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I have a Jewish friend who wants to become religious, but is currently holding a job that forces her to work on Shabbos morning, and more recently Friday evening as well. She does not have the strength to tell the manager that she is unable to do so, or to offer to work any other days. These actions also lead her to many other things that jeopardize her emunah (faith). This job is for non-Jews (religious Christian) that are unable to understand her religious faith, and she gets harassed often for it. If I have the ability to get her fired from this job, is it permissible according to Halacha to go through with this, in order to teach her not to work on Shabbos? Or is that a chillul Hashem?

I just want to note that this is a minimum wage job, not a career.

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    I understand you have a chesbon for shabbas but how about the other six days which working is permmited.I would def not get her fired.I would speak to a Rav for advice but to take away parnassah from someone is not simple.Its not like the days when we had a Sanhedrin.
    – sam
    Commented Jul 19, 2013 at 16:54
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    It is very nice to see how much you care about someone else, but not so simple.
    – sam
    Commented Jul 19, 2013 at 16:59
  • What does "for" mean in "This job is for goyum (religious Christian) that are unable to understand her religious faith"?
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Jul 19, 2013 at 17:22
  • I'm also having a hard time understanding "These actions also lead her to many other things that jeopardize her emunah (faith)".
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Jul 19, 2013 at 17:24
  • If you live in America (and likely in other places), she can't be fired for being unable to come in on Shabbat. That would constitute religious discrimination.
    – Publius
    Commented Jul 28, 2013 at 4:32

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It is commendable that you want to help your friend improve her observance. However, I see some issues with the approach you're proposing here.

How do you think she will react when she finds out what happened? "Is this the reward of torah, that I should lose my livelihood for it?" Yes working on Shabbat is a serious violation of halacha, but you will not increase her respect for Shabbat by interfering with her job. You could even, chas v'shalom, end up pushing her away -- that chillul Hashem you worry about in the question. Unless you are very close to her and are very sure of her reaction, I wouldn't try that.

If she's on a path to becoming frum there are probably lots of things she needs to change. If you help her to work on some of the others, guiding her in things she can do rather than doing it for her, then you (a) increase her observance and (b) establish a better relationship with her, enabling you to help her more in the future. Letting her alter her employment situation (when she's ready) seems the wiser path.

You can best help her by helping her to accept mitzvot for herself, rather than trying to force the issue. Let her have the merit of saying na'aseh v'nishmah (so to speak; I know that's plural...) instead of trying to hold the mountain over her head.

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