Opening and closing a refrigerator door may activate various electronic systems. Therefore, it is important to use a refrigerator that is adapted for Shabbat use.

The opening and closing of a refrigerator door activate certain electronic systems, which involve prohibited labors. In older models of refrigerators there were only two problems: turning on or off the light, and the stopping or activating of the cooling fan in the refrigerator. The solution was relatively simple: Disconnecting the light before Shabbat and likewise disconnecting the switch that informs the internal fan that the door has opened or closed. Some refrigerators had one switch that performed both operations, and it was easy to disable it before Shabbat with adhesive tape.

In newer models of refrigerators, the operating systems are digital, and the opening or closing of the door activates systems that are difficult for a non-expert to neutralize. The best way to use such a refrigerator on Shabbat is to buy one that has a Shabbat mode that is certified by a qualified rabbinical authority, or to have a Shabbat mode installed after purchasing the refrigerator. The Shabbat mode prevents the opening or closing of the door from activating any electrical systems. One who has a refrigerator that lacks a Shabbat mode, or who has forgotten to transfer the refrigerator to Shabbat mode before Shabbat, should ask a rabbi how to proceed.