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Worship in the Cloud 57

similar to live streaming, closed-circuit television. Many congregations, especially on the High Holy Days, when seating is at a premium, have set up cameras and microphones so that others in distant parts of the building might observe services in real-time.“Distance praying” will be discussed later. Currently, we are interested in the question whether cameras and microphones should be allowed in the sanctuary, at all.

Both the Reform and Conservative movements have looked at this question over the years. Within the Conservative responsa, we can see an example of halakhic reasoning which probably does not apply in our context. The question of“writing.” Several responsa debate whether recording on a videotape or audiotape, qualifies as“writing.”'' It is one of the thirty-nine melakhot, and therefore forbidden on Shabbat . Some argue that the technology is so different that it does not qualify,'> while others state that the function of videotaping is essentially identical to writing, and therefore must fall under the same halakhic prohibitions.” Still others argue that videotaping s actually most similar to audio amplification(i.e. the use of microphones), and since microphones are explicitly allowed in the Conservative movement, there is no reason to prohibit video cameras, as well."

Tech Support and Making a Tikun

The issue of shema yitaken, lest something be fixed. raised in an early Conservative responsum may interest us. Certain activities have long been prohibited on Shabbat not because they are themselves forbidden, but because engaging in them may necessitate a repair which would be a violation of Shabbat . Most famously, musical instruments may not be played on Shabbat for this reason(for