Why do the Jews have no electricity on Passover?

Answer 1

Pesah = Passover Around March / April Hebrews escaped from

Egypt where they were slaves. Lasting about eight days.

Oil lamps were used.

It's because of the ruling by leaders that electricity is "lighting a fire". Any new innovation is judged by the existing laws governing what God said about work.

In Leviticus, the laws of Sabbath (any major holiday as well as "Sunday worship") have strict things about them. Among them are "do no work" and "light no fire". Making electricity is making others do work which the Ten Commandment says not to do, so you can't use electricity for the day. The point is to rest from all work, so even the simple thing like flipping a switch for electricity on Sabbath is doing work.

Since lighting a fire is also work...and forbidden...those who observe the Laws don't use electricity on Passover. How is electricity lighting a fire? Some areas use coal for electricity...lighting a fire. It's kind of complicated.

Answer 2

This question is based on a false premise. Jews can and do use both fire and electricity during Shabbat, the prohibition is against creating a new flame or electrical circuit.

The list of activities that are not allowed during Shabbat come from the list of 39 categories of 'work' that were prohibited during the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. This list is found in the Torah.

Answer 3

Traditionally observant Jews can use electric warming trays, hot plates and crock pots on the Sabbath if they plug them in before the Sabbath and don't unplug them until afterwards, or if they use a timer to turn the appliance off at the time it is expected it won't be needed (setting the timer before the Sabbath). The purpose of doing this would typically be to keep food warm that was prepared in advance. Many of the traditional meals for the Sabbath day rely on long slow cooking such as can be achieved this way. Cholent is the most famous, but there are many others. Before electric appliances were available, a common way to keep food warm was by covering a stove burner with a metal sheet (a bleich) and then setting the pot on that sheet. Before gas stoves, the tradition was to put covered pots in a masonry bread oven after the bread was removed, relying on the residual heat of the masonry and whatever coals remained in the fire.

Traditional interpretations of Jewish law do forbid turning electrical appliances on or off on the Sabbath, or plugging in or unplugging.