Torah Riddles Test #6

2. Question: What is the difference between nullifying chometz on the eve of Pesach and resting your animal on Shabbos in terms of being in different time zones of your property? By chometz the Oneg Yom Tov says it goes by which ever time zone it is in and by Shabbos there seems to be an argument whether it goes by the animal’s time zone or the owner’s time zone, so what would be the reason why they are different if we go by the owner’s time zone on Shabbos?

Background:

(A) The Oneg Yom Tov said that if you are in one time zone and your chometz is in a different time zone, for example 3 hours ahead then the chometz is automatically forbidden once the time where the chometz is, comes because since the chometz is in its place after the time of being forbidden it is forbidden to get any benefit from it and we don’t care about the time zone it’s owners are in. (B) On Shabbos a person has to rest including his animals as it says in the Ten Commandments of Va’eschanan: “you shall not do any work- you, your son, your daughter, your slave, your maid servant, your ox, your donkey, and your every animal, and your convert within your gates in order that…may rest like you.”

Answer: . The mitzva of resting on Shabbos is on the person or owner of the animal so wherever he is when his animal will have to start to rest. Whereas the ownerless state of chometz comes into play by the Torah wherever it is at the time the forbidden hour starts so if it is in a different time zone than where its owner is, it still loses its ownership.

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