Sagi Harel: "People Are Appalled When I Tell Them About the Violations of Shabbat"

Have you ever been in a hotel on Shabbat when a Shabbat elevator malfunctioned? Or perhaps you live in a high-rise and the elevator got stuck or stopped working for some reason?

"It is very likely that using the elevator after the repair may involve the desecration of Shabbat," says Sagi Harel, a senior manager at a well-known elevator company. He asserts: "The moment the elevator gets stuck or a problem arises that halts its operation, the elevator company is 'obligated' to dispatch a technician in the middle of Shabbat if called by a resident or hotel employee. Because elevator companies are contractually committed, even on Shabbat, in case of a malfunction – a company technician will be sent to the site to fix it. Sometimes these technicians are Jewish," Harel states, "and unfortunately, it leads to residents enjoying the benefit of actions taken on Shabbat, not to mention the technician might inadvertently repair many things that do not need immediate attention, including actions prohibited by Torah law."

Sagi Harel

Hours of Reflection

Sagi discovered the issue while working as a manager. Over time, he encountered numerous stories from non-religious technicians who were surprised to hear that the elevator was repaired during the holy Shabbat, thus violating its sanctity.

Sagi adds details that should alarm all of us. "Repairs on Shabbat are not rare; they happen regularly. Technicians are forced to respond to calls on Shabbat, running from one elevator to another – leading to Shabbat violations. In exceptional cases, like the Tishrei holidays when Shabbats follow the holidays closely, technicians sometimes stay at the hotel to be near the source of the problem per hotel management's requirement."

Sagi has worked hard to allow Shabbat observers in the Holy Land to use the Shabbat elevator – for those who practice this – while avoiding the use of prohibited elevators. "After many hours of thought and dozens of live experiments on Shabbat elevators, closely guided by Rabbi Tzefania Arusi, a rabbi and ordainer in Modi'in Illit, who examined the proposed solution from all angles - I developed a unique mechanism called 'Sulam Yaakov' - a computer unit attached to the elevator control panel that monitors its activity. 'Sulam Yaakov' can independently identify a malfunction and transmit the malfunction details in real time to the company's control center. The system prevents the technician from returning the elevator to Shabbat mode until after Shabbat, additionally allowing the system to make autonomous decisions without human interaction. For instance, in a hotel with several elevators, the system can automatically turn another elevator labeled as 'regular' into a 'Shabbat elevator'. This also saves a technician's trip on Shabbat."

The solution received enthusiastic approval from the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, who also wrote an enthusiastic letter: "This matter has come across my desk several times, and I met with Sagi Harel, who proposed a plan to prevent Shabbat desecration in the event of an elevator failure.

"Therefore, a special mechanism was developed called 'Sulam Yaakov', which detects malfunctions, and rescue and repair activities are conducted by non-Jews. This mechanism meets the halachic needs, and I see significant importance in installing it, thereby preventing, God forbid, the desecration of Shabbat, and there is significant rectification in this."

The Chief Rabbi concludes with a blessing, "I encourage your efforts to uphold the sanctity of Shabbat, and through Shabbat observance, we shall be redeemed".

Photo: Sagi Harel

Observing Shabbat Properly

Even in scenarios requiring rescue from an elevator during Shabbat, prominent halachic authorities explain there is a preference for a non-Jewish rescuer, and Jewish technicians should not be employed. In this regard, Sagi informs us that recently intensive talks have begun between elevator companies to establish a non-Jewish rescue unit to operate on Shabbat, thereby fully solving the problem.

Sagi calls for – in accordance with rabbinic instruction – the Ministry of Interior, responsible for approving Shabbat elevators, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, responsible for approving work on Shabbat, to amend this severe obstacle with updated legislation, so no household in Israel fails.

I conclude the conversation with Sagi as it seems he is embarking on the mission of his life. "From the moment I became aware of this severe obstacle, I knew I had to find a halachic solution. To me, every day that goes by without the solution being implemented by elevator companies means that Jews continue to unwittingly desecrate Shabbat, out of innocent ignorance. I am determined to continue advocating for the solution and advancing it until every building in Israel can observe Shabbat properly."

Let us embrace Shabbat - For more details on the Global Shabbat Project, click here.