Eruvin

but the people of the small town may not walk through the whole of a large town.1 Now what is the reason?2 Obviously3 because the measure of the latter terminated in the middle of the former town,4 while that of the former terminated at the end of the latter town.4 And R. Idi?5 — He read in both cases6 ‘The people may’7 and expounded [the Mishnah cited] as referring to an ‘erub that one8 deposited;9 but of the case of one who was measuring,10 we have there learnt nothing.11 Have we not indeed? Did we not as a matter of fact learn: And to the measure12 of whom the Rabbis have spoken a distance of two thousand cubits only is allowed even if the end of his permitted measure terminated within a cave?13 — His14 ruling was required in respect of a Sabbath limit that terminated at the far end of a town, a case of which we did not learn.15 R. Nahman stated: He who learns16 ‘The people may’17 is not in error, and he who learns ‘the people may not’17 not in error. ‘He who learns "the people may" is not in error since he might explain it to refer to an ‘erub that one18 had deposited;19 while ‘he who learns "the people may not is not in error’ since he might explain that it refers to a case where the Sabbath limit was being measured,18 and that a clause is missing [from the Mishnah] which should properly read thus: The people of a large town may walk through the whole of a small town19 but the people of the small town may not walk through the whole of the large town.20 This, however, applies only to a case where the Sabbath limit was being measured, but if a man stayed in a larger town and deposited his ‘erub in a smaller town21 or if he stayed in a small town and deposited his ‘erub in a large town21 he may walk through the whole of the town22 and a distance of two thousand cubits beyond it. R. Joseph citing Rami b. Abba who had it from R. Huna ruled: If a town was situated on the edge of a ravine, and23 there was a barrier four cubits24 in height in front of it, its Sabbath limit is measured from the edge of the ravine,25 otherwise26 measuring27 must begin from the door of every inhabitant's house.28 Said Abaye to him:29 You told us in connection with this that the barrier must be four cubits in height; but why should this one be different from all other barriers whose prescribed height is only four handbreadths?30 — There,31 the other29 replied, the use of the place involves no fear, but the use of the place here32 does involve fear.33 Said R. Joseph, whence do I derive this ruling? From what was taught: Rabbi permitted the inhabitants of Gader to go down34 to Hamethan but did not allow the inhabitants of Hamethan to go up to Gader.35 Now what could have been the reason? Obviously, that the former36 did put lip a barrier37 while the latter38 did not put up a barrier.39 When R. Dimi came40 he explained: The people of Gader used to molest the people of Hamethan, and ‘permitted’41 meant ordained’.42 Then43 why should Sabbath be different from other days? — Because intoxication is not uncommon on such a day. Would they44 not molest them45 when they come there?46 — No; a dog in a strange town does not bark for seven years.47 Now then,48 might not the people of Hamethan molest those of Gader? — No; they49 were not so submissive as all that.50 R. Safra explained: Gader51 was a town that was built in the shape of a bow.52 R. Dimi b. Hinena explained: The former53 were the inhabitants of a large town while the latter were inhabitants of a small town.54 Thus55 taught R. Kahana. R. Tabyomi, however, taught as follows: R. Safra and R. Dimi b. Hinena differ, one explaining that Gader56 was a town built in the shape of a bow57 while the other explains that the latter58 were the inhabitants of a small town while the former were inhabitants of a large town. MISHNAH. THE PEOPLE OF A LARGE TOWN MAY WALK59 THROUGH THE WHOLE OF A SMALL TOWN,60 AND THE PEOPLE OF A SMALL TOWN MAY61 WALK62 THROUGH THE WHOLE OF A LARGE TOWN.60 HOW IS THIS [To BE UNDERSTOOD]? IF A MAN STAYED IN A LARGE TOWN AND DEPOSITED HIS ‘ERUB IN A SMALl TOWN60 OR IF HE STAYED IN A SMALL TOWN AND DEPOSITED HIS ‘ERUB IN A LARGE TOWN,60 HE MAY WALK THROUGH ALL THE TOWN AND TWO THOUSAND CUBITS BEYOND IT. R. AKIBA RULED: HE IS ALLOWED TO WALK NO FURTHER THAN TWO THOUSAND CUBITS FROM THE PLACE OF HIS ‘ERUB. SAID R. AKIBA TO THEM:63 DO YOU NOT AGREE WITH ME THAT IF A MAN DEPOSITED HIS ‘ERUB IN A CAVE HE MAY WALK NO FURTHER THAN TWO THOUSAND CUBITS FROM THE PLACE OF HIS ‘ERUB? THEY63 REPLIED: WHEN IS THIS THE CASE? ONLY WHERE NO PEOPLE DWELL THEREIN BUT WHERE PEOPLE DWELL THEREIN ONE MAY WALK THROUGH THE WHOLE OF IT AND TWO THOUSAND CUBITS BEYOND IT. THUS IT FOLLOWS THAT [WHERE AN ‘ERUB IS DEPOSITED] WITHIN IT THE LAW IS MORE LENIENT THAN [WHERE ONE IS DEPOSITED] ON THE TOP OF IT. AND TO THE MEASURER,64 OF WHOM [THE RABBIS] HAVE SPOKEN A DISTANCE OF TWO THOUSAND CUBITS IS ALLOWED65 EVEN IF THE END OF HIS [PERMITTED] MEASURE66 TERMINATED WITHIN A CAVE.67 whatever part of the town that may happen to be, in agreement with the first ruling of R. Joshua b. Levi. imagination. may not’ etc. he reads: ‘The people . . . may’ in both clauses. as no bigger than four cubits. which he deposited his ‘erub. town, R. Joshua b. Levi's ruling in respect of the latter is obviously covered by the one relating to the former. An objection against R. Idi. Aliter: Why should R. Joshua R. Levi merely repeat a Mishnah? regarded as four cubits in respect of the Sabbath limit, and where, as a result actual distances must be measured. the two towns was one thousand cubits and the smaller did not cover more than one thousand cubits the people of the larger town may walk through the whole of the smaller (which being within their Sabbath limit, is regarded as no bigger than four cubits) and another thousand cubits or more beyond it to complete their two thousand cubits Sabbath limit. distance of a thousand cubits between the two towns and another thousand cubits, to complete their Sabbath limit, within the larger town itself, but no further. and irregular settlement which, in respect of Sabbath limits, cannot be treated as one unit of four cubits. Every house must be considered as a separate unit and the Sabbath limit of its tenants begins from that house. boundary. were within the Sabbath limit of Gader could be permitted to go up to that town, but the tenants of all the other houses that were without that limit could not. people of the latter town, for their own safety, shall not visit the former. if attacked. imaginary chord of the bow. The limit of Gader consequently included Hamethan which was no more than two thousand cubits distant from the chord. The position of the latter town, however, whose limit terminated at the Gader chord which was more than two thousand cubits distant from the center of its arc, prevented its inhabitants from walking to Gader which thus lay beyond their Sabbath limit. Hamethan terminated in the middle of the large town of Gader. As all Hamethan lay within the Sabbath limit of Gader the people of the latter town were permitted to traverse its whole area (as if all the town were no bigger than four cubits) and distances completing the permitted two thousand cubits beyond it. As part of Gader, on the other hand, was without the Sabbath limit of Hamethan the people of the latter town could walk only to the end of their Sabbath limit. alternative readings of our Mishnah. towards it from his home town or from a place where he had deposited his ‘erub. cave did the Rabbis regard the entire area of the town and cave respectively as no bigger than four cubits.