Exploring Shabbat Laws Using Alexa Tech

Dear Rabbi, I've upgraded my home with a smart system where everything is managed via voice commands through Alexa. As Shabbat nears, I'm curious about the halachic standpoint on using such technology to operate lights or my oven during Shabbat. Could you share insights on how Jewish law addresses this modern dilemma?

Thank you for your question. It's truly amazing how technology has evolved, and it's even more fascinating to discover that such modern advancements have roots in the Torah and Talmud. We will explore how on Shabbat, it is not only forbidden to perform a melacha (forbidden work) directly but it is also prohibited to initiate such actions through speech, including voice commands. This makes it incredibly intriguing to adapt sources from the Torah to today's modern world. I would like to share with you three sources on the subject:

1. As we know, one may not trap an animal on Shabbat; this is considered a melacha called “tzeida” (hunting or trapping). Generally, one does this by actively hunting or trapping an animal until it has nowhere to go and is in your control; that is when one has performed a melacha called tzeida. However, there is an interesting scenario brought in Tractate Sanhedrin p.101a about one being able to trap a snake without any physical action on trapping, but rather through whispering a “lachash,” a command, and then the snake is in your control. The Talmud says this is permitted to do on Shabbat, explains Rashi in his commentary on the Talmud, because it is a danger to people; that is why it is permitted. This is brought lehalacha in the Shulchan Aruch:
• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Laws of Shabbat, Siman 328, Se’if 45: "Whispering over snakes and scorpions so that they do not harm is allowed, and this does not constitute trapping."
• Mishnah Berurah, Siman 328, Se’if 143: "(143) And this does not constitute trapping - Even though the whisper prevents it from moving from its place until we can capture it, it is nevertheless permitted - even in a case of not immediate danger - because this is not natural trapping.”
2. When Am Yisrael were in the wilderness, they had heavenly food to eat. This food was called manna, and the taste of the manna was like honeydew. However, when someone thought of a specific cooked food, it would take on that specific taste. The commentary Moshav Zekeinim Ba'alei Tosafot questions this: It states in Sefer Shemot, Parshat Beshalach, that Am Yisrael needed to actually bake the manna, as they had to prepare the food by cooking and baking before Shabbat. If it was possible through thought and speech, why did they need to prepare it before Shabbat when no physical labor (melacha) was taking place? Moshav Zekeinim answers that even if one can cause cooking through speech and thought, it is still considered a melacha and is therefore forbidden on Shabbat. This shows a similar idea to modern technologies like Alexa, where even if one does not physically perform the melacha, if it is done through speech, it is still forbidden.
3. We do find, however, that the opinion of the Sheloh seems to argue with this idea of speech being considered a melacha on Shabbat. The Sheloh asks the following interesting question: "It is written in the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 9:9): When the day of Moshe Rabeinu's death arrived, he took the Torah scroll that he had written as per Hashem’s instruction, and copied from it thirteen Torah scrolls, and handed twelve Torah scrolls to the twelve tribes… and he handed the Torah scroll to the tribal leaders. And there is a question for those who say he passed away on Shabbat, how did he write a Torah scroll on Shabbat? – the Sheloh explains that Moshe Rabeinu wrote the sifrei torah by speech; he miraculously had control of the quill which wrote the Torah, and this does not involve any forbidden writing labor at all (cited in Sheloh, brought in Kehilot Yaakov, Bava Kamma, siman 45, and also in Responsa Chatam Sofer, Choshen Mishpat, siman 29)."

To summarize: as we have learnt there is an interesting discussion throughout the ages about whether speech can be considered a melacha.
Le’halacha, it is forbidden for one to perform a melacha through speech as brought earlier, that includes using the Alexa device.

Wishing you much success.

1. Tractate Sanhedrin p.101a
2. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Laws of Shabbat, Siman 328, Se'if 45
3. Mishnah Berurah, Siman 328, Se'if 143
4. Moshav Zekeinim Ba'alei Tosafot on Sefer Shemot, Parshat Beshalach
5. Sheloh (Shnei Luchot HaBrit), in discussion referenced in Kehilot Yaakov, Bava Kamma, Siman 45, and also in Responsa Chatam Sofer, Choshen Mishpat, Siman 29