Fire on the Sabbath

Question: I understand some orthodox Jews will not drive their car on the Sabbath, because starting the engine is considered kindling a fire on the Sabbath. Should we not drive our car on the Sabbath since a fire must be started when the engine runs?

Answer: The Bible prohibits kindling (starting) a fire on the Sabbath. It is also true that a fire is started when the car engine runs. Let's look at the Scripture regulating this:

"You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day" (Ex. 35:3).

Notice it says "...in any of your dwellings...light no fire in any house..." (Moffatt); "...not light a fire...in any of your homes" (NJ).

As these translations clearly show, lighting or starting a fire applies only to ones house-where we live. This obviously excludes our car. We can drive on the Sabbaths.

How does this apply though within the home? Can we have no fire of any kind in our home on the Sabbath Day? What about winter time?

This same term "kindle/ed (SEC 1197)" (KJV, NAS) is used in Ex. 22:6: "...whoever started the fire..." (NAS); "...coals were kindled by it [fire]" (II Sam. 22:9). So this term refers to initiating or starting a fire. If there is fire already within the house when the Sabbath dawns early Saturday morning, if the coals are already burning there, then this law is not violated.

It is permissible, then, to have a pilot light already lit in the furnace, or a wood fire already burning when the Sabbath dawns. Or technically, one could start the fire outside on the Sabbath and bring the fire inside the house.

Apparently electric heaters, stoves, and furnaces do not come under the restrictions of this law since they produce no actual flame or spark by consuming materials or ionizing air. -ICY