Pardes - Eruvin: A guide to a strong and resilient Community

How do we connect with others in our community? What values create a successful, open, accessible community ?

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: הַמַּקְפִּיד עַל עֵירוּבוֹ — אֵין עֵירוּבוֹ עֵירוּב. מָה שְׁמוֹ — עֵירוּב שְׁמוֹ.

Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: With regard to one who is particular about his eiruv, i.e., that the other people should not eat of the he contributed, his eiruv is not a valid eiruv. After all, what is its name? Joining [eiruv] is its name, indicating that it must be jointly owned [me’urav] by all in the eiruv. If one does not the other to eat of it, it does not belong to all of them and cannot be called an eiruv.

"eiruv"/"me'urav" also means or implies "mutual responsibility", so an eruv is "the act-of-mutual-responsibility"

Now that we see that Eruvs allow us to connect, let's dive into what values connect us and create a strong community.

1. The value of mutual responsibility

עירובין ג׳ א:כ׳

אָמַר רָבָא מִפַּרְזַקְיָא: סוּכָּה דִּלְיָחִיד הִיא לָא מִדְּכַר, מָבוֹי דִּלְרַבִּים מַדְכְּרִי אַהֲדָדֵי.

Eruvin 3a:20

The Gemara explains Rabba’s distinction differently. Rava from Parzakya said: A sukka, which is generally erected for an individual, if the portion of the roofing below twenty were removed and only the portion above twenty remained, he would not be reminded to lower the remaining roofing and would dwell in a sukka that is unfit. An alleyway, in contrast, which is used by many people, if the section of the cross beam below twenty cubits were removed, they would remind each other to remedy the situation.

What responsibility do we have to one another? What can we do to learn how to support those in our community?

2. The value of Human Dignity & Compassion

עירובין מ״א ב:כ״ו

אָמַר לָהֶם: גָּדוֹל כְּבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.

Eruvin 41b:26

He said to them: The Sages established a principle that great is human dignity, which even supersedes a negative precept of the Torah

עירובין מ״א ב:ו׳

מַתְנִי׳ מִי שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּהוּ נׇכְרִים, אוֹ רוּחַ רָעָה — אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת.

Eruvin 41b:6

MISHNA: With regard to one whom gentiles forcibly took him out beyond the Shabbat limit, or if an evil spirit took him out, i.e., he was temporarily insane, and found himself outside the Shabbat limit, he has only four cubits that he may walk from where he is standing.

Think about the Mishnah, human dignity is called upon to allow one to travel without an eruv on Shabbat.
How are the Rabbis defining human dignity? How might we define human dignity? How does that impact the way we treat others?

When do we need to show compassion and understanding to others?

3. The value of Respect

עירובין ס״ב ב:י״א

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲפִילּוּ בֵּיעֲתָא בְּכוּתָּחָא בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַב חִסְדָּא כׇּל שְׁנֵי דְּרַב הוּנָא, וְלָא אוֹרִי.

Eruvin 62b:11

Rav Yosef said to Abaye: Even when Rav Ḥisda was asked about the permissibility of cooking in kutaḥ, a dairy dish, throughout the years of Rav Huna’s life, he refused to issue a ruling. Rav Ḥisda was a disciple of Rav Huna, and a disciple may not issue a ruling in his teacher’s place of jurisdiction about even the simplest of matters.

How does respect influence our relationships? Why is respect important in community?

4. The value of Accessibility

עירובין ל״ג א:ה׳

דְּתַנְיָא: נְתָנוֹ בְּאִילָן, לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים — אֵין עֵירוּבוֹ עֵירוּב, לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים — עֵירוּבוֹ עֵירוּב, וְאָסוּר לִיטְּלוֹ. בְּתוֹךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה — מוּתָּר לִיטְּלוֹ.

Eruvin 33a:5

The Gemara cites the source of the disagreement: As it was taught in the Tosefta: If one placed his eiruv in a tree above ten handbreadths from the ground, his eiruv is not a valid eiruv. If he placed it below ten handbreadths, his eiruv is a valid eiruv, but he is prohibited to take it on Shabbat in order to eat it because it is prohibited to use the tree on Shabbat. However, if the eiruv is within three handbreadths of the ground, he is permitted to take it because it is considered as though it were on the ground and not in a tree.

We can see that an eruv must have very specific measurements. If it is too tall and one cannot access it, it is not a kosher eruv. What does it mean for our community if we create an entrance that people cannot reach? For a community to succeed, barriers must come down, we must be able and willing to open our community to those who wish to partake. The minute our community is “too high” or requirements are created that bar people from partaking in it, our community fails.
How can we make our community accessible?

עירובין ע״ב א:ה׳

מַתְנִי׳ חֲמִשָּׁה חֲבוּרוֹת שֶׁשָּׁבְתוּ בִּטְרַקְלִין אֶחָד, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: עֵירוּב לְכׇל חֲבוּרָה וַחֲבוּרָה, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: עֵירוּב אֶחָד לְכוּלָּן.

Eruvin 72a:5

MISHNA: With regard to five groups of people who spent Shabbat in one hall [teraklin] that was subdivided by partitions into separate rooms, each of which had a separate entrance to that was shared with other houses, Beit Shammai say: An eiruv is required for each and every group, i.e., each group must contribute separately to the eiruv of , as each is considered a different house. And Beit Hillel say: One eiruv suffices for all of them, as the partitions do not render the different sections separate houses.

How do Shammai and Hillel differ in opinion in who makes up a community?
What partitions (barriers) divide us?
When do we build barriers to keep people out (for good or bad)?

עירובין ע״ח ב:ו׳

אוֹ דִילְמָא אֲפִילּוּ לְרַבָּנַן: פִּיתְחָא הוּא, וְאַרְיָא הוּא דִּרְבִיעַ עֲלֵיהּ.

Eruvin 78b:6

Or it may be argued that even according to the opinion of the Rabbis, this tree is considered an opening. They may have said that a joining of Shabbat boundaries placed in a tree is not valid only because the eiruv must be accessible during twilight, and in that case it is not, due to the rabbinic decree. However, in this case, where it is not necessary to make actual use of the tree, they would agree that a tree that serves as a ladder is a valid entrance, but crouches upon it. Just as crouching at an opening does not thereby nullify its status as an entrance, although in practice no one can pass through it, so too, in the case of the tree, the prohibition against climbing it does not nullify its status as a passageway.

Reflect: While one may recognize such a door as a valid door, it dissuades one from entering. This is poignant as the goalof an eruv is to create for accessibility of an area by allowing one to carry. It begs us to ask ourselves, have we placed a lion, a barrier, in front our doors of causing an entrance to our community to become inaccessible?
What happens when members of our community are unable to gain access?

5. The Value of Partnership

עירובין ע״א א:י״ג

מַתְנִי׳ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיָה שׁוּתָּף לִשְׁכֵנָיו, לָזֶה בְּיַיִן וְלָזֶה בְּיַיִן — אֵינָן צְרִיכִין לְעָרֵב.

Eruvin 71a:13

MISHNA: If a homeowner was in with his neighbors, with this one in and with that one in wine, they need not establish an eiruv, for due to their authentic partnership they are considered to be one , and no further partnership is required.

עירובין ע״ה ב:ג׳

לְרַבָּנַן נָמֵי עֵירוּב מַרְגִּילָהּ! דְּאָמְרָה: לְתַקּוֹנֵי שַׁיתַּפְתִּיךְ, וְלָא לְעַוּוֹתֵי.

Eruvin 75b:3

The Gemara asks: If so, according to the Rabbis as well we should say that the placement of the eiruv in the inner accustoms the residents of the outer to enter it. The Gemara answers: The reasoning of the Rabbis is that the members of the can say to the members of the outer one: We joined with you in a single eiruv to our benefit, and not to our detriment. Since one of your residents forgot to contribute to the eiruv, we no longer acquiesce to this .

Creating a partnership is an essential part of joining together to make an eruv. As we see, , as well as one's , helps us to make such connections.

In times where we cannot always meet in person, how can we connect to those in our community?
How can we use our values to create authentic partnerships that strengthen the community?
How do we ensure that our community benefits and supports those in it?

Respect, Responsibility, Compassion, and Accessibility, are viewed as the key values in creating an eruv.
What happens if one of these aspects is missing?
What can we learn about the importance of community?
How do they help build strength and resilience?