Some people like to accuse the Jews of trying to “trick” God by putting up an eruv. Is this true?
What Is An Eruv? What Purpose Does It Serve?
One of the central commandments in Judaism is the commandment to keep Shabbos (the Sabbath). There are several ways in which this is done, but one of the ways is by refraining from performing thirty-nine different types of work on Shabbos. One of those thirty-nine forbidden labors is the prohibition of carrying. On Shabbos, one is prohibited from carrying anything from a “private domain” to a “public domain” (or vice versa) or carrying something within a “public domain” for a distance of four cubits.
The terms “public domain” and “private domain” in the context of these laws do not refer to ownership. They refer to areas that meet specific characteristics. (Please note that this explanation is grossly oversimplified. The laws surrounding eruvin are among the most complex in halacha, and a full discussion of them is well outside the scope of this article.)
- A “public domain” is a major thoroughfare. It must be at least sixteen cubits wide, open on both ends, and unroofed. Some opinions also require that a large number of people travel that way every day.
- A “private domain” is an area that has walls and is roofed. A typical house or building is a “private domain.”
Under Biblical Law, only these areas are affected by the prohibition of “carrying.” Any other place (such as a field, meadow, or minor thoroughfares that does not meet the criteria above) can be carried in under Biblical Law. An area that doesn’t fall under the previous two categories is called a “Karmelit” in Hebrew.
The Rabbis were afraid that if one were allowed to carry in a Karmelit, one would eventually come to carry within an actual public domain. As such, in order to prevent inadvertent desecration of the Sabbath, they forbade carrying in such areas as if they were public domains.
However, they also created an exception to this prohibition. If a Karmelit were demarcated so that its boundaries were visible and known, then one could carry in such an area. That is the origin of the modern-day eruv. It allows us to carry in a Karmelit, which is otherwise forbidden by Rabbinic prohibition.
The key thing to understand about an eruv is that it’s a rabbinic exception to a rabbinic prohibition. An eruv cannot permit someone to carry in a true public domain, as no one can permit that which is forbidden under Biblical Law.
So, no, we’re not “tricking” or “fooling” God by building an eruv and carrying within it. Nor is it being used as a “loophole” to circumvent Biblical law. It’s simply a rabbinic exception to a rabbinic law. It’s no different than a person who deducts their 401(k) contributions from their income for tax purposes. You’re not “fooling” the IRS by doing so — it’s an exception built into and recognized by the law. An eruv is no different in that regard.