Shabbos goy

[joeblow]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbos_goy

A Shabbat goy, Shabbos goy or Shabbes goy (Yiddish: שבת גוי, Modern Hebrew: גוי של שבת goy shel shabat) is an individual who regularly assists a Jewish individual or organization by performing certain acts for them on the Jewish Sabbath which are forbidden to Jews within Jewish law. The phrase is a combination of the word "Shabbos" (שבת), referring to the Jewish Sabbath, and "goy" (גוי), meaning "foreigner" or "non-Jew."

Orthodox Judaism prohibits certain types of work on the Jewish Sabbath. Within certain guidelines (as dictated by the Shulchan Aruch, the most authoritative Jewish code of law), a non-Jewish individual can perform certain acts which are beneficial for Jews but would be forbidden for them to perform. In certain households and synagogues a particular non-Jewish person (invariably not a member of the home/synagogue) may be designated as the Shabbos goy for that place. This individual is usually one who would be present regardless of this role, such as a babysitter or a synagogue maintenance crew member, and is typically paid for the work. Before the 20th century Shabbos goys most commonly lit (or re-lit) stoves in Jewish homes in the winter. In the 20th century Colin Powell and Mario Cuomo both assisted their Jewish neighbors in this way.[1][2] The artists Martin Scorsese[3] and the adolescent Elvis Presley[4] similarly helped neighbors.