Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site linus.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!sb From: sb@linus.UUCP (Shimshon Berkovits) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Speaking of fences ... the "EIRUV" and my religious views Message-ID: <807@linus.UUCP> Date: Fri, 2-Mar-84 09:39:25 EST Article-I.D.: linus.807 Posted: Fri Mar 2 09:39:25 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 3-Mar-84 04:00:21 EST References: <932@ihuxr.UUCP> <1011@pegasus.UUCP> Organization: MITRE Corp., Bedford MA Lines: 17 Avi's description of the laws and rational of an EIRUV are as I remember them - except in one detail. The original prohibition against carrying on Shabbat refers to a place called "R'shus HaRabbim - the place open to the multitude." This the Talmud defines as an open common in which 100,000 people can pass. Any area smaller than this which is not private property is called a "Karmelis (I don't know the litteral translation)." One of the fences constructed arround the Torah is the forbidding of carrying in a Karmelis. However, that fence is dismantelled if another fence (the EIRUV) is constructed around the Karmelis to make it private property. It should be noted that some sort of agreement has to be made with the governing body of the town(s) inside the EIRUV esentially to rent the space and to give everyone the right of access to the area concerned. This whole process is a business deal executed for the converience of certain of the town's inhabitants. It is hardly the secular government becoming involved in religious matters. Shim