Shabbat: Bringing Newspaper inside House

You may bring a newspaper, magazine, or other reading material inside the house on Shabbat and read it if there is an eruv, unless it was:
  • Brought from outside the techum Shabbat, OR
  • Printed on Shabbat, OR
  • Delivered by a Jew.
If any of these conditions apply, you may not use it in any way on Shabbat, even if all of the other conditions would have permitted its use. You may use it once Shabbat is over.
Note As a policy, you may tell delivery services that you do not need to have the item delivered until after dark.
Reason If the item is delivered on Shabbat, it is not being done at your request and, if it is reading material, you may read the material as long as the other conditions permit it--see above.
Note If you do not know where the reading material came from, you may not use it Shabbat.
Note Although taking possession of the newspaper, magazine, or other reading material is “acquisition” (kinyan), you may do so since you will use it on Shabbat.
Return to Main Category: Shabbat: Mail and Periodicals