Jerusalem—A panel of nine rabbis met in Jerusalem this week to discuss the question: Is global warming permitted on Shabbat?

Four of the rabbis maintained that global warming is allowable, since it is merely warming and not cooking—an activity strictly forbidden to observant Jews on the Sabbath.

The rest of the rabbinical panel disagreed.

“Once you allow global warming,” warned Rabbi Herr Splitter, “it can easily lead to boiling temperatures, and boiling is clearly forbidden on Shabbat.”