luria@ucbvax.UUCP (07/02/84)
From: luria (Marc Luria) Does anyone know of some current sources that describe how one can use existing structures for building an Eruv such as telephone poles, etc. I've read some sources that deal with questions like do Reshut Harabim exist in our time, etc., but none that provide answers to real problems of building an Eruv. Alternatively, has anyone been involved with, or know someone who was involved with building an Eruv.
mls@wxlvax.UUCP (Michael Schneider) (07/11/84)
The construction of an Eruv is highly complex. At the present time I am head of a committee in New Haven that is looking into constructing one. What you look for are entities that can be used as borders. This can be a wall of a minimum height, a river, a series of "doors" (a usual method is to use existing wires with poles *directly* below them, etc. Further, there are a number of entities that can not be contained within the borders: large bodies of water (with some exceptions), land of some minimum size from which one can not obtain benefit (such as a graveyard), etc. Further there is the question of the number of people that will be contained within the area. I do not consider myself an expert in this area. We are working with the rabbis who will be effected. Further, once we have the plans completed, we will bring in an expert in these matters. By the way, the Eruv is the food, not the area. M.L. Schneider