Hi, I was wondering why you are allowed to keep lights on during shabbos, or even have them on timers, if you are not allowed to keep you t.v on all shabbos (without physically changing any channels)?
Dear Sophie,
Good question. There are two differences between lights and televisions.
First, there is an issur miderabanan, a prohibition from the rabbis, known as "avsha milta." This means that if melacha is taking place in my house during Shabbat in a loud or boisterous fashion, it is assur, even if I did not actually perform that melacha on Shabbat (Rama Orach Chaim 252:5). For example, leaving on a washing machine or radio on Shabbat is a violation of "avsha milta" (Teshuvat Minchat Yitzchak 1:107). The reason for this issur is that attention is drawn to the melacha, and the onlooker may think that I violated melacha on Shabbat. Leaving on a television is pretty noticeable and would probably violate avsha milta, as opposed to leaving on lights, which is certainly not loud and attracts less attention than a television.
Second, leaving on a television is probably a violation of uvda de-chol, creating an inappropriate weekday-like atmosphere on Shabbat (see Gemara Masechet Shabbat 143b). Although it's hard to pin down exactly what falls under this concept, leaving on lights, while something we do during the weekday, is generally cosidered less of a "weekday-like activity" and is therefore assumed to be OK.
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