TalmuDigest

For the week ending 1 June 2013 / 22 Sivan 5773

Eiruvin 86 - 92

by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach zt'l
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  • Respect for the wealthy
  • Status of home whose resident left for Shabbat
  • The water cistern between two courtyards
  • Status of the hanging separator and the incident of the Sefer Torah in Tzipori
  • Drawing water from a stream running through a courtyard
  • Porches above the river
  • Pouring water on the floor of the courtyard
  • Carrying from one roof to another and on the roof itself
  • Carrying from the roof to a carmelit
  • Virtual walls creating private domains
  • Interaction of big roof and little one, a big courtyard and little one
  • Ramifications for planting, praying and divorcing

Leaving Home for Shabbat

  • Eiruvin 86a

Does the failure of one resident of a courtyard to participate in an eiruv affecting the ability of his neighbors to carry in that courtyard on Shabbat apply only if he resides in his home on that day? What if one resident decided to spend Shabbat in another city?

A wide variety of opinions exists in regard to this question.

Rabbi Meir’s position is that a home is considered a residence whose participation is crucial to the effectiveness of the eiruv even if the owner is absent from it on Shabbat. Rabbi Yehuda takes an opposite view. Rabbi Yossi distinguishes between a Jew and a non-Jew. Since there is a possibility that the non-Jew will return to his home on Shabbat, his residence is considered as occupied, a possibility which does not exist in regard to a Jew who cannot travel on that day.

Rabbi Shimon goes even further in ruling out the likelihood of the absent Jewish resident returning to his home. Even if the Jew went to the home of his married daughter in the same city, we can assume that he has made up his mind not to return to his own home on Shabbat.

The Sage Rav rules like the position of Rabbi Shimon but stresses the fact that his statement in the mishna was in regard to spending Shabbat with his daughter. He concludes that the assumption that a man will remain for the entire Shabbat in the home of his offspring is limited to his married daughter and does not apply to his married son. This is because one is usually more comfortable living with his son-in-law than he is with his daughter-in-law. When he visits his son’s home he does not entirely abandon the idea of returning to his home on Shabbat since there may be some conflict with his daughter-in-law which will move him to do so.

What the Sages Say

“When King David spoke of what sustains the world (Tehillim 61:8), he was referring to the wealthy people supplying food for the needy.”

  • Rava bar Mori in explanation of why great Sages give honor to the wealthy - Eiruvin 86a

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