Eruvin

PROVIDED THE ONE DOES NOT CARRY OUT ANYTHING1 FROM HIS LIMIT INTO THAT OF THE OTHER.2 IF THERE WERE THREE MEN AND THE PRESCRIBED LIMIT OF THE MIDDLE ONE OVERLAPPED WITH THE RESPECTIVE LIMITS OF THE OTHERS,3 HE IS PERMITTED TO EAT WITH EITHER OF THEM4 AND EITHER OF THEM IS PERMITTED TO EAT WITH HIM,4 BUT THE TWO OUTER PERSONS ARE FORBIDDEN TO EAT WITH ONE ANOTHER.5 R. SIMEON REMARKED: TO WHAT MAY THIS CASE BE COMPARED? TO THREE COURTYARDS THAT OPEN ONE INTO THE OTHER AND ALSO INTO A PUBLIC DOMAIN,6 WHERE, IF THE TWO OUTER ONES MADE AN ‘ERUB WITH THE MIDDLE ONE,7 IT8 IS PERMITTED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEM AND THEY ARE PERMITTED ACCESS TO IT, BUT THE TWO OUTER ONES9 ARE FORBIDDEN ACCESS TO ONE ANOTHER. GEMARA. Raba enquired: What is R. Johanan b. Nuri's view? Does he10 hold that ownerless objects11 do acquire their place in respect of the Sabbath,12 and consequently, it would have been proper that he should express his disagreement [with the Sages] in respect of inanimate objects13 and the only reason why [he and the Sages] expressed their dispute in connection with a human being was to inform you how far the view of the Rabbis extends, viz., that although14 it might be argued, ‘Since a man who is awake acquires his place a man asleep should also acquire his place’, hence we were informed that no [such argument is admissible];15 or is it likely that R. Johanan b. Nuri holds that elsewhere ownerless objects do not acquire their place in respect of the Sabbath and the reason for his ruling10 here is this: Since a man awake acquires his place so does also a man asleep? — R. Joseph replied: Come and hear: If rain fell on the eve of a festival the water16 may be carried within a radius of two thousand cubits In any direction,17 but if it fell on a festival day18 the water is on a par with the feet of every man.19 Now if you grant that R. Johanan b. Nuri is of the opinion that ownerless objects acquire their place in respect of the Sabbath this ruling,20 you may say, represents the view of R. Johanan;21 but if you contend that22 ownerless objects do not acquire their place in respect of the Sabbath, whose view, [it may be asked], is here20 represented? Is it neither that of. R. Johanan nor that of the Rabbis? Abaye sat at his studies and discoursed on this subject23 when R. Safra said to him: Is it not possible that we are dealing24 here with a case where the rain fell near a town and the townspeople relied on that rain?25 — This,26 the other replied, cannot be entertained at all.27 For we learned: A cistern belonging to an individual person is on a par with that individual's feet,28 and one belonging to a town is on a par with the feet of the people of that town,29 and one used by the Babylonian pilgrims30 is31 on a par with the feet of any man who draws the water.32 Now it was also taught: ‘The water of a cistern Used by the tribes33 may be moved within a radius of two thousand cubits in any direction’.34 Are not [then] the two rulings mutually contradictory?35 Consequently36 it must be conceded that the latter represents the view of R. Johanan while the former represents that of the Rabbis. When he37 came to R. Joseph and told him such and such a thing said R. Safra and such and such did I reply, the other remarked: ‘Why did you not argue with him from that very statement:38 If it could be entertained that we were dealing with a case where the rain fell near a town then, instead of ruling that the water may be moved within a distance of two thousand cubits in any direction,39 should it not have been ruled that it was on a par with the feet of the people of that town?’ 40 The Master said: ‘If [it fell] on a festival day the water is on a par with the feet of every man’. But why? Should not the rain water acquire its place for the Sabbath in the ocean?41 Must it then be assumed42 that this ruling is not in agreement with the view of R. Eliezer? For if it were in agreement with R. Eliezer [the objection would arise:] Did he not state that all the world drinks from the water of the ocean? — R. Isaac replied: Here we are dealing with a case where the clouds were formed on the eve of the festival.43 But is it not possible that those44 moved away and these45 are others?46 — It is a case where one can recognize them by some identification mark. And if you prefer I might reply: This47 is a matter of doubt in respect of a Rabbinical law and in any such doubt a lenient ruling is adopted.48 But why should not the water acquire its place for the Sabbath in the clouds?49 May it then be derived from this50 that the law of the Sabbath limits does not apply to the air above a height often handbreadths, for if the law of Sabbath limits were at that height applicable the water should have acquired its place for the Sabbath in the clouds? — I may in fact maintain that the law of Sabbath limits is applicable [even at the height mentioned] but the water is absorbed in clouds.51 on the Sabbath beyond the limit within which he himself is permitted to move (cf. Bezah 37a). two men at the extremities was eight cubits and that between either of them and the middle one was six cubits. being interdependent, are forbidden domains as regards movement on the Sabbath except where the residents joined in a common ‘erub. THOUSAND CUBITS. an owner. Sabbath in a particular spot, like ownerless objects that have no owner by whose intention their place for the Sabbath could be determined. the spot on which it fell. which it fell. The Baraitha, therefore, could provide no proof that objects having no owner can also acquire their place for the Sabbath. Johanan must be of the opinion that ownerless objects do acquire this place. which the owner of the cistern may move. subsequently give it to another person its movements would nevertheless be restricted to the radius within which the first man may move. Thus it follows that ownerless objects do not acquire their place for the Sabbath. form of cloud beyond its Sabbath limit its movements should be restricted to a radius of four cubits only. set in (cf. supra n. 7). not. restricted to a radius of four cubits. reaches the ground in the form of water.