Jerusalem – IDF Developing Shabbath-Friendly Keyboard, Computer Screen

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    Add-on touchscreen, Sabbath keyboard, Sabbath mouse. (IDF website)Jerusalem – The IDF Rabbinate is hard at work on the development of a special touch screen that would make it possible to use vital computer systems without violating Sabbath, reports IDF magazine BaMachaneh (In the Camp).

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    Operational considerations mandate the use of computer systems like ‘Masua’ or ‘Sheder Cham 400’ during the Sabbath. These systems inform their operators of the location of IDF units during operations and battles. Other systems, like the IDF’s medical information system, named CPR, must also be used on Sabbath.

    “The CPR system, for instance, serves medical personnel whenever a soldier walks into a clinic, and we cannot avoid using it on Sabbath,” explained Capt. Rabbi Ronen Aharon, Staff Officer for Halacha and Technology at the Rabbinate.

    While Halacha (Jewish law) stipulates that the Sabbath can be violated for life-saving activity, the IDF Rabbinate has been searching for ways to cut down Sabbath violation to a minimum.

    The IDF Rabbinate has developed two options for Sabbath-friendly screens. One is a specially designed touch screen and another is an add-on that is connected to a regular screen and turns it into a touch screen, for all intents and purposes. There is no decision yet as to which system will be put into use.

    Another project, currently in its pilot phase, involves special Sabbath keyboards. Three prototype Sabbath keyboards have been put into experimental use in recent months, after being approved by the military’s Computer and Information Systems Center (MAMRAM) and Information Security Department. The Rabbinate is awaiting feedbacks from the soldiers who use them, in order to decide if they are preferable over the virtual keyboard/Sabbath mouse combination currently being used by the IDF.

    The IDF is also examining the possibility of changing the incandescent bulbs in the IDF’s communications equipment with LEDs (light emitting diodes), since turning on an incandescent light involves the actual lighting of a fire, which is explicitly forbidden by the Torah. An LED is activated by an electrical current – an act forbidden by the Sages and not by the Torah, and thus more flexibly permitted in cases of dire necessity.

    Rabbinate crews are also planning to install special electrical switches that will enable opening of electrical gates on Sabbaths in IDF bases that use them. The device is currently being tested at five entrances to IDF bases, including Yafo Gate at Tzerifin Base.

    The Sabbath-friendly switch is one of the Rabbinate’s earliest developments. It also saves the IDF money, because manufacturing it inside the IDF is cheaper than buying it outside the army.

    The internal mechanics and electronics of the Sabbath mouse, which was developed by the Tzomet Institute for Halacha and Technology, employ the Talmudic concept of ‘grama,’ which allows an observant Jew to indirectly cause certain events to take place on Sabbath, without direct action on his part. The same concept makes it possible to re-adjust certain Sabbath timers during the Sabbath.


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    46 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    This is a disgrace, plain and simple. That Rabbanim would put a haskamah on zilzul Shabbos. There is no end to our descent during this Galus. I am DISGUSTED WITH THIS!

    eli
    eli
    14 years ago

    What a kiddush Hashem B’H we have wonderful engineers dedicated to making torah and technology work together. I wish people would have more appreciation for the “zionoists” and realize they also follow torah and mitzvos.

    early
    early
    14 years ago

    before everyone starts screaming, if you must be mechalel shabbos (to save lives)
    better to be mechalel a Derabbanan than a De-oraisa
    Good shabbos

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Great! So pretty soon we can all read VIN on Shabbos.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I assume you would not call Hatzolah on Shabbos either
    Stop with the fake frumkiet
    In halacha its called Chosid Shoteh

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    if a doctor tells you that if u fast on yom kipper u can die. does that mean that this person was mechallel yom kipper by onays? of course not. his mitzva for yom kipper is to eat. same to by someone who needs life threatning help on shabbbos. there is no chillul shabbos. that is his job to say a life and you should not go looking to be frummer then the toira

    Dovid
    Dovid
    14 years ago

    I understand chillul hashem. Comments like #4 make me ashamed to be identified with someone like him who claims to be frum.

    Raphael Kaufman
    Raphael Kaufman
    14 years ago

    Millie, this is a question not a position, so don’t go postal on me. It is my understanding, based on an explanation by a respected Rav and posek in Monsey(name available on request), that use of a computer on shabbos is assur m’derabonon. Modifying the keyboard to be “shabbos friendly” by, say, introducing a gromma (random time delay) whould then produce a shvus d’shvus condition. Wouldn’t that make the computer use muttar l’chatchila?

    amazing
    amazing
    14 years ago

    THis would be amazing!!! We then can use voice over ip telephones?

    anonymous
    anonymous
    14 years ago

    WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD U WANT THIS. theres a reason that theres a shabbos. whhy add all these mishugasim. seriously, the comp. keeps u from resting.
    this is completely ridiculous

    Respectfully Disagree
    Respectfully Disagree
    14 years ago

    I know I will be attacked for this one. But…..

    I am not happy with this. To MY Vies, …. It really IS Zilzul Shabbos.
    We have already had psaks on similar items which clearly stated that engineering designed to do the job indirectly, have the same issur as if they were direct, etc.
    Also, the issur which applies to an item which is normally used, applies to an instrument designed to get around it.
    This may not be the opinions of these people, but it is the opinions of the rabbonim whose opinions I do trust and rely on.

    That having been said, I (and I am usually on the machmir side) will stick my neck out and say that we are going about all this tush backwards.

    The issue here is that over a century ago, poorly informed rabbonim, great tzadikim and talmidai chachomim, had to make a decision on the limited physical science knowledge available to them at the time, and they ruled that electricity is related to fire, and applied the issurim of Fire on Shabbos to electricity.

    Today’s knowledge of physical science tells us that now we know that electricity and fire are unrelated.

    This means REALLY we should never have assured electricity on Shabbos under the laws of AISH….

    The problem is that no frum rov today has the courage to admit that maybe we do need to “re-explore” that area.

    They are all afraid they will be accused of taking the ways of the Reform and others who use electricity in on Shabbos as well as violate Shabbos in most other ways too.

    It will take a few BRAVE rabbonim to get together, and gather more gedolim, and have a meeting over this issue. But, it really does need to be re-explored. As, from what we now know, it is likely that electricity by itself should never have been assured… at least not under the issur of “Fire”

    However, until that issue IS re-explored, and the halachic giants all agree to it, these “work-arounds” are not something to be proud of…. that is my opinion.
    Though I could understand the other side, and make my disagreement as we call, “Respectfully Disagree.”

    Elchonon Hellinger
    Elchonon Hellinger
    14 years ago

    Theres 2 completely separate discussions here as usual.

    Does the equipment shomrim use michalel shabbos ? 99% of their cases are non pikuach nefesh.. whilst the army can be classified in many casses as what the Lubavitcher rebbe argued (shulchan aruch hilchos shabbos siman shin chuf tes.. ) for inyanei kash v’teven.. and tiftach haaretz lifaneihem so every small situation on the border is clearly needed