09 Jun KEEPING SCORE ON SHABBAT: WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT

This past Friday night,
many people followed
the big game and
eagerly awaited the
scores. From a Torah
perspective, one
should ideally not be
preoccupied with sporting events, especially on
Shabbat. Nevertheless, many people are deeply
attached to their favorite teams, and for them,
the curiosity and desire to know the outcome can
be quite strong.
For them the question, therefore, is not whether
one should be engrossed in the game, but
whether and under what circumstances it is
permissible to learn the score on Shabbat.
Let us examine the various methods by which
one might learn the score and whether they are
halachically permissible.
Leaving a Radio On Before Shabbat
Many poskim, particularly in Israel, addressed
the permissibility of leaving TV or a radio on
before Shabbat in order to listen to broadcasts
during Shabbat. A common reason for
prohibition is that the listener is benefiting from
Shabbat desecration performed by Jewish
broadcasters and technicians who actively
operate the station on Shabbat. Since one may
not benefit from a fellow Jew’s violation of
Shabbat, listening to such broadcasts is
forbidden.
However, this rationale may not apply outside of

Israel where the game is broadcast by non-
Jewish stations and personnel. In such cases, the

concern of benefiting from a Jew’s Shabbat
desecration would seemingly not exist. One
would then need to examine whether there are
other reasons to prohibit listening to the
broadcast, independent of the identity of those
operating the station.
The Rabbinic Prohibition of Musical
Instruments
Another possible concern is the rabbinic
prohibition against playing musical instruments
on Shabbat. Chazal prohibited the use of musical
instruments out of concern that if an instrument
were to break, one might come to repair it.
Some poskim (Yad Aaron 12) argued that a radio
which plays music should be included in this
prohibition, since it functions as an instrument
through which music is heard. According to this
view, listening to a radio on Shabbat would be
no different than listening to a musical
instrument.
Others disagreed (Erets Tzvi 64), maintaining
that the decree of Chazal applies specifically to
actual musical instruments that produce music.
A radio, however, does not create the music; it
merely serves as a medium that transmits sounds
generated elsewhere. Since it is fundamentally
different from a musical instrument, they argued
that it is not included in the original rabbinic
prohibition.
According to this latter approach, the prohibition

of playing musical instruments would not
necessarily apply to a radio that was turned on
before Shabbat.
Concern That One May Adjust the Controls
Some poskim (Tshuvot Vehanhagot from Rav
Shterenbuch 2, 188) raised a different concern.
Even if the radio was turned on before Shabbat
and no prohibition is involved in merely
listening, there remains the possibility that a
person may forget himself and adjust the
volume, change the station, or otherwise
manipulate the controls while listening.
According to this view, allowing a person to
listen to a radio on Shabbat creates a significant
risk that he will eventually interact with the
device, resulting in a direct violation of Shabbat.
Others rejected this argument (Chelkat Yaakov
63), maintaining that Chazal did not enact such
a decree. While rabbinic authorities have the
power to enact safeguards under certain
circumstances, one cannot simply create new
prohibitions based on speculative concerns.
Since we do not find that Chazal prohibited
benefiting from an item merely because one
might be tempted to adjust it, there is no basis to
forbid listening to a radio that was properly
turned on before Shabbat solely out of concern
that one may later tamper with its controls.
Public activity- Avsha Milta
A further consideration discussed by the poskim
is the issue of avsha milta—a noticeable activity
that creates public awareness and potential
suspicion.
We find a well-known dispute between the
Shulchan Aruch and the Rema regarding leaving
a machine running into Shabbat that produces
noticeable noise (Siman 252, 5). The Shulchan
Aruch is generally lenient, holding that if the
action was started before Shabbat, there is no
prohibition in allowing it to continue, even if it
produces sound.
The Rema, however, is more stringent in cases
where the noise is clearly noticeable to the
public, expressing concern for marit ayin—that
observers may mistakenly assume the person
violated Shabbat by operating the machine on
Shabbat itself.
Applying this discussion to a radio left on before
Shabbat, according to the Shulchan Aruch it
would be permitted even if others can hear it or
are aware of its operation. According to the
Rema, however, there may be concern that the
audible broadcast could create suspicion that the
radio was turned on during Shabbat, and
therefore such a setup would be problematic in
situations where the sound is publicly noticeable.
Ziluta DeShabbat (Disrespect to Shabbat)
Other poskim (Be’er Moshe 7, page 108) raise
an additional concern of ziluta deShabbat—that
the presence and use of instruments such as
radio or television during Shabbat can be
considered a degradation of the sanctity and
atmosphere of Shabbat itself. Even if no direct
melacha is being performed at the moment of
listening, the overall environment created by
constant media presence may be viewed as
undermining the dignity of Shabbat.
In practice
Le’maase, the poskim are stringent and forbid
leaving a radio or television on from before

Shabbat, and even prohibit setting a timer for it
to turn on during Shabbat. This is based on both
the above concerns and the broader sensitivity to
preserving the sanctity of Shabbat’s atmosphere.
However, in cases of significant need—such as
times of war, security concerns, or other
emergencies—leniencies may be relied upon
where necessary, depending on circumstances
and halachic guidance.
Asking a Jew Who Desecrated Shabbat
A further issue arises if one has a friend,
neighbor, or acquaintance who is not Shabbat
observant and therefore already knows the
score.
Halacha generally forbids benefiting from a
Jew’s Shabbat desecration (S. A. siman 318, 1).
Accordingly, one may not ask such a person to
provide information that was obtained through
Shabbat violation. This would constitute
benefiting from prohibited Shabbat activity.
Asking a Non-Jew
One may not ask a non-Jew to find out the score
on Shabbat. Even though there are limited
circumstances in which asking a non-Jew (amira
le’akum) is permitted, those conditions are not
met here.
In general, amira le’akum is only allowed when
several conditions are present: the underlying
issue is at most a rabbinic prohibition (shevut
de’shevut), and it is being done for a significant
need, such as a mitzvah purpose, a medical
need, or to prevent a major financial loss.
Here, however, the request is simply to obtain
information out of curiosity, such as learning a
sports score. This does not meet the threshold of
a halachic need that would justify amira
le’akum. Therefore, even if one would classify
accessing the information itself as only a
rabbinic prohibition (and some authorities treat
it more strictly), asking a non-Jew to do so
remains forbidden.
Finding Out from a Non-Jew
The final and perhaps only clearly permissible
scenario is asking a non-Jew who already knows
the score.
In this case, the non-Jew is not being asked to
perform any action on Shabbat. He is merely
relating information that is already known to
him. Furthermore, the information was not
obtained through any violation of Shabbat
performed on behalf of the Jew. Since no
melacha is being done and no prohibited benefit
is being derived from work performed for the
Jew, there is room to permit it.
Accordingly, if a non-Jew already knows the
score and is simply asked what it is, this would
appear to be the most straightforwardly
permissible way of finding out the result on
Shabbat.