Q. I ordered last week from Amazon.com an item and they emailed me that the delivery will be on Monday. I forgot then that this is the first day of Yom Tov. Taking in account that the item by now on motze Shabbos is already in the way and some type of activity will be done anyway on Yom Tov, do I have to cancel the delivery?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit”a opinion is that in need you don't have to cancel the order since it is likely that the item will be already within the techum or permitted area of the city at the onset of Yom Tov.
The melocho done then on Yom Tov by the Gentile will be only transporting the item in his van, something he does anyway for other deliveries on the area. The fact that there are a number of non-Jews involved, one instructing the next one, may not by itself constitute a mitigating factor of “amirah l'amira,” since all them work for one company and they may be considered as one single individual.
However, there is also an issue of “ma'aris ayin” or what people may say when they see a delivery van at your house on Yom Tov. Therefore, if possible, one should cancel the delivery. (You may ask if they deliver to your Post Office, where you may claim it later.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
