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Shiur on Parashat Teruma from Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar
The Nest thermostat’s main function is to be energy efficient by learning the behavior of the dwellers of the house. Can one have it on on Shabbat?
There are a few potential issues. Firstly, when you pass by the thermostat it shows you the temperature. This can be easily solved by turning off that function.
Another issue is that it is sensing when someone enters the room and turns off the air conditioning when he leaves. This is worse than other thermostats which are also affected by people being in the room, because here it is more direct.
This is more of a problem because here it is Niha Leh – pleasing for the person – that the Melacha is done, unlike some other electronics applications around the house which may fall under the concept of P’sik Reshe D’La Niha Leh – an act that will inevitably happen, but is not pleasing to the doer. While the latter category is permitted by the Shulhan Aruch, the former is forbidden. Since one wants the Nest system to pick up on his habits and save him money, this will not fall under the Heter of P’sik Reshe D’La Niha Leh (it may even be an issue of Mitkaven and may not be a Gerama either…).
This discussion is relevant to the “Kosher-Switch”, which was originally billed as a Gerama – indirect causation – in a permitted way, but was ultimately forbidden by most Poskim. Additionally, Rav S.Z. Auerbach ultimately held that anything that is meant to happen systematically is considered to be a direct causation and not indirect. This would make the Nest system a problem (perhaps even an issue of Make B’Patish – completing an action, as the Shaar HaTziyun writes regarding clocks).
Perhaps a possible solution is to set the Nest system on a schedule for Shabbat which may override the Nest’s automatic programming. However, it’s not clear whether it completely turns off the system. It may be that leaving one’s phone at home on a specific setting would also prevent the system from running. All of these actions may make it into a Safek P’sik Reshe – it may inevitably cause an act forbidden on Shabbat, which is a subject of debate among the Poskim (Be’ur Halacha is lenient on a D’Rabbanan). It may also be considered Lo Niha Leh, if the person is trying to shut the system off.
ואולי אפשר גם לצרף את סברת הגר”ש וואזנר שאם רק הולך כדרכו לא חשוב כעושה מעשה, וכן היקל הגר”ע יוסף לעניין הליכה ליד מצלמות ע”פ הר”ן והרשב”א בדין צידה