Posted on 09/18/24
We all remember when Ilan Ramon the first Israeli astronaut flew up to space and unfortunately his spaceship exploded. Ilan had asked a couple of questions before he boarded the Shuttle.
The first question he asked what is he supposed to do regarding keeping Shabbos? When does he mekabel Shabbos? He was told based on a Shaarei Teshuva in Orach Chaim 344:2 in the name of Reb Yonasan Eibshitz in his sefer Mor UKtziah, Just like those that live in Countries where the sun is up for six months one needs to count twenty four hours six times and then keep Shabbos for Twenty four hours.
Ilan wanted to know if the twenty four hours must be based on Huston Texas time since that is where he begins his trip or can he do it based on Israeli time?
Reb Gavriel Tzinner seems to pasken that one should count twenty four hours six times from the place where he is leaving and keep Shabbos for twenty four hours on the seventh cycle of counting twenty four hours.
The Divrei Yatziv the Klausenburger rebbe Zt”l held we always count like in Eretz Yisroel even at the north pole where it is light for sixmonths straight we count twenty four hours times six based on the start time of Eretz Yisroel.
The question was asked regarding tefillos when should one daven. Here too most Rabbonim held that one should count twelve hours and dave Shachiris and then another eleven hours and dave Mincha followed by maariv. Despite the fact there is no zrichas and shkiyas hachama. This is done to keep a Zecher of tefillos mi’De’Rabbonon.
The question arises whether one can do Kiddush Levana in space?
Here too Most Rabbanim paskebned that one can do it by counting 29 days 12 hours and 44 minutes and 1 chelek plus three daysfrom the last time he had a molad on earth.
There is an underlying question if a person is allowed to even go to space as he will come to be mechallel Shabbos. One is not allowed to go on a boat three days before Shabbos. One of the reasons is that he may need to take medicine as he will not be used to the boat and thereby be mechallel Shabbos. If this is the reason one would definitely not be allowed to be on a space capsule!
May we be zocheh to see the niflaos HaBorei KeHalacha!