EREV SHABBOS GRIDLOCK:
A Halachic Guide for the Delayed Friday Afternoon Traveler
By Rabbi Dovid Heber, Kashrus Administrator

Every few months, the phone rings on Erev Shabbos with a similar shayla:  “We are not sure if we will reach our destination in time for Shabbos.  What should we do?”  If the call comes from people who are stuck in traffic, my response has been, “Are you calling to find out the halachos, or to hear the best alternate routes to reach your destination?” 

After determining where they are, how much time they have until Shabbos begins, and their different options, I then advise them on what the halachos are.  Last spring, there was a major storm on erev Shabbos and commuters from Baltimore who worked in Washington, DC were in a bind, as no late afternoon trains were running from Washington to Baltimore.  At my Shabbos table that night, I related an earlier conversation and halachic discussion that I had with a baal habayis stuck with other Shomer Shabbos passengers on a train.  After hearing the details, my wife suggested that I write an article about this important and very relevant issue.

The following is based on the psak of Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, shlita, Rabbinic Administrator of the STAR-K.¹

It is important to leave enough time before Shabbos to reach one’s destination.²  When traveling long distances, one should ideally travel early in the week or no later than Thursday.  If this is not possible, then one should not schedule a trip (whether by car, bus or train) if one would arrive at the destination too close to Shabbos. Ideally, set aside double the amount of time it normally takes for Friday travel and take into account a possible bus or rail mechanical delay or highway traffic jam with traffic at a standstill, and no good alternate route. These occurrences are, unfortunately, quite common and will lead to possible chilul Shabbos and cause unnecessary stress. Leave enough time, especially before holiday weekends, if inclement weather is forecasted or if there is major construction en route. Similarly, one should not take the last pre-Shabbos flight³ (i.e., the last Friday afternoon flight that reaches one’s destination before Shabbos) or flights that arrive too close to Shabbos. Traveling too close to Shabbos to work a few more hours or save some money with a more economical flight is generally not the correct thing to do.

When one knows that he will not reach his destination, it is advisable to find a hotel room well before Shabbos.  For example, the drive from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to Baltimore typically takes an hour and a quarter.  If it is one hour before sunset on a Friday afternoon, one may not continue to travel at 85 mph to reach Baltimore.  Besides putting oneself into a situation that may lead to chilul Shabbos, such “heroic acts” are illegal, foolish and dangerous.  In such a situation, one should exit and, if possible, go to the closest Orthodox community or neighborhood that one can reach before Shabbos.⁴  In this case, one might arrange to spend Shabbos in Philadelphia, PA or Wilmington, DE.  If this is not possible, one should check into a hotel before Shabbos and purchase at least “basic necessities” for Shabbos, ensuring that all food products that require kosher certification have a reliable hechsher. 

When traveling on Friday, it is advisable to take along a box of matzos or rolls, in case one gets stuck.  If kosher wine or grape juice is not available, Friday night Kiddush⁵ may be recited on challos, or any other Hamotzi item.  In such a case, one should substitute the brocha of Hamotzi in place of Borei Pri Hagafen and ideally recite Kiddush on “shalem” (complete) challos, rolls, bagels, buns,⁶ or matzos for lechem mishneh.  If this is not possible, one may recite Kiddush on a slice of bread (i.e., even if one does not fulfill lechem mishneh).  If none of the above are available, one may eat without Kiddush.⁷ For Shabbos lunch and Havdalah, if kosher wine or grape juice is not available, one may use chamar medina (e.g., ideally beer but, if not possible, iced tea).⁸  Candles should be lit before Shabbos.  If candles are not available or permitted, one should use flashlights or b’shaas hadechak (if there is no other option), turn the hotel room incandescent lights⁹ off and then on and recite a brocha.¹⁰

In order to understand these halachos, it is important to review some generally related halachos.

1. Danger – If necessary, one must be mechalel Shabbos if one is in danger (or there is a possible danger).  For example, if on a Friday afternoon, a person is driving on an expressway with no viable exit in sight and the sun is setting, one may continue driving until¹¹ reaching a safe location.  This is because getting out of one’s car and walking on the shoulder of an expressway is sakanas nefashos (dangerous) – especially at night or in bad weather.  The same is true if one is in a dangerous neighborhood.  However, one may not be mechalel Shabbos to reach an “ideal” destination.  For example, if one reaches a rest stop that is populated, serviced and open 24 hours a day (e.g., on the New Jersey Turnpike), or a hospital (if one can stay in the waiting room) before Shabbos,¹² one must spend Shabbos in such a location and may not drive to reach a more preferred location.
2. Amira L’Akum – In general, one may not ask a non-Jew to perform work for him on Shabbos.  Therefore, unless one is ill or in danger, on Shabbos one may not ask a taxi driver to drive him to his destination.  During bein hashemashos (twilight), one may ask a gentile to perform melacha if it is l’tzorech mitzvah (to perform a mitzvah).¹³  Getting home is certainly a necessity to experience oneg Shabbos.  So, if one is on a plane that landed just before Shabbos, one may enter a taxi that will travel even after Shabbos begins, provided that he will reach his destination within 30 minutes¹⁴ after sunset.¹⁵
3. Tchum Shabbos – One may not go more than 2,000 amos (about two-thirds of a mile) past the end of the town in which he is located when Shabbos begins.¹⁶  Therefore, one may not travel from one city to the next once Shabbos has begun – even if a gentile is driving.¹⁷  Furthermore, one may not be in a taxi or on a train when Shabbos begins (at sunset) if he will leave the tchum on Shabbos.  One should not fly on a plane that will take off or land on Shabbos.¹⁸  Similarly, one should not board a train or plane – even before Shabbos – which will depart on Shabbos.¹⁹

Generally, if one reaches his destination from outside the tchum on Shabbos, one may only walk four amos (about 7 feet) in each direction.²⁰  In this case, we do not consider the entire city as inside his tchum.  However, the following are considered “inside four amos”:

a) Inside one building²¹ (e.g. airport or home)
b) A fenced-in area that includes a place where people generally eat and sleep (mukefes chomah l’dirah).
c) Inside an eruv.  For example, if someone from outside the tchum came b’issur (in a way that was halachically prohibited) on Shabbos to Northwest Baltimore, where there is an eruv, he would be allowed to walk anywhere inside the eruv.²²

Furthermore, if one cannot stay in this location for the following reasons, one may go to the closest safe location:

a) If one is being forced to leave his current location.  For example, if one arrives at a train station which is not open 24 hours.
b) If one needs to go to the bathroom, and none are available at his current location.²³
c) If his current location is a dangerous place.

If one boarded a plane thinking he would land before Shabbos, but then the plane ran late and landed on Shabbos, one must remain in the airport building for the entire Shabbos.  One must de-plane before takeoff if he realizes he will land after Shabbos starts.  If the airport will close (e.g., a small town airport), one may take a taxi to the closest safe location.

A. Driving – Ideally, when one realizes that he will not reach his destination before Shabbos, he should find a hotel or safe rest stop before Shabbos begins.  It is advisable to do this as early as possible before Shabbos.  If it is close to sunset, one must exit, park his car and lock his possessions in the car (or find a gentile who will watch them on Shabbos) before sunset.  He should then walk to his destination (if it is within the tchum).  One may continue to drive if it is dangerous to stay where he is.  He must stop driving when it is safe enough to walk.²⁴ For example, if one exited the expressway near his house and it is after sunset, he must get out of the car and walk the rest of the way.

B. Train or Bus (driven by a gentile) – One must get off before sunset.  If one is in the tchum when Shabbos begins, b’shaas hadechak one may stay on the bus or train until one reaches his destination.  If one will leave the tchum (e.g., one is in Edison, NJ at sunset and the train is going to New York), one must get off before sunset.  If this is not possible (e.g., the train or bus driver will not let him off, or if it is a dangerous location), upon arriving at his destination, he may only walk four amos.

C. Plane – As indicated above, one should not be on a plane that will take off or land on Shabbos. If one was on a plane in the air when Shabbos began, the following applies when landing:  If the airport one lands in is inside the tchum of the city and one was over the city at sunset (e.g., a flight into Midway Airport and at sunset the plane was over Metropolitan Chicago), upon landing, one may walk anywhere in the city (e.g., all of Chicago).  However, if the plane was outside the tchum²⁵ of the destination at sunset, or the airport is outside the tchum, one must stay in the airport building for the entire Shabbos.

D. Taxi – As discussed earlier, if necessary, one may travel by taxi during twilight.  This is true, whether he enters the cab before or after sunset.  If he enters the cab after sunset, the driver should open the door for him.  The driver should also open the door when he reaches his destination.  After Tzais Hakochavim, one may stay in the taxi driven by a gentile driver if one is ill or in a dangerous location.  Some poskim allow one to stay in the taxi (or have a gentile drive his car) after nightfall in cases where there will be a significant monetary loss, or if one lacks basic necessities (e.g., he will have to spend Shabbos in his car). Upon reaching ones destination, to avoid handling muktza, the taxi driver should be shown where the money for payment is.²⁶

It is important to remember that when one needs to travel on erev Shabbos, it should be done in a way that does not risk sacrificing “kavod and oneg Shabbos”, and which does not lead, chas v’shalom, to chillul Shabbos.  Although it is impossible to anticipate every possible scenario when traveling on erev Shabbos, it is important that our plans not compromise or jeopardize our observance of Shabbos and kavod v’oneg Shabbos.  This will allow our families to serve the Ribbono Shel Olam through the “Hailige Shabbos” – l’shaim ul’tiferes.