May I watch TV on Shabbat if it was left on since before Shabbat?

Question:

I know that I am not allowed to switch on (or off) any electrical appliances on Shabbat. But may I watch TV on Shabbat if it was left on since before Shabbat?

Answer:

On Shabbat there are 39 forms of creative activity which are forbidden.

Aside from these 39 categories of labor, it is forbidden to be involved in any activity which is considered to be a "weekday" mundane activity ("Uvdin D'Chol") Instead, we are meant to enjoy and have pleasure on Shabbat and spend our time engaged in spiritual pursuits such as praying studying and praising G‑d.

For example, it is forbidden to measure on Shabbat with a measuring stick. Although this activity does not involve any of the 39 forbidden labors, it is considered to be a mundane activity.

Watching television is certainly considered to be Uvdin D'Chol, goes counter to the intended spirit of Shabbat, and is undoubtedly forbidden on the Shabbat.

By Naftali Silberberg

Rabbi Silberberg resides in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Chaya Mushka, and their three children.

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22 Comments

Jesse Corey June 13, 2023

How about if you are staying at a hotel during Shabbat, in which the hotel staff leave the TV’s in the common areas on at all times, and it’s not in your control that you see a TV screen showing mundane viewings during Shabbat? Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org June 14, 2023

in response to Jesse Corey:

It is certainly not in the spirit of Shabbat to sit and watch TV in the common areas, but you are also not obligated to avoid those areas and specifically look away although it is best not to watch. Reply

Eli Johannesburg December 23, 2021

By this same logic I can't make a cup of coffee from an urn as this is a mundane task. Reply

a yid nyc March 13, 2022

in response to Eli:

"mundane" here does not include eating and drinking and other "necessary" things that you cannot survive without Reply

Yehuda New York March 30, 2020

According to the reasoning of a "weekday" mundane activity and therefore prohibited, maybe going for a leisurely walk should also be prohibited? Where is the line drawn when defining Uvdin D'Chol? Thanks. Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org March 31, 2020

in response to Yehuda:

The line is quite hard to draw. The answer is that Uvdin D'chol are things that violate the spirit of Shabbos. Shabbos is meant to be an oasis in time, separate from the rest of the world, a day for G-d. Things that contradict that objective will fall under the category of Uvdin D'chol. Being that a leisurely walk does not violate the spirit of Shabbos, it is not forbidden. Watching TV does. However, the decision if an action does or does not violate the spirit an objective of Shabbos is up to a rav. It is not so sharply delineated. Reply

Yehuda New York April 1, 2020

in response to Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org:

Thanks. So people who want to use Zoom to "join" their separated family members for Pesach, that could be considered part of their 'a day for Gd' efforts? Reply

Anonymous May 10, 2019

What if a person doesn't watch Tv during the weekdays though? like It's a special thing? Reply

Chava July 27, 2018

plus try not seeing impurity on TV. pretty much impossible. Reply

Jordan Jay Borehamwood July 3, 2018

"...and is undoubtedly forbidden on the Shabbat."

Respectfully, Judaism isn't based on your own prejudices or opinion.

Please bring a clear source for what you're saying. Reply

Chani UK January 29, 2018

I'm a ger. I won't be starting my gerus for about a year, and one of the things I long for is a real Chassidishe Shabbes. Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org November 6, 2016

That is certainly, but the primary reason for it not being allowed is as stated in the article.

For people that are homebound and lonely, instead of trying to find loopholes for them, instead their friends and neighbors should make a point to make them less lonely. Shabbat visits to a homebound person is a great expression of kindness and goes along quite well with the spirit of Shabbat. Reply

Anonymous November 2, 2016

Nobody answers these questions. Isn't it better to try to dissuade people from watching television on Shabbat, not because it is forbidden per se, ie. because it is a malacha, but because it is not in keeping with the spiritual and restful nature of Shabbat. This is the ideal. Making blanket statements that it is outright forbidden will only put uncommitted Jews right off Shabbat forever. Besides, some incapacitated or old people may find it difficult to read, so it could be nice for them to have something to listen to, like a radio, audio book, etc. They might be isolated from family, too disabled to get out of the house. Why should they be confined to a day of sheer boredom, when they could be entertained so easily by some innocuous video, documentary, story etc (could have a Jewish theme even) as long as the equipment is operated by a timeswitch, or similar? Reply

Chabad.org Staff March 2, 2014

Re Torah videos on Shabbat It's commendable that you'd like to study Torah on Shabbat, the answer to your question is no :) the prohibition of using the TV or PC or any other electronic devices on Shabbat extends to Torah classes too. You can print out articles before Shabbat and use good ol' books :) Reply

Yosef Faisal USA March 1, 2014

What about Jewish.tv? Since watching something mundane it is prohibited, what about if I watch a The Rebbe's teachings or Rabbi Gordon Live Chumash, Tanya, and Rambam? Reply

Anonymous November 20, 2013

Tv on shabbat This is something that I struggle with a lot. Firstly, I never watch the news, I only watch movies, sometimes i watch documentaries about Judaism and the bible, and classes on Torah subjects. Secondly, we have a two-year old and the only thing to keep him quiet is a cartoon. If anyone has any advice I would be grateful. Please help.

And what is this stuff about "dressing up in old clothes"? Reply

Doc San Diego, California October 29, 2011

TV and Football TV? You're using electricity nd the joy is not the joy of worshiping G-d or learning His Torah, so I agree. No TV on Shabbot.
Unless Ole Miss is playing.
Just kidding. Reply

d atlanta, ga August 21, 2011

i don't know about this— what if it is a celebratory event? for example, here in the south, during the fall, we get very excited about college football and it brings joy to everyone involved and much conversation and happiness is associated with saturday college football. i don't know what's more shabbosdik than that. instead of forbidding it entirely as 'a weekday activity', which could potentially be just about anything if one wished to use that melakhot as such, why not a technical survey of what exactly must be done not to violate melachot in cases where television may be a good thing for shabbos? such as, is muting appropriate or just adjusting volume, etc. Reply

Ephraim Jerusalem September 16, 2018

in response to d:

Just record the games and watch them Saturday night. Problem solved. Reply

David Cohen New York, NY June 15, 2010

Watching television on Shabbat With all due respect, watching television is not necessarily a "weekday" mundane activity ("Uvdin D'Chol") and is certainly not counter to the spirit of Shabbat if the program is chosen with care. Reply

Chani Benjaminson, chabad.org March 9, 2010

TV Watching TV and movies is not an activity which is in the spirit of Shabbat... How about scheduling the TV time on Sunday, and devoting Shabbat to other activities which are permitted on Shabbat, such as reading books, dressing up in old clothes, playing board games, taking walks, playing charades, etc. Reply

Anonymous Buena Park, Ca March 8, 2010

watching movies how about if you dont watch tv all week is it ok to let your kids see tv or a movie ages 4 & 10 for a litle bit. Reply

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