CCAR RESPONSA
Contemporary American Reform Responsa
176. Poverty Project and
Shabbat
QUESTION: Members of the congregation are involved
in a social action program which seeks to rebuild homes in various deprived areas of the city.
Plans are made for this throughout the year; the building material is gathered; hundreds of
volunteers both in the Christian and Jewish community are involved in the process. The actual
rebuilding takes place twice a year each time on a shabbat. Should members of the
Jewish community be involved in this activity which violates the spirit of shabbat, but on
the other hand helps the poor? (Rabbi J. Zabarenko, Houston, TX)ANSWER: The
commitment of Judaism to help those who are poor has been very clear from Biblical times
onward. The legislation of the Torah, and the constant exhortation of the prophets, have
moved us in this direction. The statements about charity by the legal literature from the
Mishnah onward have been very specific, and makes this one of the highest priorities of
Judaism. Tzedakah in all forms has always been important to us. Maimonides’ eight steps
of charity have systematized our efforts. The last of his steps is akin to the project undertaken by
your community, as it enables the poor to provide for themselves with dignity, and in this case,
proper homes in which their families can live. Reform Jews have placed special
emphasis on social action programs,and the eighth point of the Pittsburgh Platform of 1885
stressed this: “In full accordance with the spirit of Mosaic legislation which strives to
regulate the relation between rich and poor, we deem it our duty to participate in the great task of
modern times, to solve on the basis of justice and righteousness the problem presented by the
contrasts and evils of the present organization of society” (The Changing World of Reform
Judaism: The Pittsburgh Platform in Retrospect, W. Jacob, ed. p. 109). The
efforts of the Reform Movement in this regard are clear. The resolutions of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, as well as the
action of hundreds of congregations, have led us in this direction for more than a century. The
Social Action Center, which was established in Washington, DC, some two decades ago, has
provided additional national leadership. We must, however, ask how we can balance
this goal of Reform Judaism with the equally significant tasks of honoring the shabbat and
observing the spirit of this day of rest. The Reform Movement has considered the
shabbat very important and has tried to strengthen it. When the immigrant generation
found it difficult to attend shabbat morning services, Isaac M. Wise created the late
Friday evening service. The effort by some early Reform leaders to emphasize a Sunday
weekday service over the shabbat service was vigorously rejected as an infringement on
the sanctity of shabbat (W. Jacob, Pittsburgh Platform in Retrospect pp. 115 ff).
During last decades we have placed greater emphasis on shabbat observance. The
C.C.A.R. has done so through resolutions and publications (W. Gunther Plaut, Shabbat
Manual; Peter Knobel, Gates of the Seasons). Reform Judaism has emphasized
rest, worship, study and family activity rather than the details of the thirty-nine major categories
of prohibited work (M. Shab. 7.2; Mishnah Torah; Shulhan
Arukh).`Although rebuilding a home for the poor is a religious activity, we can not
consider it restful. Furthermore, we are not dealing with an emergency situation, but with a well
planned activity for which preparations have been made over a long period of time. Some
Reform Jews may not live up to the ideals of shabbat observance, but we must,
nevertheless, encourage them and discourage activities which clearly lead in other
directions. We would, therefore, encourage the Jewish community to participate in
other aspects of this charitable venture. They may plan, collect the necessary materials as well
as fund the project, but they should not participate on shabbat itself. As the
project is carried out twice during the year, one of those occasions can be a day other than
shabbat. If Sunday seems inappropriate, then one of the national holidays can be
selected. We should participate in the project but not on shabbat.March
1986
If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa.