Interesting Psak: Opening the Refrigerator on Shabbos

By Gldmeier @gldmeier

This psak made me laugh and cringe at the same time, so I share it with you....
Rav Ofir Malka, a Sefardi rav in Modiin Ilit, was asked how one could open the refridgerator on Shabbos if they forgot to disable the light bulb.
The psak given by Rav Malka is interesting in its own right - it is one that I have not heard in practical application - one could ask a non-Jew, directly, to open the fridge. Even though the light will turn on, it is allowed because the non-Jew wants to open the fridge, not turn on the light. It is a psik reisha, but that is allowed when telling a non-Jew to do something.
 Rav Malka continues and says some poskim today don't approve of that because the light turning on is an integral part of , so it is better to not tell the non-Jew directly but only to hint to it.
And, Rav Malka continues, and this is the funny/cringe part, if no non-Jew is available one can call over an Asheknazi child and tell him to open it up, on condition that he does not know the light will turn on and as long you give him something to eat from the fridge..
No further comment necessary...