AND THERE WAS MUCH HUMPTY-HUMPING: Happy Samoan Skip Day!
In what will surely become fodder from some future Encyclopedia Polamalu teaser, the nation decided to just go directly from Thursday to Saturday this week to flip to the other side of the International Date Line to better align with its regional trading partners.
http://www.vosizneias.com/97864/2011/12/29/apia-samoa-how-to-keep-this-shabbos-in-samoa
ReplyDeletethere is nothing about this i don't love.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to double-like that link. Wow:
ReplyDelete<p>So, what is the bottom line when it comes to keeping this Shabbos in Samoa?
</p><p>Rabbi Heber advises, “This Shabbos, with the Dateline change, one would not perform melocho in Samoa for the 49 hours beginning at sunset on Thursday, December 29 and ending when it gets dark on Sunday, January 1st!”
</p><p>In general, says Rabbi Heber, given these doubts, the areas where there is “safek Shabbos” should be avoided. One should consult with a halachic authority before traveling to Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii, and other areas in the Pacific for a weekend.
</p>
So...a quarter of the planet?
ReplyDeleteThat contracts what he says here: <span>According to Rabbi Heber, “According to almost all opinions, the Halachic Dateline is not determined by what the locals call “Saturday” and therefore, the fact that Samoa changes the Dateline does not change when we keep Shabbos.</span>
ReplyDeleteShouldn't Samoa's bowling alleys therefore try to avoid scheduling league matches from sundown "saturday" (what would have been friday), and then from each saturday thereafter?
SHOMER FUCKING SHABBOS!
ReplyDeleteLeaving aside the rabbinical implications, who skips Friday???? Skip Monday instead. Much better plan!
ReplyDeleteOther religions also affected similarly:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.samoanews.com/?q=content/seventh-day-adventists-samoa-will-have-two-sabbaths-dateline-change