Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein
Rabbi Yitzhak ZilbersteinShlomi Cohen/Flash90

Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein, a leading rabbi of the Lithuanian-haredi Degel Hatorah movement, explained that the government's statement that the light rail will not operate on Shabbat" is “honoring the Torah and sanctifying Hashem’s (G-d's - ed.) name.”

Rabbi Zilberstein was asked if it is permissible to ride the light rail, as its construction continued on Saturdays, desecrating the Jewish Sabbath, and he replied: "It is permissible. Why? Because it is Kiddush Hashem [sanctifying God’s name]. Why?"

“Because the government said that the train will no longer run on Saturday. From now on it won't run on Shabbat. The government has expressed its respect for the Torah. The train will not run, and the stations will be closed."

The rabbi's grandson continued and asked: "And the fact that the train was built on Shabbat?"

Rabbi Zilberstein replied: "After all, there is no law that allows someone to forbid something that is not his own. Rabbi Nissim Karelitz (late renowned halakhic decisor and head of the Bnei Brak Rabbinic Court, ed.) basically allowed the use of public property, so its use cannot be forbidden to us. But what? it was not a very fitting thing [to work on Shabbat]. But here we have a fitting thing, that they announced that the train will not run on Shabbat. So, therefore you can say that using it is allowed."