Question:
I work as a real estate agent. This work involves contracts that often have deadlines and/or responses needed that fall during Shabbat. Or, may require a call/ text/email or to receive one that contains an offer or other important contract timeline related issues. It it permissible in certain circumstances to be able to be "on-call" on certain Shabbats when you may be in the middle of a listing agreement with a seller and be required to handle contact related documents etc. and/or also if representing a Buyer that may need to make an offer and or respond to contract documents during shabbat to meet deadlines? In certain circumstances not timely forwarding a contract or responding within the deadline could cause a buyer or seller to loose a deal on their sale or purchase, and ultimately money. It also could be a circumstance where I as the agent loose income if the deal falls apart and it could be the only income for my family for an entire year (or longer) in certain circumstances.
Answer:
Hello,
Your situation seems very tempting to you, and you are afraid that you will lose the deal, if you don’t respond specifically on the Shabbat. We don’t text, e-mail, or answer phone calls on Shabbat, even in the difficult situation of the fear that we will lose a customer, or lose a deal. Us Jews believe, that not only did Hashem create the world, but we believe that there is divine providence, and that Hashem is in charge of our livelihood. Yes, it is a bit nerve-wracking for you not to take phone calls, or to text, but rest assured, that you will not lose out in the long run, from keeping Shabbat properly. Even if you will lose out on this customer, this may only be test of your emuna, and bitachon, and after you have passed the test, Hashem will send you many more customers. We are taught that the source of all good, including the amount of money we make, comes through the Shabbat, and keeping the Shabbat, and you will definitely not lose in the long run from keeping the Shabbat. There are hundreds of stories attesting to this, of storeowners, who thought that the main day for them to profit, was by staying open on Shabbat. But after the difficult decision to close the store for Shabbat, when making their yearly calculations, they noticed that not only they not lose by it, but their sales actually increased. Hashem runs the world, and he will not let you down by keeping His mitzvot.
Keep strong, keep to the halachot, and G-d willing, your business will pick up, and you won’t regret listening to provider of everyone’s livelihood- Hashem.
Best wishes
