Is It Permitted to Run on Shabbat? The Halachic Rules Explained

The Book of Yeshayahu (chapter 58) states: “If you restrain your foot because of the Shabbat — from pursuing your own interests on My holy day, and call the Shabbat a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it by not doing your own ways, nor pursuing your own affairs, nor speaking your own words.”

Walking on Shabbat: Not Like a Weekday

From the verse “and honor it by not doing your own ways,” our sages in the Talmud (Shabbat 113a) derived: “Your manner of walking on Shabbat should not be like your manner of walking on weekdays.”

Therefore, one should not run on Shabbat — neither casually nor quickly. This is the ruling of the Rif, Rosh, Tur, and Maran the Shulchan Aruch.

Running for the Sake of a Mitzvah

The Talmud in Berachot (6b) teaches: Rabbi Zeira said: At first, when I saw scholars running to the study hall on Shabbat, I thought they were desecrating the Shabbat. But once I heard Rabbi Tanchum quoting Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who said, “A person should always run to hear words of Torah — even on Shabbat,” as it says (Hoshea 11:10), ‘After the Lord they shall walk; He shall roar like a lion,’ I too began to run.”

From here, the sages learned that running on Shabbat is permitted when it is for a mitzvah, such as attending Torah study, synagogue, or another sacred purpose.

Running for Enjoyment

The Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (Semag) writes that young people who enjoy running or jumping may do so on Shabbat, since they are not running for business or labor purposes, but for pleasure. This is also ruled by the Tur and Shulchan Aruch.

Likewise, someone walking outside who begins to feel rain, or fears that it might rain soon, may run to avoid getting wet. It is clear that he is not running for business but to find comfort — and this, too, is considered Shabbat delight (oneg Shabbat).

Similarly, if a person is chased by a dog or another danger, it is permitted to run for safety.

Jumping Over Puddles

If one is walking and encounters a puddle, he may jump over it, even if the jump lifts both feet off the ground at once (which would normally resemble running). In such a case, it is better to jump than to walk around the puddle, since walking around would cause greater exertion and discomfort.

Halachic Rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef — Courtesy of “Halacha Yomit.”