HaRav Shteinman and HaRav Kanievsky publicized a special letter regarding the severe prohibition of the use of the new KosherSwitch on Shabbos, which is an unqualified desecration of Shabbos punishable by koreis.
The said KosherSwitch, against the use of which all gedolei Yisroel have strongly concurred, is a new invention seeking to uproot the entire subject of activating and turning off electric current on Shabbos through the use of sofeik psik reisha, grama and menias hamonei'a. The KosherSwitch turns electric current on and off by blocking and unblocking an optical beam aimed at a point on the opposite side of the device. When one wants to turn the current on, he moves a plastic slide that lifts a plastic barrier inside the switch box, thus allowing a beam of light pulses aimed at the opposite side of the box to activate the electricity. When one pushes the plastic slide to the off position, it moves a plastic barrier between the light pulse beam and the target opposite, thus setting in motion a chain of events that eventually turn off the electricity. The manufacturer says that the current is not activated directly or immediately, but rather only after several light pulses.
In a video created by the inventors of this patent which they call "From Darkness to Light," they show how a chareidi person enters his home on Shabbos and turns the light on through this Switch, after which he turns on the air conditioner through this same Switch and so on. "This is a terrible stumbling block," insist the gedolim and poskim.
In the letter publicized on Tuesday in Yated Ne'eman, they write: "Regarding the Shabbos Switch, it is obviously clear that an action in a device which results in melochos, in whatever fashion it operates, is performing meleches machsheves.
"The manufacturers and distributors of such devices for Shabbos and Yom Tov usage, and those who aid and abet them in any form even for use in hospitals, are leading the public to transgressions punishable by skillah and koreis and uprooting of religion, and they should be concerned for their own souls."
According to the very clear directives of our rabbonim, the prohibition of the use of the KosherSwitch on Shabbos is unqualified and absolute. It is inconceivable that a device be created whereby those who are involved in meleches machsheves should not be transgressing that very prohibition. This is what the gedolim throughout the ages have established, for even such a device which performs any such 'work' in a circuitous manner of sofeik psik reisha, grama, menias hamonei'a, shinui etc. are certainly performing meleches machsheves.
One rabbi commented that supporters of the KosherSwitch should imagine that such a switch is connected to an electric chair in which someone innocent is sitting. Would they argue that one who knew about this arrangement and deliberately threw the switch is not guilty of murder?
This question was already put to the Achiezer and the Chazon Ish: Can one could create a device to milk cows on Shabbos, which would accomplish this in a way that would not involve a prohibited melochoh?
HaRav Chaim Ozer wrote to the Chazon Ish that he concurred with him that any device which, if it is permissible for Shabbos use would be convenient for the masses to use, is considered a regular and actual melochoh, against which one should protest emphatically for there is no way it can be permitted. This is because a device for public use which accomplishes a melochoh on Shabbos is unequivocally considered a meleches machsheves and melochoh gemurah (Responsa Achiezer Vol. IV, 7; Kovetz Igros Chazon Ish, Vol. II, in Igros R'Chaim Ozer #13).
This was also assumed as a matter of course (poshut) by HaRav Moshe Feinstein, HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and HaRav Shmuel Wosner. HaRav Eliashiv added that even where there is permission to perform melochoh for saving lives, he would give preference to performing that act in the same way it is usually carried out on a weekday, lest one come to mistakenly think that there is any advantage in the use of such a device.
Rabbonim and poskim expressed vehement protests against the publicity campaign launched by the manufacturers and distributors of the KosherSwitch, coming out very strongly against it and warning that many people have been misled by it. In light of this, they have called upon the greater body of rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the world to clarify to the public and to join and sign upon a statement declaring that use thereof is a patent issur melochoh punishable by skillah and koreis, and also uprooting of religion, as they stated in their letter, lest others be misled. Indeed, dozens of gedolei Torah veHoro'oh, rabbonim of cities and neighborhoods and communities through Eretz Yisroel and the world have signed a letter on this matter.
A letter was also issued regarding the use of the KosherSwitch by the Beis Din of HaRav Nissim Karelitz and the Beis Din of HaRav Shmuel Wosner and other botei din and rabbonim throughout the world.
More information regarding this vital subject can be gotten: 054-841-9429
