Question:
B”H
Kavod haRav,
1. Regarding a one time, yearly donation to a Jewish charity, last year I was billed on a weekday for the whole year. This year, the automated billing company (which is separate from the charity) billed me on Shabbat. Should I ask the charity to cancel and re-charge me not on Shabbat (would being automated billed on Shabbat count as “benefitting from work on Shabbat” or desecrating any other aspect of Shabbat?)
2. If I donate to a Jewish charity for a set amount each day, and a small fee is added each day to cover the credit card charges for that day, is there any issue with being billed both the daily charge on Shabbat as well as the small daily fee to cover the use of the credit card service on Shabbat?
Thank you sincerely
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
- Automatic billing is permitted on Shabbos because it is set from before Shabbos, and no Jew did any melacha, as it was only the Jews machine that did the melacha. Similar to our lights which are turned on before Shabbos and continue to burn on Shabbos itself. Therefore, it isn’t an issue.
- The same would be for the daily credit card donation. You are not actively donating to the charity on Shabbos, rather you programed the computer to automatically do the transaction. Besides, the credit card company is most probably gentiles, who have no mitzva of Shabbos.
Best wishes
Sources:
O:CH 252-1.
