What is Schar Shabbos?

Rav Yitzchak Grossman

Question:  What is Schar Shabbos and why is it forbidden?  

Answer:  A Jew is not allowed to work in a capacity in which he earns money for work done on Shabbos. Consequently, earning Schar Shabbos for doing a job like babysitting on Shabbos is a problem.

Furthermore, a Jew is also not allowed to make passive income on Shabbos, even if it does not include any work. For example, if a Jew owns a parking lot that is used on Shabbos. When non-Jews pay to use the lot, he is making passive income on Shabbos, even though he is doing no work, and this is forbidden as Schar Shabbos. Rashi says that the reason Schar Shabbos is forbidden is that it is akin to doing business on Shabbos, which is forbidden because it may lead someone to record a transaction in writing. 

An important point is that it is only forbidden to earn money for work on Shabbos. It is not forbidden to pay money to a non-Jew who did permissible work for you on Shabbos. Therefore, if a non-Jewish cleaning lady did work for you on Shabbos that does not involve forbidden melachah – for example, she swept your floors and washed your dishes – it is not a problem to pay her. She is allowed to take the money because she is not Jewish and you are allowed to pay her because paying Schar Shabbos is not forbidden.