Meta Robot

Can I use a meta robot during shabbat. For example asking it questions or telling it to heat up my food.

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

It is forbidden to use such robots on Shabbat (also known as the “Alexa” and the “Siri”)

There are a number of reason for this.

First of all, we find in the Talmud that using one’s voice to violate a prohibition is considered to be an outright prohibition, as well. For example in Bava Metzia 90b we find that one may not prevent an ox from eating the grain it treads upon and threshes. We are told that one violates this prohibition even if one’s prevents the ox from eating the grain simply by yelling at it.

Another reason it is forbidden is that speaking to these robots might be comparable to speaking into a microphone on Shabbat which is forbidden.

Above all, not only is it forbidden to do melacha on Shabbat, but it is even forbidden to discuss it! Just like one may not turn on a light or drive on Shabbat, one may generally not discuss turning on a light or driving either! One may certainly not discuss one's desire to accomplish something forbidden on Shabbat.

Related to this is the ban on telling non-Jews to do forbidden Shabbat activities. It is generally forbidden to tell non-Jews to do something on Shabbat that a Jew is forbidden to do. This is known as the ban of “Amira L’akum.” As such, telling a robot to do something that is forbidden for a Jew to do is similar to asking a non-Jew to do so, and, forbidden accordingly. Some sources are so strict on Amira L’akum that they don’t even permit the use of timers on Shabbat, as that too, resembles the ban on telling non-Jews to do forbidden activities on Shabbat.

OC 306, 307 with commentaries.  Igrot Moshe, OC 3:55, 4:60, 4:84.