53 Jason Rosenber

example, repairing a broken guitar string would qualify as a tikun, so playing guitar is a violation if shema yitaken). Rabbi David Lincoln'® noted that the presence of a complicated recording system would almost guarantee, the need to make a repair during Shabbat services. Sooner or later, technology breaks down: there are no fool-proof systems. Anticipating the rejoinder“if it breaks/stops functioning, we will just leave it and fix it after Shabbat . Lincoln points out the unrealistic nature of this plan. Especially if these cameras are used for bar mitzvah, it is all but impossible to imagine that we would tell the family, sorry no recording for you.

While shema yitaken might not be a category with which most Reform Jews are familiar, or to which we pay much heed, it does contain an important lesson for us. We might be willing to allow simple“repairs” on Shabbat ; indeed, we may not see these as a violation of Shabbat , at all. But, getting involved in complicated technical support is certainly not in the spirit of Shabbat . Is it fair that the known© techie” who is in synagogue simply to pray might be called on to suddenly troubleshoot a problem during services? What would happen if, in the middle of service, someone runs up to the rabbi and whispers,“Don't start the Torah service yet; the webcam has stopped working?”

One could argue that we already face this problem, since we regularly use sound systems and video recorders. But, the complexity of webcams and livestreaming is far greater than these simpler, better established technologies. Itis reasonable to believe that a video camera can be turned on and left alone for the duration of the service. It is reasonable to believe that a sound system that works at the start of services can be counted on for the duration. Itis probably not reasonable to believe, at least now, that