceberg. Therefore to those who never received the oral tradition or were not privileged to even peek at it and grasp its enormity and complexity, Shabbat and other mitzvoth could look strange or hypocritical, as you call it.

But I maintain that nevertheless, G-d saw cars coming and of the 39 Melachos, incorrectly translated as work, only one was explicitly listed and that is the making of a fire (Leviticus (35:1).

As any engineer at Volkswagen will tell you, virtually all engines work by burning petrol/diesel and creating (harmful) by-products/pollutants, hence the term internal combustion engine.

With regards to driving to shul: Some rabbis only sanction it because the person would probably drive to other places and desecrate the Sabbath, but if not, the injection of a second soul he would receive if he keeps the Sabbath and the heavenly spiritual aid he would receive, would far outweigh any shul service.

My knowledge is limited as – well as this space permitted – but I am sure you can find books/information by people much more knowledgeable than me, at Jewish book shops or online, such as Aish, Torah.org  or Jewish libraries such as Kollel and Chabad or shiurim such as those of Ohr Somayach.

Johannesburg