1) It is prohibited to tell, or even hint in a way that infers a command, to a goy to do any Melacha d'Orysa [activity prohibited by the Torah] or d'Rabbanan [prohibited by the Talmud] on Shabbos.
2) It is permissible, however, to hint in a way that does not infer a command to a goy to do a Melacha [prohibited activity] on Shabbos; and it is permissible to hint, even in a way that infers a command, to a goy either before Shabbos to do a Melacha on Shabbos, or on Shabbos to do a Melacha after Shabbos.
3) In any event, it is forbidden for a Jew to derive direct benefit from any Melacha done for him by a goy on Shabbos.
a. It is permissible to say to a goy on Shabbos: "It's hard to sleep when the light is on in the room," but not: "Why didn't you turn off my light last Shabbos."
b. It is permissible to say: "I can't read because there isn't enough light," or: "The house isn't lit up enough because only one candle is burning," but not: "Do me a favor, there's not enough light in the room." If there was previously no light at all in the room, it is prohibited to derive benefit from the Melacha of the goy even bemakom mitzva [when doing so will enable the performance of a mitzva].
c. It is permissible to say: "I have no torn toilet paper" (since the paper may be used, albeit with difficulty, uncut).
d. Before Shabbos it is permissible to say to a goy : "Why didn't you want last week to open the letters which came for me on Shabbos?"
5) For a sick person's needs, one may tell a goy explicitly even to do a Melacha d'Orysa.
6) The category of sick people is extended to include people who are suffering from cold weather conditions that require heating or hot weather conditions that require air conditioning.
7) To save seforim, including mezuzos affixed to houses, one may tell a goy explicitly even to do a Melacha d'Orysa.
8) In cases where great losses [to the principal] may be sustained it is permissible to hint, even in a way that infers a command, to a goy even to do a Melacha d'Orysa. Example: "Anyone who puts out the fire won't lose."
9) In the following cases a goy may be told outright to do a Melacha d'Rabbanan [activity prohibited by the Talmud]:
a. Potential great loss; b. great need; c. Need of a mitzvah; d. Arrival of unanticipated guests; e. Results of the d'Rabbanan Melacha could have been achieved by a Jew without any Melacha having been committed; f. Saving objects other than seforim from a fire.
a. Taking a siddur to shul where there is no eruv [enclosure to permit carrying]; b. Removing chametz on Pesach from the house; c. Carrying a valuable object that is muktzeh [may not be moved on Shabbos] to a safe place.
11) If the only way to prevent the masses from sinning is by telling a goy to do a Melacha d'Orysa, it is permissible to do so.
12) Even if one knows that a goy will do a Melacha d'Orysa in the course of fulfilling a request (i.e., the goy is asked to wash the dishes, and he will heat up water to do so), nonetheless, since this Melacha is not inherent in this activity, it is permissible to make such a request.
13) In the twilight period at the beginning of Shabbos [Bein HaShemashos] one may tell a goy explicitly even to do a Melacha D'Orysa, if the need is great, or it is necessary for Shabbos or for a mitzva.
14) One may pay a goy for work he did on Shabbos for a Jew which was permissible, but monetary compensation should not be given until after Shabbos.
15) One's nonÄJewish employee may not do work for him on Shabbos, unless the goy is working then solely for the purpose of gaining free time for himself on a weekday. Even then, the work may only be done on the goy 's own premises.
16) One may tell a goy even to do a Melacha d'Orysa [activity prohibited by the Torah] for his (the goy's) own good, as long as the Jew does not explicitly tell the goy to use his (the Jew's) appliances to do that Melacha .
17) If there is direct benefit to a Jew from a Melacha d'Orysa performed by a goy for him on Shabbos, pleasure from that benefit is prohibited for a Jew until enough time to have completed that Melacha if it had been begun after Shabbos has elapsed [bekedai she ya aseh].
a. If a Jew directed a goy to do a D'Orysa Melacha on Shabbos, the prohibition of benefit is so severe, that if, for instance the goy turned on a light, the Jew must leave the room so as not to derive pleasure from the Melacha .
b. If the goy did the Melacha d'Orysa without being asked, but did so for the benefit of a Jew, then the Jew must protest.If he did not protest, the Jew may derive indirect benefit from the Melacha ; i.e., carry on a conversation by the light, but not read thereby.
c. If the goy did not heed the protest, and nevertheless turned on the light, the Jew may even read thereby.
d. Similarly, if a goy cooked food for a Jew on Shabbos, that food is muktzeh and no Jew may partake of it until until enough time to have completed that Melacha if it had been begun after Shabbos has elapsed [bekedai she ya aseh].
e. If the Melacha d'Orysa that was performed was Hotza ah [forbidden carrying in an unenclosed area] there is no need to wait until enough time to have completed that Melacha if it had been begun after Shabbos has elapsed [bekedai she ya aseh]
19) A healthy Jew may derive benefit from a Melacha done by a goy for a sick person as long as: a) the goy did not do any extra Melacha for the benefit of the healthy Jew; and, b) the product of the Melacha is not hjqvm.
20) Even if these conditions are not met, there is no need to wait until enough time to have completed that Melacha if it had been begun after Shabbos has elapsed [bekedai she ya aseh].
21) Melacha done by a goy for his own or another goy 's benefit follows the same parameters outlined in # 19Ä20.
a. A light turned on by a goy for his own use (even if it is in order to do permissible work for a Jew); b. Water heated in a hotel or other setting where it is clear that the goy has no knowledge of, or is not concerned with, individual Jewish patrons.
23) If the majority of people, or even a significant minority (i.e., that the Melacha may be intended for them) of the population for whom a goy does Melacha are Jewish, the Melacha is considered to have been done for the Jews.
24) If the majority of people, or even a significant minority of the population for whom a goy does Melacha are goyim (i.e., that the Melacha may be intended solely for them), the Melacha is considered to have been done for the goyim. In cases of a 50Ä50% population, the Melacha is considered to have been done for the Jews.
25) Examples of Ramifications:
Heat, light, and elevator use in Apartment Buildings (Note: an additional factor of Mar ees Ayin [other Jews noticing the activity, not realizing that in this case it is permissible, and extrapolating to other cases where it may well be impermissible] may be involved in elevator use.); Traveling by ship on Shabbos.
26) Indirect benefit from the Melacha of a goy is permissible.
a. Reading a letter which was inside an envelope opened by a goy on Shabbos (it is therefore permissible to hint to a goy in a way that does not infer a command to open a letter which it is permissible to read on Shabbos).
b.Eating food which was inside a can opened by a goy on Shabbos (it is therefore permissible to hint to a goy in a way that does not infer a command to open a can on Shabbos, even if one personally refrains from doing so).
c. Reading in a room in which prior to the goy 's lighting candles it was possible to read, at least with difficulty.
28) If there is direct benefit to a Jew from a Melacha d'Rabbanan [activity prohibited by the Talmud] performed by a goy for him on Shabbos, pleasure from that benefit is prohibited for that Jew and all members of his household until until enough time to have completed that Melacha if it had been begun after Shabbos has elapsed [bekedai she ya aseh]. Any other Jew may derive pleasure from that Melacha immediately. The product of the Melacha is not considered Muktzeh even for the Jew for whom the Melacha was done.
29) Examples of Ramifications:
Objects brought from beyond the 2000 amos one is permitted to travers on Shabbos [michutz latechum]; through a d'Rabbanan [prohibited by the Talmud] public domain [Reshus haRabbim];or bought on Shabbos. Note: i.e., a newspaper. See, however, above, # 18e.
30) It is permissible to direct a goy to do some act even if a Melacha will result automatically (even a Melacha d'Orysa [activity prohibited by the Torah]), i.e., telling him to open a refrigerator door even though the motor or light will turn on as a result; or to put a cold, but already cooked, pot of food to heat up on a stove which will turn on automatically.
31) One may carry on a long distance telephone conversation with a goy even if the goy is located in a time zone where it is already or still Shabbos.