Eruvin 102

עני הוא דאקילו רבנן עילויה אבל עשיר לא

[and that, therefore, it is only for] a poor man<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., one who was on a journey and had no bread with him.');">¹</span> that the Rabbis have relaxed the law,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In permitting him to acquire the place on which he stood as his Sabbath base though he deposited no bread there.');">²</span> but not for a rich man; while R'Judah holds that the essence of an 'erub is [the position of] one's feet, Irrespective of whether one i poor or rich; but where the expression used was 'In such and such a place'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the man appointed as his Sabbath base some specified spot in the distance.');">³</span> all<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even R. Judah.');">⁴</span>

ורבי יהודה סבר עיקר עירוב ברגל אחד עני ואחד עשיר אבל במקום פלוני דברי הכל עני אין עשיר לא

agree that<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the man himself' does not occupy at the time the place he appointed.');">⁵</span> Only a poor man<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 355, n. 13.');">⁶</span> is allowed such an 'erub but not a rich man.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who is able and, therefore, must use the prescribed quantity of bread.');">⁷</span> And who was it that learned, 'THIS IT IS OF WHICH [THE RABBIS] HAVE SAID [etc.]? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When implies that the original enactment was more rigid but that the Rabbis have relaxed it in favour of the poor.');">⁸</span>

וזו היא שאמרו מאן קתני לה ר"מ ואהייא קאי אאינו מכיר או שאינו בקי בהלכה ולא אמרו מערבין בפת אלא להקל מאן קתני לה רבי יהודה

- R'Meir.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who holds that the essence of an 'erub is the bread.');">⁹</span> And what does he refer to? - To the case of one WHO DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY TREE OR WALL OR ONE WHO IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HALACHAH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who appointed, therefore, the spot on which he stood as his Sabbath base.');">¹⁰</span> And who was it that learned, 'THE RABBIS' ENACTMENT THAT AN 'ERUB IS TO BE PREPARED WITH BREAD HAVING THE ONLY PURPOSE OF MAKING IT EASIER'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Implying that the original enactment was that the man must personally occupy the spot which he appoints as his base for the Sabbath.');">¹¹</span> - R'Judah.

ורב חסדא אמר מחלוקת במקום פלוני דר' מאיר סבר עני אין עשיר לא ורבי יהודה סבר אחד עני ואחד עשיר אבל במקומי דברי הכל אחד עני ואחד עשיר דעיקר עירוב ברגל

R'Hisda, however, said: They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Meir and R. Judah.');">¹²</span> differ only where the expression used was, 'In such and such a place',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case neither the man himself nor his bread was at the place appointed.');">¹³</span> R'Meir being of the opinion that the law was relaxed for the poor only<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'yes'.');">¹⁴</span> but not for the rich, while R'Judah holds that it was relaxed for both poor and rich; but where the expression used was 'In my place' all<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even R. Meir.');">¹⁵</span>

וזו היא שאמרו מאן קתני לה ר"מ ואהייא קאי אהא מי שבא בדרך וחשכה ולא אמרו מערבין בפת אלא להקל מאן קתני לה דברי הכל

agree that the law was relaxed for both poor and rich, since the essence of 'erub is [the position of] one's feet [at spot appointed].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the man himself, in this case, was present at the place.');">¹⁶</span> And who was it that learned, 'THIS IT IS OF WHICH [THE RABBIS] HAVE SAID'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra n. 6.');">¹⁷</span> - R'Meir.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who allows the privilege to the poor only. It cannot be the statement of R. Judah since he draws no distinction between rich and poor.');">¹⁸</span> And what does he refer to? - To the following: IF A MAN WHO WAS ON A JOURNEY HOMEWARD WAS OVERTAKEN BY DUSK.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' AND HE KNEW OF A TREE . . AND SAID, LET MY SABBATH BASE BE AT ITS ROOT' concerning which it was ruled that the man acquires that place though he was not at the time standing on it. According to R. Meir this applies to a poor man only, while according to R. Judah it applies to a rich man also, though an 'erub ab initio requires the person's presence at the place he appoints.');">¹⁹</span>

תניא כוותיה דרב נחמן אחד עני ואחד עשיר מערבין בפת ולא יצא עשיר חוץ לתחום ויאמר שביתתי במקומי לפי שלא אמרו מערבין ברגל אלא למי שבא בדרך וחשכה דברי רבי מאיר

And who was it that learned, 'THE RABBIS' ENACTMENT THAT AN 'ERUB IS TO BE PREPARED WITH BREAD HAVING THE ONLY PURPOSE OF MAKING IT EASIER'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 356, n. 9..');">²⁰</span> - Both.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'all', R. Meir as well as R. Judah, the former also agreeing that the essence of 'erub is that the person concerned shall be on the spot which he appoints as is Sabbath base.');">²¹</span> It was taught in agreement with R'Nahman:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the dispute between R. Meir and R. Judah bears on that case only where the man who made the 'erub was on the spot that he appointed as his Sabbath base; that, according to R. Meir, only to a poor man (i.e., one who has no bread) is such all 'erub permitted, while according to R. Judah this is permitted even where bread is obtainable, and that if the person was not present at the appointed spot even R. Judah restricts the privilege to the poor or the man who has no bread.');">²²</span> Both poor and rich must prepare their 'erub with bread.

רבי יהודה אומר אחד עני ואחד עשיר מערבין ברגל ויצא עשיר חוץ לתחום ויאמר תהא שביתתי במקומי וזה הוא עיקרו של עירוב והתירו חכמים לבעל הבית לשלח עירובו ביד עבדו ביד בנו ביד שלוחו בשביל להקל עליו

A rich man, furthermore, must not proceed beyond the Sabbath limit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. within four cubits from that limit. Beyond that distance no 'erub can be effective at all.');">²³</span> and make the declaration, 'Let my Sabbath base be where I stand now because it is only for the benefit of one who was under way when it became dusk<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In consequence of which he is unable to obtain bread.');">²⁴</span> that the Rabbis have enacted that an 'erub may be prepared with one's feet; so R'Meir.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which shows, in agreement with R. Nahman, that, according to R. Meir, even where a person is on the very spot which he appointed as his Sabbath base, an 'erub without bread is permitted to him only if he is poor.');">²⁵</span> R'Judah ruled: Both poor and rich must prepare their 'erub with their feet.

א"ר יהודה מעשה באנשי בית ממל ובאנשי בית גוריון בארומא שהיו מחלקין גרוגרות וצימוקין לעניים בשני בצורת ובאין עניי כפר שיחין ועניי כפר חנניה ומחשיכין על התחום למחרת משכימין ובאין

A rich man should, therefore,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If this is not inconvenient to him.');">²⁶</span> proceed beyond the Sabbath limit and make the declaration, 'Let my Sabbath base be where I stand now and this is the essence of an 'erub;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This shows, again in agreement with R. Nahman, that, according to R. Judah, a rich man is not ab initio permitted to prepare an 'erub without bread unless he is present at the spot he appointed.');">²⁷</span> the Sages, however, allowed a householder to send his 'erub by the hand of his servant or by the hand of his son or by the hand of any other agent in order to make it easier for him. R'Judah related: It once happened that the Memel and Gorion families at Aroma<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Or, Ruma, identified with Chirbet Rume south of the El-Batuff valley. West of Ruma, at about four thousand cubits distance lies Asochis');">²⁸</span>

אמר רב אשי מתניתין נמי דיקא דקתני מי שיצא לילך לעיר שמערבין לה והחזירו חברו הוא מותר לילך וכל בני העיר אסורין דברי רבי יהודה

distributed dried figs and dried grapes to the poor in a time of dearth, and the poor men of Kefar Shihin and Kefar Hinaniah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Villages that were just within four thousand cubits from Aroma and that could, therefore, be joined to it by an 'erub prepared on the boundary between the two Sabbath limits that intervened between them.');">²⁹</span> used to come and wait<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the Sabbath eve.');">³⁰</span> at their Sabbath limit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. at the boundary line where their Sabbath limit met the Sabbath limit of Aroma.');">³¹</span> until dusk<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus acquiring a Sabbath base within both limits.');">³²</span>

והוינן בה מאי שנא איהו ומאי שנא אינהו ואמר רב הונא הכא במאי עסקינן כגון שיש לו שני בתים ושני תחומי שבת ביניהן

and on the following day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was the Sabbath.');">³³</span> got up early and proceeded to their destination.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Now the poor men in question, having come from their own homes, were presumably in possession of some bread that sufficed for the two meals prescribed for an 'erub . They were, in consequence, subject, as far as the preparation Of an 'erub is concerned, to the same restrictions as those imposed upon a 'rich man'. Yet it was not by a deposit of bread but by their personal attendance at the place they desired to appoint as their Sabbath base that their 'erub was effected. Thus it follows that the ruling in practice is in agreement with R. Nahman's interpretation of R. Judah's view, viz. that a person's presence at the very spot he wishes to acquire as his Sabbath base is the essence of an 'erub .');">³⁴</span> R'Ashi said: An inference from the wording of a Mishnah also supports this view,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Nahman's, viz. that R. Judah does not allow a rich man to acquire a Sabbath base without an 'erub of bread if he is not personally in attendance at that base, and that his disagreement with R. Meir is restricted to such a case only where the person concerned was in attendance at the place he desired to acquire.');">³⁵</span> for it was stated: If man left [his home]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On a Sabbath eve.');">³⁶</span>

איהו כיון דנפקא ליה לאורחא הוה ליה עני

to proceed to a town<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That was just two Sabbath limits distant from his own home.');">³⁷</span> with which [his home town desired to be] connected by an 'erub ,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he was instructed to deposit one at the boundary line at which the two limits (v. prev. n.) met. Had he carried out his mission, the place where the 'erub would have been deposited would have served as a Sabbath base for all the townspeople who would have been allowed thereby to walk distances of two thousand cubits from that base in all directions and consequently to move freely between their own town and the other.');">³⁸</span> but a friend of his induced him to return home,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before he deposited the 'erub.');">³⁹</span> he himself is allowed to proceed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the Sabbath.');">⁴⁰</span>

והנך עשירים נינהו אלמא כל במקום פלוני עני אין עשיר לא ש"מ

to the other town<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reason follows.');">⁴¹</span> but all the other townspeople are forbidden;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reason follows.');">⁴¹</span> so R'Judah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra 52a.');">⁴²</span> And in discussing the point, 'In what respect does he differ from them? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he should be allowed to proceed to the other town while they are not.');">⁴³</span>

מתני ליה רב חייא בר אשי לחייא בר רב קמיה דרב אחד עני ואחד עשיר א"ל רב סיים בה נמי הלכה כר' יהודה

R'Huna replied: We are here dealing with the case of a man who had, for instance, two houses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One in each of the two towns.');">⁴⁴</span> between which two Sabbath limits intervened.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And his intention when setting out was not to acquire a Sabbath base between the two limits but to proceed to his own house in the other town.');">⁴⁵</span> As far as he is concerned, since he had set out on his journey,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Along which food was not obtainable.');">⁴⁶</span> he has the status of a poor man.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who has no bread and who is privileged to acquire a Sabbath base, though he was not present at that place and though he made no explicit declaration of his desire to acquire that base.');">⁴⁷</span>

רבה בר רב חנן הוה רגיל דאתי מארטיבנא לפומבדיתא

They,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The townspeople who remained at home and who were presumably in the possession of the prescribed quantity of food for an 'erub .');">⁴⁸</span> however, have the status of rich men.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who are able to provide the required quantity of bread and who cannot, therefore, acquire a Sabbath base except by proceeding to the spot in person or by sending thither the prescribed quantity of food.');">⁴⁹</span> Thus it is perfectly dear that only a poor man but not a rich man is allowed to prepare an 'erub by the declaration, 'Let my Sabbath base be at such and such a place'. This is conclusive. R'Hiyya B'Ashi taught Hiyya B'Rab in the presence of Rab [that the law<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That an 'erub may be effected by proceeding in person to the spot one desired to acquire as a Sabbath base.');">⁵⁰</span> applied] to both poor and rich. Said Rab to him: Conclude this also with the Statement, 'The halachah is in agreement with R'Judah'. Rabbah B'R'Hanan was in the habit of going<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the Sabbath.');">⁵¹</span> from Artibana to Pumbeditha<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Towns that were just two Sabbath limits distant from one another and that could in consequence be combined by an 'erub on the boundary line between the two limits.');">⁵²</span>