By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, Moreh Hora’ah of Beis Horaa in Rechovot, Israel
In many countries, there are crosswalks in middle of the street at which drivers must stop if there is a pedestrian nearby. However, when a driver stops a car he performs the melacha of extinguishing (mechabeh), and when he starts driving again, he performs the melacha of igniting (hav’ara).
To cause a Jew to transgress is a Torah prohibition of lifnei iveir, and to merely assist them in transgressing is a rabbinic prohibition of mesayeia lidvar aveira (helping one sin).
Is standing at the crosswalk causing drivers to increase in melacha?
Some contemporary poskim say that while one may not actively cause a Jew to stop his car (lifnei iveir), one is not required to actively hold them back from choosing to sin.
This view is in based on the Mishna’s statement that one is not required to mark his orlah trees to guard thieves from eating the forbidden fruits (haliteihu larasha).
However, others argue that those who don’t observe Shabbos nowadays aren’t deliberate sinners, and we are obligated to hold them back from transgressing whenever possible, and surely not do anything which would cause them to transgress.
In practice, one should avoid doing anything that would make drivers stop. However, if the traffic has already been stopped by a stop sign or a traffic officer, one may cross the street and delay the traffic, since they aren’t doing any additional melacha as a result.
What about causing a non-Jew to stop his car on Shabbos?
Some consider standing at a crosswalk like telling the non-Jewish driver to stop his car, which would be prohibited on Shabbos.
However, other poskim permit even signaling that he wants to cross, and it’s not his concern that the non-Jew will stop as a result, since he didn’t tell him to stop outright and he isn’t deriving direct pleasure from anything the non-Jew did.
In practice, one may wait by the crosswalk (since they stop for their own interest), but one should not motion to them.
What should one do if a Jew ask for directions?
Contemporary poskim write that one cannot assist them in driving and one must therefore try to avoid them or act ignorant.
Others suggest that if one says clearly that he wants them to minimize their chilul Shabbos by reaching their destination sooner, he may offer directions and is not considered to have participated in their melacha. Both options are acceptable.
Published by Merkaz Anash. Sources
every place I’ve been to (well in the US ) where it is legal to cross there is either a light or a stop sign
There are places where if you see a pedestrian by a crosswalk (not by a light signal) you legally have to stop. Otherwise if there are no pedestrians you can continue at the same speed. So if a car sees you waiting you are causing them to stop because otherwise they would continue normally
One cannot know always who is a Jew.
Therefore, how should one conduct him or herself?
Thank you on advance for clarification.
Read before commenting?
From the very first sentence: “In many countries, there are crosswalks in middle of the street at which drivers must stop if there is a pedestrian nearby”
When a car engine is running the spark plugs are igniting thousands of times per second When one slows down or stops,the driver is not turning off the engine.I don’t see any problem. yitzchok teitelbaum
Since either you cross at a light where cars anyways stop or else it is by a stop sign where they legally have to stop as well.
If youre crossing in middle of the street in front of incoming traffic I think you have more things to worry about than if its halachically ok on shabbos. for example, you might get hit.