DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 550 KB)
May One Leave a PayPal Account Active on Shabbat?

The Halacha prohibits conducting business transactions, "Mekach U’Memkar," on Shabbat. In the era of e-commerce, many new questions arise. For example, the Poskim discuss whether it is permissible to leave a PayPal account active on Shabbat. The issue is whether any money deposited on Shabbat or Yom Tob constitutes a prohibited transaction.

The consensus is to be lenient, provided the Jew did not instruct that the money be deposited specifically on Shabbat. The precedent for this ruling is found in Shulhan Aruch (Siman 246), where Maran permits giving money to a non-Jew to make a purchase, without specifically indicating to do so on Shabbat. The fact that the non-Jew actually bought the items for the Jew on Shabbat is inconsequential. Maran also rules (Siman 243) that the only reason it is prohibited to hire a non-Jew to manage a bathhouse is "Marit Ayin," people may misconstrue the arrangement. He does not cite the problem of the non-Jew receiving the money on the Jew’s behalf. From these precedents, it is derived that one may leave his PayPal account active on Shabbat, and any money deposited on Shabbat is permitted for use immediately after Shabbat.

SUMMARY
It is permitted to leave a Pay Pal account active on Shabbat.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Is it Permissible for a Physician to Write a Prescription on Shabbat?
Removing Hanging Fingernails and Cuticles on Shabbat
Carrying Less Than Four “Amot” in a Public Domain on Shabbat
Borer: How to Remove the Waste from a Food?
Borer: Selecting from a Mixture of Two Foods
Is it Permissible to Eat Food Cooked by a Non-Jew on Shabbat to Save a Life?
If One Covered a Pot of Partially Cooked Food on the Blech
Is It Permissible to Pour Cold Water into a Keli Rishon?
Is It Permissible to Reheat Congealed Foods?
Is It Permissible to Add Hot Water from an Urn into Cold Water on Shabbat?
Is It Permissible to Place Water Next to a Fire on Shabbat?
In the Event One Added Salt to Keli Rishon on the Blech
Is It Permissible To Insert Raw Beef into Keli Rishon?
Is It Permissible to Pour Salt into a Keli Rishon?
Does a Ladle Become a Keli Rishon When Dishing Out from a Pot?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found