>>143979They either always have these things on or plug them in the day before the Sabbath. It depends on the household.
Prohibition on work is one of the strictest mitzvah. God makes it very clear to Abraham in Exodus that Jews will not work on the Sabbath. Aside from not being allowed to do their job, the literal definition of work, there's also the biblical definition. The word "work" used in the commandment to Abraham is the same that was used in God's creation of the Earth and is used immediately afterward in describing the construction of the tabernacle. This word for "work" implies creativity and domain over the world. The rabbis interpreted this as meaning any category of work which has to do with the construction of the tabernacle. This led to the 39 Melakhot, categories of creative work prohibited on the Sabbath. By the rabbis, Jews are also not allowed to touch the 6 Muktzeh, categories of tools used for creative work prohibited on the Sabbath. There are also other rabbinic prohibitions on the Sabbath, but they're more complex.
Even when employing Shabbos goy, certain rules must be followed. For example, you cannot command or hint at a command for a goy to break a Melakhot, and you can only have a goy perform something forbidden by the rabbis, such as touching a Muktzeh, if it meets certain conditions such as preventing grievous financial loss or helping the sick. However, you can hint to no subject (whine) about something which only a goy could solve by breaking a Melakhot. Saying, "Oy vey, I have only one piece of ripped toilet paper left! What ever shall I do?" would be permissible as you are not implying to anyone around you that they must break a Melakhot. You are simply despairing the situation. Whether the goy then rips the toilet paper so you may use it in your existing pile or buys more toilet paper, rips it, then adds it to your pile, is none of your concern. However, if the goy asks, "Are you saying I should do that for you?" you must always give an answer which neither affirms nor denies your desire for the action to occur, such as, "It would help," but never, "Yes." Further, you cannot apologize to or thank the goy in this situation, as that would imply you received direct benefit or were commanding the goy to break a Melakhot.
Direct benefit is defined as the ability to do something which was not previously possible a
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