Lehasir Michshol: Frigidaire Freezers Shabbos Alert

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freezerFrigidaire freezers sold in Lowe’s and many other stores are advertised as having a Shabbos mode that disables all electric activity from occurring except for the compressor. In truth, however, this is not the case, as there is still an alarm that beeps after the door remains open for five minutes. Opening the door sets off a timer that triggers a mechanism to beep five minutes later. It is thus forbidden to open the door on Shabbos.

In order to avoid this problem, one must tape down the plastic piece that protrudes when the door is open to prevent it from beeping.

Even models that do not have a Shabbos mode have the same problem and it does not suffice to simply remove the freezer bulb, as the appliance will beep after the door is left opened for five minutes, as explained above.

Many, many people are unaware of this chillul Shabbos concern.

{Shmiel Gellman-Matzav.com Newscenter}


16 COMMENTS

  1. “Opening the door sets off a timer that triggers a mechanism to beep five minutes later. It is thus forbidden to open the door on Shabbos.” This is stated as an unequivocal fact without a psak. There may be rabbonim that hold it is assur, but I don’t think it is so simple (assuming you are not leaving it open for the full 5 minutes). Consult your local Orthodox Rabbi.

  2. Sorry, but this has to be the most ridiculous “psak” I have heard here. “It is forbidden to open the door on Shabbos”? Because of the timer that will cause it to beep in five minutes? Seriosuly, have you ever heard of mileches machsheves, davar sheino misvavein, melcaha shein tzricha l’gufo, ect. Have you read any of the undreds of teshuvos that dealt with refrigerators on shabbos in the 50s, 60s and 70s?

  3. Most Kenmore refrigerators do not have such an alarm and that isn’t “standard” on many others. You should check the information about your fridge before making the assumption that such an alarm exists.

  4. Thank you for bringing up this point. Now I will ask my Rav what to do. Matzav does not pasken shailos. They make us aware of a problem and you are supposed to take it from there.

  5. Ask a shaila. Even those who would hold it’s mutar would agree that nobody should pasken this on their own, or from comments on Matzav.
    I also think before publicizing this type of thing a shaila should be asked, since sometimes awareness make it more of a problem.

  6. Everybody just “Chill” out.

    Who will argue that the oilom shouldn’t know the facts of how the appliance works.

    Like always people will ask their own Shailos.

  7. I just physically checked it out. Matzav is right, it is a timer. It can be bypassed easily. Unplug the freezer and cut and cap the 2 wires. Its a normally open switch. (If you don’t know what that means, call a professional ). Oh I almost forgot, ask a sheila if this is necessary in the first place.YMMV

  8. It’s only a problem if you open it with intention to keep it open for 5 minutes and in fact keep it open for that amount of time.

    In such a case, your act is not considered a gramma according to most poskim as it “immediately” starts the process needed to have the sound go on. Its like setting a shabbos clock on shabbos to have a light turn on in five minutes.

  9. #13 unless you are a rov with a name, please keep your opinions on halacha to yourself. Its definitely a shaila and what you “paskened” is definitely not according to all opinions.

  10. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE BEEPER.THE PROBLEM IS THE TIMER.THE MOMENT YOU OPEN THE DOOR,THE TIMER IS ACTIVATED TO TIME THE MINUTES.THIS IS ACTIVATED BY THE SWITCH.YOU CAN TAPE THE SWITCH PERMANENTLY AS IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM.

  11. #12
    YOU DON’T WANT TO DISABLE THE ALARM.
    THE ALARM WILL SOUND IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FREEZER AND THE TEMPERATURE RISES TO 28 DEGREES

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