For package delivery on Shabbat, the Shulchan Aruch (Siman 247) permits handing the package to a non-Jewish carrier before Shabbat under three conditions: a price agreed in advance (ketzitzah), an established delivery service (kvi'us), and the carrier leaving the Jew's home before Shabbat begins.
The Rama eases the fixed-collector condition Sunday through Wednesday for Ashkenazim. For a concrete case, ask your Rav.
The Shulchan Aruch permits handing a letter or package to a non-Jewish carrier before Shabbat, under three conditions: a price agreed in advance (ketzitzah), a fixed, established delivery service (kvi'us), and the non-Jew leaving before Shabbat begins. The logic: the non-Jew then acts in his own interest (adata d'nafshei), not as your agent on Shabbat. For a concrete case — ask your Rav.
You order a package on Friday. The driver drives, sorts and drops off the parcel… in the middle of Shabbat. Is that permitted? The question feels very modern — Amazon, USPS, FedEx — but the Shulchan Aruch already addresses it, in Siman 247 of the Hilkhot Shabbat (Orach Chaim). It speaks of sending "a letter by a non-Jew," and the reasoning applies directly to our delivery services.
What does the Shulchan Aruch say in Siman 247?
The Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo) opens the siman with a clear rule:
שׁוֹלֵחַ אָדָם אִגֶּרֶת בְּיַד עַכּוּ״ם, וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת עִם חֲשֵׁכָה. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִּקְצוֹץ לוֹ דָּמִים, וְשֶׁיֵּצֵא מִפֶּתַח בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹדֶם הַשַּׁבָּת.
"A person may send a letter by a non-Jew — even on Friday at nightfall. Provided that (1) he agrees on a price with him, and (2) the non-Jew leaves the Jew's doorway before Shabbat begins."
In other words: sending an item by a non-Jew is permitted in principle, but under three cumulative conditions. Let us look at them one by one.
The 3 conditions, explained
1. Ketzitzah — a price agreed in advance
You set a price with the non-Jew for the task. From then on, he is not working "for you" on Shabbat: he is working for his wage. That is what makes the arrangement permitted.
Seif 2 even clarifies that a vague formula — "I'll pay you," without a specific sum — is treated as a ketzitzah. But if nothing at all is agreed, it is forbidden.
2. Adata d'nafshei — he acts for himself
The principle that illuminates the whole siman: thanks to the agreed price, the non-Jew performs the task in his own interest. He is not the Jew's agent (the rule "a person's agent is like himself," shlucho shel adam kemoto, does not apply to a non-Jew), and so his work on Shabbat does not "fall back" onto the Jew.
3. Kvi'us — a fixed recipient / collection point
There must be an established collection point (a fixed "post office"). Without it, even with an agreed price, it is forbidden — unless there is enough time for the package to reach its destination before Shabbat.
This is where an important difference in custom comes in.
Sephardim and Ashkenazim: the Rema's nuance
The Mechaber requires all three conditions together. The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, for Ashkenazim) records a more lenient view: from Sunday through Wednesday inclusive, one may send even without a fixed collection point (kvi'us), because there are enough days left before Shabbat that the sending does not look "visibly for Shabbat."
Customs therefore differ between communities — hence the importance of knowing your own minhag.
The other cases of the siman (seifim 2–6)
| Seif | Situation | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Price agreed only vaguely | "I'll pay you" without a sum → treated as ketzitzah; nothing said at all → forbidden |
| 3 | Non-Jew hired by the day (sachir yamim) | On Friday: forbidden (it looks like a request for Shabbat) |
| 4 | Free transport | The Mechaber permits (equivalent to ketzitzah); the Rema records a view that forbids |
| 5 | The non-Jew goes to that destination on his own | Permitted in all cases — he is traveling for himself |
| 6 | Yearly employee, general worker | Forbidden to send him with the letter |
Modern application: Amazon, USPS, FedEx
Now we see why this "old" siman speaks directly to our packages:
- The agreed price (ketzitzah)? Almost always present: you pay a delivery fee set in advance.
- The fixed service (kvi'us)? Modern postal networks and carriers are established, permanent structures — far more "fixed" than the bei doar of old.
- Leaving before Shabbat? This is the point to watch: the item must be picked up before Shabbat begins.
Several contemporary authorities rely on this framework to discuss delivering and receiving packages on Shabbat — with nuances depending on minhag, the type of service, and whether the Jew's name appears on the package.
This article presents what the source says for the purpose of study. It does not decide any practical case. To know whether your delivery is permitted — according to your community, your situation and the service used — ask your Rav.
Frequently asked questions
Can you have an Amazon package delivered on Shabbat?
Siman 247 permits entrusting an item to a non-Jewish carrier before Shabbat under three conditions (agreed price, fixed service, leaving before Shabbat). A standard order often meets the first two. To decide a concrete case, ask your Rav.
What is ketzitzah?
It is agreeing on a price in advance. Because of it, the non-Jew works for his own wage (adata d'nafshei) and not as the Jew's agent on Shabbat. It is the central condition of the siman.
Is the rule the same for Sephardim and Ashkenazim?
The Mechaber sets out the three cumulative conditions; the Rema relaxes the fixed-recipient condition from Sunday through Wednesday for Ashkenazim. Customs differ — for practice, ask your Rav.
Study Siman 247 in depth
Four levels, from beginner to talmid chacham — Hebrew text, translation, pilpul and the shitah of the Admur HaZaken.