A Kosher Switch?

BH, 25th of Nissan 5775, 14/04/15

Clarification letter: The 'Kosher Switch' for Shabbat.
By Rabbi Yisrael Rosen, engineer, head of The Zomet Institute

Today, Israeli media reported the invention of an electric 'Kosher switch' for Shabbat, with the approval of various rabbis. This item was recycled from 2010 and already then denials and renunciation by great rabbinic authorities where published regarding every day use for this product.

The method presented here is 'Gramma', i.e. indirect activation, permitted only for medical, security and similar situations, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch laws of Shabbat Siman של"ד section 22. No Orthodox rabbi, Ashkenazi or Sephardi, has permited this 'Gramma' method for pure convenience.

The Haskama presented by the company by Hagaon Rabbi Neuwirth zt"l (the number one expert in the laws of Shabbat, whose book 'Shmirat Shabbat Kehilchata' became a staple in this area) was misleadingly extracted from him, as he told me personally at the time. He added the following sentence to the company's document in his own hand writing: the "only for medical and security use". Furthermore, Rabbi Neuwirth troubled himself and wrote an official letter to the Company (28th of Tevet 5772) "Regarding what you have written on my behalf to allow a type of 'Kosher Gramma', to cause electric lights to be turn on, on Shabbat – is impossible. And never crossed my mind, except for the sick and for security. Please also advertise this publicly so that people will not be misled by me".

Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, Rabbi of the old city in Jerusalem, who was mentioned as supporting the device, told me at a meeting on the 20th of Elul 5751 that he never approved such a thing, and certainly there is no permission to use this except for medical or security use.

Bottom line, as stated before - there is no 'Heter' for this equipment that was advertised as being authorized by the rabbis.