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What time zone should we use to determine when we should not post?
Since this a personal option for all, the time zone one lives in would suffice. Nobody is going to be doing any checking. We don't have any Shaggot police on staff.
Since this a personal option for all, the time zone one lives in would suffice. Nobody is going to be doing any checking. We don't have any Shaggot police on staff.
For sure the time zone of the poster is the one to use. The whole point is that posters in a Jewish forum should not be posting on Shabbos, no matter their level of observance, and no matter how many creative explanations they can give for soing so. It's kind of like where my local Jewish Community Center, which serves all the Jews in town, does not schedule its sports leagues to have games on Shabbos, out of respect for the Torah Observant Jews. But they are still open for business on Shabbos, so that those who choose to can still come there, even on Shabbos. In this forum, Jews can post anywhere else in the C-D they like and can browse to their heart's content in the Judaism forum - but out of respect, just don't post. Woodrow, I appreciate your support on this matter.
I'm impressed. For the past two Shabbos I have not seen, a single Jew post.
Don't be too impressed. Some of us travel in relation to work and the time zone shown is EST, and some us are as much as 11 hours off from it. Also many of us have left this sub-forum for numerous reasons that only about a half a dozen people post here now. Its currently 5:26pm where I am now.
Looking at the time stamp on the forum, it has not adjusted for DST.
What time zone should we use to determine when we should not post?
You use your time zone, and, if you want to be right on the money, you can find the start (candle-lighting) and end (havdalah) times for Shabbat on various sites, such as Chabad: Candle-Lighting Times for Shabbat & Holidays
Just enter your zip code or location, and you'll be given times specific for your area.
For sure the time zone of the poster is the one to use. The whole point is that posters in a Jewish forum should not be posting on Shabbos, no matter their level of observance, and no matter how many creative explanations they can give for soing so. It's kind of like where my local Jewish Community Center, which serves all the Jews in town, does not schedule its sports leagues to have games on Shabbos, out of respect for the Torah Observant Jews. But they are still open for business on Shabbos, so that those who choose to can still come there, even on Shabbos. In this forum, Jews can post anywhere else in the C-D they like and can browse to their heart's content in the Judaism forum - but out of respect, just don't post. Woodrow, I appreciate your support on this matter.
I dont post in this forum on Shabbos, and try to avoid computer use of any kind on shabbos (though I am sympathetic to some of the halachic defenses of computer use - I DO use electricity on shabbos - and I think the question of whether computer writing is halachically writing is complex - but it does usually take away the taam of shabbat) but for non Jews and the overtly non observant the issue appears to be politeness - but I dont expect people to be here or respond within 24 hours anyway. Thats not my expectation of an internet forum. Its not a likke a soccer game where both participants must be present.
I believe it remains a good idea for all Jewish posters in this forum, no matter their level of observance, to refrain from posting on Shabbos. That would be from Friday at sundown until Saturday at "three stars," or better yet nightfall according to Rabbeinu Tam. No less than 25 hours a week this forum should be without Jews posting.
If Reform and most Conservative Jews think it is perfectly okay as Jews to post on Shabbat, why should they stop posting on Shabbat? This is not an Orthodox Jewish forum. While some of us might hold that the halacha of no electricity and typing on Shabbat is an issur d'oraita binding on ALL Jews, we shouldn't try to force this on everyone who are yet at that madrega. The best we can hope for is that through our attitude and actions, non-observant Jews will eventually stop posting on Shabbat. No need for coercion. I have the same opinion re: having an egalitarian part of the Kotel.
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