Make way for the wealthy! Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (and R. Akiva) each showed respect to those who were wealthy. And also thought they should toe the line of a standards of dress. But Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi was wealthy himself! Why all the homage to wealth? Also - the case of someone who goes away for Shabbat (or the weekend, if not Jewish) - what happens to the courtyard they left behind without participating in the eruv? Can the other carry or does the one person's absence mess with the cooperative ...
Nov 03, 2020•23 min•Season 3Ep. 86
The case of 2 homes that separated by 3 ruins. Each can dump things into the ruin closest to them, respectively, but they are prohibited from using the middle one. (Though halakhah says they can both use the middle). R. Elazar hears this and goes to confront Rav (as we last saw him go confront Shmuel - never mind that Rav and Shmuel lived in different places!). But didn't Rav himself say that the up-people and the down-people run into trouble. But Rav has a quick retort - that the configuration ...
Nov 02, 2020•20 min•Season 3Ep. 85
When the Gemara not only interprets, but reinterprets the Mishnah. Specifically, the two-story homes, and those who live in the upstairs homes. "To the courtyard" - both residents really do have access! The mishnah is contradictory, to what we know from everywhere else - so the Gemara's reinterpretation seems necessary. Also, the case of two-story homes, where the top story balcony hangs out over water. Namely, another "reality" for eruvin. Yet another very real architectural set-up for Hazal.
Nov 01, 2020•14 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Standardized measurements are not yet in place in the time of the Talmud. So what size is a se'ah? There's a range presented on the daf, in a bit of a whirlwind. Also - Residents of two-story homes that open to the courtyard who forgot to make an eruv - and what it means to be upstairs when it comes to exiting to the courtyard, or downstairs and sharing space with the upstairs people.
Oct 31, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Whenever there's a mishnaic statement that includes R. Yehudah's opinion, and it I closed the wording of "aimatai," he's clarifying not arguing -- when does that apply? The Gemara's case is the populations that are disqualified from giving testimony - all gambling categories, and people who mess around with other people's money, which suggest the person is not trustworthy. The Gemara qualifies that though - if the person is gambling for fun, and not as his or her income, then there's room to say...
Oct 30, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 82
What foods work to make an eruv? Not salt and water, and possibly a whole loaf of bread. Why pieces of bread would not be sufficient - because of enmity, no less - seems to be perfectly in line with the cooperative efforts of eruv. Plus: bread that's not fit for a dog, and how today it just might be gourmet. Also: Giving a coin to a shopkeeper to enlist him as proprietor of an eruv becomes a complicated proposition. At least, with regard to eruv techumin. Ownership, taking possession, requires m...
Oct 29, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 81
First, mention of eruv tavshilin. Then: A disagreement between Rav and Shmuel whether one needs to take possession of the eruv. And then that comes to a head in a real case, in which a mother-in-law prepared food for the daughter-in-law's eruv, but the daughter-in-law was not involved. The case is then explored by many, thinking to be more leniently, and, at the end of the day, the conclusion appears to have been unanimous. Which leaves us with some questions, as it happens. Also: A non-Jewish s...
Oct 28, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 80
3 mishnayot on things that can come between courtyards and change the need for eruvin: 1. A ditch between two courtyards. The Gemara delves into the authority behind the mishnah's psak, and also attempts a comparison and then rejects it. 2. A haystack that is between 2 courtyards that is 10 tefachim high functions as a partition, until the livestock from either/both courtyards reduce it to lower than 10 tefachim high. 3. Establishing an eruv in an alleyway that runs by courtyards - how to do it?...
Oct 27, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 79
A ladder that is dug out if the wall - handholds - must cover the whole height of the ladder. Which leads into the next case, that isn't quite a ladder: namely, a tree. Note that you wouldn't otherwise be able to climb the tree on Shabbat, but what about in its function as a means to ascend the wall? What about the tree as a place to put your eruv? It seems that at the end of the day, Shabbat overrides the possibility of using that tree as a passageway, which would be permanent over Shabbat (so ...
Oct 26, 2020•18 min•Season 3Ep. 78
The case of a wall between courtyards, and that wall changes - whether because the ground changes or the wall changes. For example, if you have a basin right next to the wall - which the Gemara develops and refines, when the original case doesn't hold up to scrutiny - from adding dirt, a rim, a trowel, and a comparison to turnips. Alternatively, bringing a ladder to the wall - whether an Egyptian ladder or one from Tzur.... The ladder here seems more permanent than we think of the usual ladder. ...
Oct 25, 2020•20 min•Season 3Ep. 77
When you have an outer house and an inner house, is the outer house a gatehouse, which would have implications for eruvin - in some ways, a study on how different spaces function differently with regard to different people. Chapter 7: A wndow in the wall that separates two courtyards - at a specific point in the wall - does that interfere with the partition function? Are the two courtyards one, or davka two? For the first time (we think), we see the possibility of an option to join, simply becau...
Oct 24, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 76
The case of a courtyard inside a courtyard - what happens if the inner people established an eruv, but the outer people did not? Or the reverse? Or if they made an eruv for each separate courtyard, but not together? And all the other permutations. Note that the principle here precludes individuals from establishing eruvin. Also, R. Yosef on the case of inner/outer courtyards - in which he incorrectly states the halakhah, and the person who had taught the halakhah. R. Yosef's illness on display -...
Oct 23, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 75
In the context of the alleyway cooperative and the courtyard cooperative, and the minimum requirements for the number of people participating: is one house on one courtyard on one alleyway really enough to merit an eruv? Shmuel seems to have said yes (he confirms that he said as much!). And R. Eliezer can't believe it. But when he confronts Shmuel, Shmuel is silent, in response. Which leaves us guessing what he meant. A proof case seems to have been found in the form of Ivut bar Ihi and his hous...
Oct 22, 2020•18 min•Season 3Ep. 74
How do eruvin reflect the relationships of the people joining together in the eruv? For example, students who eat out and about (literally, in the fields), and then would sleep at the rebbe's house. Does the eating place or the sleeping place determine the starting point to measure an eruv techumin? The Gemara testifies to the phenomenon of the different cases - placing the eruv where one sleeps, and likewise where one eats - suggesting that the students could have eaten in that same house, but ...
Oct 21, 2020•26 min•Season 3Ep. 73
A dad of two mishnayot. 1. The case of several groups in a large hall... A dispute whether every group would need to contribute to an eruv in that space or not. When are physical dividers among the groups considered sufficient partitions to divide among the people, and when are they low enough to simply divide the space, but not line up halakhic areas for eruv. Which leads us to speculate about the role of residence, or the absence thereof. 2. The case of brothers who sleep in their homes, and c...
Oct 20, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 72
If you have a partnership with those who live on the same courtyard - where everyone owns wine, for example - that precludes the need for an eruv. But what if one person owns oil instead? Also, some returning concepts in terms of joint ownership and "yesh Bereirah." Also, if your oil is terumah and your wine is not, and they don't mix, is that enough separation?? Plus - a shituf mavoi AND an eruv hatzerot - one requires bread, one requires wine... but why do you need both, ever? Once the propert...
Oct 19, 2020•16 min•Season 3Ep. 71
The case of 5 homes on a courtyard, where one forgot to join in the eruv, and he therefore renounces his rights to the courtyard, so that everyone else can carry - does he have to do so before each one of the other 4 who live there? It ends up being a dispute between Abaye and Rabbah. Also: Can an heir to one who dies on Shabbat do that renouncing on Shabbat, and thereby allow an eruv for the neighbors on the courtyard? What is the status of the beneficiary - an extension of the person who died,...
Oct 18, 2020•21 min•Season 3Ep. 70
A person who goes out with a coral ring and hides it from the eyes of R. Yehudah HaNasi on Shabbat, so as not to be obviously carrying on Shabbat -- that kind of respect for Shabbat allows that same person to renounce his ownership rights within a courtyard, and enabling others to carry. [What's What: Mumar.] Brazen desecration of Shabbat becomes the measuring stick for the sinner - based on whether that violation indicates a willingness to transgress everything else, or whether each sin is its ...
Oct 17, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 69
The case of the need for warm water for a baby to be circumcised, in the absence of an eruv. Abaye explains why neither he nor Rava were up on the home's eruvin, including his own inability to contribute bread. Note that the food of the eruv is not symbolic! Other similar cases - if the mother needs hot water on Shabbat, a non-Jew can heat it for her. But only if she seems incapable of managing otherwise! Though inference from another's physical appearance may not be the best course of action. R...
Oct 16, 2020•32 min•Season 3Ep. 68
When there's a non-Jew who lives on the same courtyard or alleyway as Jews, and the non-Jew has another exit from his house, out to a valley... which door gets the primary use? Notably, because of that second door, he doesn't negate the Jews' ability to make an eruv chatzerot. Why is his exit to the valley considered his primary used exit? Because it's uniquely his. But what if it opens to a small karpef, enclosure? That doesn't provide the same privacy or exclusivity. [What's What: MiShmei de-U...
Oct 15, 2020•23 min•Season 3Ep. 67
What it means to negate other people's ability to carry within an eruv chatzerot - how that happens, when one potential participant in the cooperative doesn't join, whether out of spite or simply not being Jewish, for example, and the range in between. Note that these cases are indeed practical - "real world halakhah," more so than the theoretical expansion of policy. The goal becomes circumventing the person who is inherently present in the cooperative, but can't actually participate in it, and...
Oct 14, 2020•18 min•Season 3Ep. 66
R. Sheshet says he can exempt the entire world from responsibility for any sin that anyone may have done - because of the verse that equates mourning for the Temple with drunkenness. But transactions made while drunk are upheld when sober. Rather - don't pray when drunk. Especially if you're really intoxicated. Though if you're truly as drunk as can be (as drunk as Lot!), you won't be held accountable. Really to what extent can a person focus...? If you are distressed, you should not be praying ...
Oct 13, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 65
What can you do when a non-Jew lives on your courtyard and doesn't want to contribute to an eruv? Among the solutions suggested are establishing better terms with the non-Jew, including monetarily (rather than getting rid of eruv!). We think this is a lovely solution, and R. Nachman agrees, calling the halakhah an excellent one! Which is unusual - that Chazal assess the halakhot. More: When the Gemara says not to pasken inebriated, R. Nachman says he can't function well without that same amount ...
Oct 12, 2020•23 min•Season 3Ep. 64
Regarding the prohibition of answering halakhah in the presence of one's teacher: R. Eliezer tells his wife, Imma Shalom, that he doubts the one who taught halakhah in his presence would make it through the year. Which comes to pass. Which is plenty eerie - and he credits his prediction on this tradition that one is not allowed to teach halakhah before his teachers. Plus: The case of Yehoshua ben Nun, who indeed answered in the presence of Moshe... Or alternatively, his punishment ends up being ...
Oct 11, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 63
A new perek (#6), a new mishnah... What happens when there's no possibility of carrying, even given the hope of an eruv hatzerot. One who lives on the same courtyard as a non-Jew (or a Samaritan or a Sadducee), none of whom accept the rabbinic authority that establishes eruv, cannot be active sharers of space when it comes to eruv. Alternatively, the problem isn't the one Jew among other non-Jews, but when there are more than on Jews among the non-Jews. Plus a race to declare "ownership" over th...
Oct 10, 2020•29 min•Season 3Ep. 62
Discussion of the tension regarding the establishment of eruv techumin - where measuring precisely can turn out to be to your disadvantage. Also, the case of a city on the bank of a river - what is needed to make the eruv when you have a steep drop, and why a partition of 4 amot becomes necessary. Indeed, the drop to the river is significant enough to need more than a symbolic demarcation. Also, the case of the cities of Hamtan and Geder, and why Geder residents could get to Hamtan, but not the ...
Oct 09, 2020•18 min•Season 3Ep. 61
Establishing eruvin for smaller cities and towns - a story of one town (Kankunya) that seeks expertise in calling in someone who knows eruvin. And even so, the expert (Abaye in this case) needs to make sure that the eruv will hold up to the scrutiny of naysayers. I deed, he keeps second-guessing himself. For example, do the homes abutting the river need windows, or really not? Is Mehoza, another city that shifted status from a more public to a more private city, a good parallel, or not really? T...
Oct 08, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 60
Assess the terrain to determine techum Shabbat precisely - using a professional surveyor. If he makes a mistake, we correct the error to have the most expanded techum Shabbat - a lenient position. Note that even non-Jewish servants are eligible to testify as to the location of techum Shabbat. Also: A private city becomes a public city - you can establish an eruv for the entire town. But if a public city was adjusted to be private, you still can't make one large eruv for the whole city. There nee...
Oct 07, 2020•21 min•Season 3Ep. 59
Measure the techum Shabbat with a rope that was 50 amot long, precisely, as held at the surveyor's heart. And if there's terrain "in the way," the surveyor holds the rope over the area that is not flat as if it's flat... as long as they don't leave the techum to do so, lest their trek mislead spectators. Alternatively, they could "pierce" the hills to draw a flat line, as it were. Note that the rope should be made from a material that won't give it shrink in the weather or after usage - as long ...
Oct 06, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 58
A new mishnah - on adding a karpef (the extra space of 70 amot), but when? Depending on the space between two cities, or between three, for that matter... Now, about these three villages, the ability to go far is apparent, but why they needed to is not. The three villages don't have to be in a line! But were you to slide them into position of a line, then you'd have this distance between them (the amount of techum plus two karpefs).
Oct 05, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 57
