What is the Halacha re LISTENING to someone speaking in a microphone on Shabbat. For example if I walk into a room and someone is lecturing/speaking on a microphone an I permitted to listen
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related judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/6416/… judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/10389/…– rosendsFeb 27, 2020 at 19:47
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1Moshe avrohom, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks for bringing your question here! I look forward to seeing you around.– Isaac Moses ♦Feb 27, 2020 at 19:53
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Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/106542 judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/10905– DonielFFeb 27, 2020 at 19:56
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The current answer addresses a case of a non-Jew speaking to a primarily non-Jewish audience via microphone on Shabbos. Is this what you are asking about?– FredFeb 27, 2020 at 21:37
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Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/73006/…– LoewianFeb 28, 2020 at 14:21
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1 Answer
According to those who maintain that microphones are prohibited on Shabbat (see, e.g., Rabbi Yisrael Rosen's thorough summary of the views, cited by @mbloch here), it should still be permitted to "eavesdrop" on the audio of a gentile speaking to a gentile audience, based on the Talmudic principle of ner l'echad ner l'meah - a lamp [lit] for one [person] may illuminate for a hundred [people] (Shabbat 122a). See, for example, the ruling of the Shulchan Arukh (OC 276:2) regarding the lighting of a lamp:
ישראל ועכו"ם שהסיבו יחד והדליק עכו"ם נר, אם רוב עכו"ם מותר להשתמש לאורו, ואם רוב ישראל או אפילו מחצה על מחצה - אסור
When a Gentile lights a candle at an assembly of Jews and gentiles; if most of those present are gentiles, one may benefit from the light of the candle. However, if most or even half of those present are Jews, it is forbidden.