[net.religion] Why an Eruv is not a legal loophole

luria@ucbvax.UUCP (Marc Luria) (03/07/84)

An Eruv (the fence that Jews put around the community so that they can
carry on the Sabbath) is as important a mitzvah, in that it part of the
Halachah as carrying itself.  The Eruv itself is not a holy object, the
rabbi was correct in saying that it was a legal construct, however, the
act of putting up and paying for an Eruv is a big Mitzvah according to
the Gemara.  Other Halachic sources go on at length at the virtues of 
those who help construct Eruvim.  Though I agree with Andy that the reasons
for any of the mitzvot are not important in considering whether or
not a certain mitzvah should be followed, the Eruv makes the bounds of the
Jewish community defined, and creates a feeling of community.  In Israel
every city has an Eruv, though one cannot carry between towns.

The problems in Flatbush are due to a number of Halachic arguments between
some Chasidic groups and the Flatbush community.  One of the Chasidic
claims is that Flatbush has a Reshut Harabim, or public area, passing
through it.  This is defined as a path which has more than 600,000 people
passing through daily, derived from the time that wewere in the desert.
This is Ocean Parkway.  This is merely one of their disagreements.

In our community in Berkeley we looked into the possibility of using
the Berkeley Hills and the Bay as part of an Eruv, but unfortunately
the Hills are not steep enough and the incline of depth of the Bay
is not sharp enough.

Eruvim have sort of become a women's lib issue among orthodox women with
babies.  In Cleveland, where I'm from, much of the impetus
for the building of the Eruv there is women who want to go to synagogue
on Shabbat.