It is rabbinically forbidden for a Jew to tell a non-Jew to do an
activity forbidden on the Sabbath, regardless of whether the instruction was given on the Sabbath or beforehand. The reason is that otherwise, the sanctity of the Sabbath would be diminished, as any activity desired could be performed via proxy. It is also forbidden to benefit on Sabbath from such an activity, regardless of whether the non-Jew was instructed to do so or not. However, if the non-Jew does an activity for himself, a Jew may benefit from it.
Exceptions Both "instruct" and "benefit" are defined here strictly. This gives rise to the following leniency: One may
hint a non-Jew to turn
off a light interfering with one's sleep, since eliminating a nuisance (the light) is not considered a benefit. Hinting may be done, for example, by saying: "The light is on." Another example of a non-benefit is turning on a light
if there already is a minimal amount of light present. This is because an increased
ease of function is not considered a benefit. When the activity desired is itself only rabbinically prohibited, it may be permitted to tell a non-Jew to perform the activity for important reasons, such as a communal benefit (such as a power outage in the synagogue) or a
mitzvah (such as
circumcision). This principle is known as
shevut deshevut bimkom mitzvah. There are also leniencies in the event of a sick person, generally defined as an adult who is bound to bed due to the illness or discomfort among young children. ==Electricity==