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Week 16 - Tuesday - 14 March 2000

ERUVIN: CHAPTER 7: MISHNA 8

What is the quantity? When they are many – food for two meals for all of them. When they are few, as a dried fig – for carrying in the Shabbat – for each one.

Kahati

What is the quantity? – of the food required for the shituf in a mavoy, and for an eruv hatzerot? When they – the people participating in the shituf or in the eruv, are many – The Gemara explains: eighteen or more people, food for two meals for all of them – he deposits on behalf of all of them the food of the shituf or the eruv, in the quantity of two meals, i.e., the volume of eighteen dried figs (=six average sized eggs) (Rambam, Hil. Eruvin 1:9) Even though there are 1,000 inhabitants there, this measure of two meals is sufficient, for this is a substantial quantity of food, and is valid for all of them (Rabbi Yonatan of Lunel, Hemeiri).

But, When they are few – fewer than eighteen, the measure of as a dried fig – is required, which is the measure for carrying in the Shabbat – as has been taught, "If a person carries food the size of a dried fig, he is liable" (Shab. 7:4); this is also the measure for shituf and the eruv, i.e., as a dried fig - for each one – according to one interpretation, the count os not per capita, but rather according to the number of courtyards in the mavoy or the numbers of houses in the courtyard, i.e., "many" refers to fewer than eighteen or more owners of courtyards or houses, and "few" refers to fewer than eighteen, even if many people dwell in the houses and courtyards (Rabbi Yonatan of Lunel, Hemeiri).

ERUVIN: CHAPTER 7: MISHNA 9

Rabbi Yose said, To what does this apply? To the beginning of an eruv, but for the remnants of an eruv, any quantity. And they only said to make an eruv in the courtyards so that the children should not forget.

Kahati

Rabbi Yose said, To what does this apply? – that the measurement if dried fig for each one is required for an eruv hatzerot, and for a shituf on a mavoy (when they are few), or the food of two meals for all of them (when they are many)? To the beginning of an eruv – when they first make an eruv, but for the remnants of an eruv – an eruv whose measure diminished after the beginning of the first Shabbat entered, it is sufficient of - any quantity – remained from it, and it is not necessary to add to its measure. And they only said – according to another version, "They only said" to make an eruv in the courtyards – after they had already participated in a shituf in a mavoy, when there is no longer any need to make an eruv hatzerot, so that the children should not forget – the law of eruv hatzerot, who don't know about it, and are not aware of the shituf in the mavoy. Hence, their leniency regarding the eruv hatzerot, allowing any quantity for the remnants, for there is the shituf.

According to one interpretation, Rabbi Yose holds that the remnants of the shituf are also fit in any quantity as long as the eruv is in existence (Hameiri). According to another opinion, Rabbi Yose validates even if both the shituf and of the eruv there are only remnants, and he, therefore, disagrees with the Tanna in mishnah 7 who holds, "If the food diminished – he adds." According to yet another opinion, Rabbi Yose does not disagree with this Tanna, but rather elaborates on his statement, explaining that after the first Shabbat entered, there is no need to add, and the remnants of the eruv or of the shituf are valid (see Tosefot Yom Tov).

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