Worcester Eruv Society
10 Coolidge Road
Worcester , MA 01602
Telephone 508.423.2398
FAX 508.791.0013 |
The "ERUV" in Halacha and History:
In the Tanach (Biblical literature) Jeremiah the Prophet states clearly: "Guard your souls and do not carry a load on the Shabbat and bring it into the gates of Jerusalem and do not take a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day and do no work" (Jeremiah 17, 21-22). Here we learn of the prohibition of "carrying" outside of one’s home (a private domain) into a public domain, i.e. the street.
In Rabbinic (Halachic) literature we find that the Beit Din (court) of King Solomon fixed an Eruv around the walled city of Jerusalem. The Eruv turned Jerusalem into a "private domain" in which loads could be carried from home to home.
An Eruv is a construction that turns a public domain into a private one allowing the carrying of objects on Shabbat. The theory behind the Eruv, drawn from legal principles in the Talmud (codes of Jewish law) is that the poles and wires that surround it form abstract doorways to the outside world. Everything inside the Eruv is considered an extension of the home, where carrying items on the Sabbath is permissible. In a sense, the Eruv transforms that which it surrounds into one big backyard.
The word "Eruv" means "to mix" or "to join together." An entire tractate in the Talmud (Massechet Eruvim) is dedicated to this subject. Throughout history different types of Eruvs were constructed depending on the architecture of a courtyard, neighborhood or even city. With the invention of electricity and telephones the Eruv took on a new look. Using time old principles of Halacha, poles used for phone lines and electrical wires were judged suitable for constructing an Eruv around a large area within a city.
In Israel practically every city and town has an Eruv. For observant Jews, a home within the Eruv greatly improves the quality of life. Because the Eruv is considered a community extension of the home, within it they are allowed to push a baby carriage, carry food to a friend’s home, or tote a diaper bag. Even the infirmed have enhanced mobility on Shabbat as they are wheeled to Synagogue services, for example. Outside of an Eruv, families with toddlers are confined to their homes as they cannot carry the baby outside. Although the Eruv does not release one from the broader prohibition against work on the Sabbath, the Eruv nevertheless facilitates neighborly and community interaction on the Sabbath. An unintended but welcome effect of an Eruv was evident in a recent article published in the Boston Globe that attributed an increase in property values to the recent construction of an Eruv in Sharon, MA. From a real estate perspective, Worcester has always been an attractive alternative.
The construction of the WorcesterEruv is a project that can only exist with widespread community support. The WorcesterEruv was developed by Rabbi Nachman Bruce, in consultation with a noted Eruv expert, Rabbi Shimon Eider z'tl of Lakewood, N.J. The construction of the Worcester Eruv was under the guidance of a noted Eruv expert, Rabbi Dovid Tzubeli, of Lakewood, N.J.
Financial support for the Eruv is considered as a tax-free charitable contribution.
Enlarged Map
WorcesterEruv Project Pledge
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Worcester Eruv Society.
o Founder ………. $2,500.00
o Pillar ………….. $1,000.00
o Benefactor ……. $500.00
o Architect …….... $250.00
o Builder ………... $100.00
o Citizen ………... $54.00
o Supporter ……... $36.00
o Friend ………… $18.00
o Other: ________________
Please mail your check to:
Worcester Eruv Society
10 Coolidge Road
Worcester, MA 01602
Your financial support is deeply appreciated
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