Ask the Rabbi
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Various Subjects
- Gentile Help on Shabbat
Question
In Hilchot Shabbat 20:14, Rambam implies that asking a non Jew to do a Melacha is a biblical prohibition. However in 6:1 he states it is a rabbinic prohibition?
What is the Halacha regarding current day christians and muslims? Is it a rabbinic or biblical prohibition regarding asking them to do a Melacha on Shabbat for a Jew’s benefit?
Answer
Asking a non Jew to perform a Melacha on behalf of a Jew is a rabbinic prohibition as you quoted from Rambam Shabbat 6; 1.
There is no relevancy to the religion or the belief of the non Jew and the above Halacha applies equally to both Christians and Moslems.
In 20; 14 the Rambam talks about a slave or a servant of a Jew that are owned by the Jewish master and have converted partially into Judaism, that is included in the verse of Torah he states there.
This is not a practical Halacha nowadays since we have no slaves.

Rambam question
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | Sivan 1, 5769

A Wheelchair in a Place With No Eruv
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 16 Cheshvan 5763

Non Jew doing Melacha on Shabbat
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | 21 Tishrei 5766





