Q. Every Erev Shabbos our Shuls are flooded with various Parsha sheets and periodicals. While these distract from the davening, it is likely that most are better than shmoozing with one's neighbor.
However, recently there is a local newspaper/advertiser with large, colorful and glossy ads that has been put out in Shuls on Erev Shabbos. Are such papers permissible to be read on Shabbos, and more to the point, in Shul?
A. It is indeed forbidden to read business news, advertisements, and anything on commercial activities prohibited on Shabbos, due to the proscription against “pursuing your business or talking about it.” (Yeshayahu 58:13. See Mishnah Berurah 307: 63 and 323: 20, Sha’arei Teshuvah 306:3.)
Many Poskim maintain that one should abstain from any secular newspaper or news magazine, since to a great extent the content relates directly or indirectly to business and economy related matters.
Some Poskim permit reading on Shabbos newspapers containing Torah - related articles and essays. However, they insist one should be careful not to read the advertisements. (Da’as Torah 307 :14, Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchoso 29: 46, 39 Melochos p. 981)
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that even if a newspaper or magazine fits this last description, it is still improper and unbecoming to introduce and retain it in a shul, which should be totally dedicated to Torah and Tefilah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
