Reporting an Emergency on Shabbat
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Question
With the help of Heaven, Shalom to the esteemed Rabbi, is it permissible for a religious reporter to post a report on social networks on Shabbat or on the eve of Shabbat to update about an emergency situation such as a terrorist attack, etc.?
Answer
Shalom Rav
It is forbidden to update about an emergency on Shabbat unless there is a concern for saving a life.
For example, it is forbidden to report news about a terrorist attack or infiltration when the listeners do not need it for their safety.
However, it is permissible to update residents of a certain area not to leave their homes due to suspicion of a terrorist or to announce the need to evacuate a certain area.
Usually, important security messages are not conveyed by news reporters, but are transmitted from the authorities to citizens in an orderly manner.
Therefore, there are almost no cases where it is permissible to report news on Shabbat.