HALACHA-----shabbos/ refrigerators

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Nicole Posted - 25 December 2003 18:57

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Ok- a friend of mine doesn't close her fridge completely all shabbos, because there's a chance that OPENING it, will switch on the fridge. Is this something I should be concerned with?

MODERATOR Posted - 25 December 2003 19:08

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Let me guess - your friend is from Johannesburg? Rav Moshe Sterenbuch, currently dayan of the Eidah HaCHareidis in Jerusalem, formerly Rav in Johannesburg, is the only posek I know of who holds like that.

It is indeed an issue - Rav Aharon Kotler ZTL, among others, say so. Even though others may disagree, it is worthwhile for you to be concerned with this. But there is an easier solution than leaving your refrigerator open. This issue is only a problem when you open your refrigerator when the motor (the cooling mechanism) is not running. The problem then is, that by opening the refrigerator, you are letting in hot air from the outside that will trigger the cooling mechanism to turn on earlier than it would have, had you not opened the door. So in essence, by opening the door, you are causing an inevitable, albeit delayed, operation of the cooling motor.

The solution, then, to open your refrigerator only when the cooling motor is already running! This way, your letting more hot air in does not turn on any motors - since they are already turned on.

So if, when you want to open your fridge, the motor is running -- no problem. If it's not running, just wait a few minutes for the motor to kick itself on, and when you hear it running, then open the fridge.

HZ Posted - 13 January 2004 12:54

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You could use a timer to turn it off for the beginning of meal times (make sure it turns it back on...).

yossiea Posted - 13 January 2004 16:44

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Then again, by opening up the fridge even while the motor is running, you will cause the motor to run longer.

MODERATOR Posted - 13 January 2004 16:44

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There’s no issur to cause the fridge to run longer. But there’s an issur to make it go on.

A timer works, if it controls the motor not the thermostat.

yossiea Posted - 18 January 2004 19:07

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How is there no issur? By your actions, you are causing the fridge to run longer. Isn't it like removing the pin from a timer while the light is on, so the light will not go off?

MODERATOR Posted - 18 January 2004 19:12

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Its not the same at all for many reasons, but the simplest is that your opening the fridge is not intended to make the motor run longer, and it is an indirect result of your action.