And Trudy, better check with Nilly - she adheres to a very particular form of keeping kosher, and there are quite a few different kinds.

I've got lists, baby! Lists of places to go to and consume mass quantities!

then why can't she ride in a car if someone else is driving? I'm confused.

I think this is because the internal combustion engine is a series of fires.

I know some shabbes-observers won't have people turn lights on and off for them -- just use what light's available. For them, at least, getting into a car would be too close to having it done for them.

I remember something abuot not being able to ask you to turn on the light, but if you happen to turn it on they can use it.

Maybe getting into a car is too much like asking.

I think this is because the internal combustion engine is a series of fires.

yes, I get that. But, if she can be in a room with lights, but not turn them on or off, why can't she be in a car if she's not operating it? In both case she is using the fire, but not operating it. At least, that's how this gentile sees it.

For them, at least, getting into a car would be too close to having it done for them.

hmm, so you can't have someone drive you somewhere, but if they happen to be going (say, to Disneyland), you could ride along?

Can't ride in a carriage, either. I think the transportation thing is a specific prohibition all it's own.

There are "kosher lamps" that stay on all the time and you turn a shade to make it dark rather than turn them off on the sabbath. Ashkenazi used to hire goyim to put out their fires on the sabbath, but that might not be okay for sephardim.

You will want to be careful to leave the light on in the bathroom form Friday at sundown on, b/c if some one turns it off, Nilly won't be able to turn it on. Accidentally shut off the light in the bathroom at the orthodox rabbi's house once and felt so bad about it.

This disussion of what can and can't be done on Shabbos is making me think of the Big Lebowski.

"I don't roll on Shabbos!"

Can't ride in a carriage, either. I think the transportation thing is a specific prohibition all it's own.

ahhh! not fire, transportation. got it. There's a whole chapter about this in Richard Feynman's book, entitled "Is Electricity Fire?" I remember it because he talks about the Jewish students that would wait by the elevator for someone to press the button.

"I don't roll on Shabbos!"

"Walter, you're not Jewish...."

I live in fear that someday "Shomer fucking Shabbos" will slip out in front of my MiL.

Why don't you call her on a Tuesday and say it and get it out of the way.