Travel on Shabbat. There is a medical ultra-sound appointment on Friday Dec 7 at 2.15pm, the duration is 1 hour or so. Shabbat begins at 4.23pm. The travel time by public transit to and from the hospital is over 1 hour. If a person is on the subway or a bus-what must he do? Get off the transit and walk home OR may he continue the journey even after 4.23pm? Every effort will be made to change the time,but the hospital books 2-3 months in advance and they may not be able to change the appointment.Thank you.
Answer:
In Israel, where the majority of people are Jewish, including the railway workers, it would be strictly forbidden to stay on the train, because of the labor that the railway workers do on behalf of the passengers.
Another consideration, both in Israel and outside, is the issue of techumin. In intercity trains the techum is crossed, and it would not be permitted to stay on the train.
There issues do not apply outside Israel, on a city line. However, a further issue to consider is carrying the tickets or money for payment. This is of course a problem where there is no eruv, and a problem of muktzeh in any event — though it is less severe if the ticket is placed in an inside pocket before Shabbos.
Another issue is the extra fuel that will be used on account of a Jew’s presence. This point is raised by Shut Yehuda Yaaleh (Vol. 1, no. 58, as cited by the Mishnah Berurah, Biur Halachah 404 s.v. ve-ein be-kol), but it might not be relevant for an electric-powered railway (there is also room to argue that the effect is negligible).
Even if we deal with all relevant issues, travelling on Shabbos remains a denigration of Shabbos (Penei Yitzchak, Abulafia), and it also raises concerns of maris ayin. For these reasons it should certainly be avoided wherever at all possible, excepting cases of true emergency.
In the circumstances described in the question, it might for instance be possible to consider taking a cab, it time doesn’t allow for the train journey. Another option is to get off and walk, again where possible. It is hard to consider a case where all other options are exhausted, and where it will be permitted to stay on the train – though it is important to clarify the halachah for emergency cases.
Best wishes.
