Crusing on Shabbat TB Eruvin 41-43

Even though Rosh Hashanah is considered one long day, it is still in all practicality two days. We already learned that there’s no difference between the observance of Shabbat and Yom Tov accept cooking and carrying. When you study a daf of Talmud each day, is easy to fall behind in writing of a reflection on each page because writing is still prohibited on Shabbat and Yom Tov. Today’s reflection covers TB Eruvin 41-43.

On Rosh Hashanah we finished the third chapter of our massekhet and began the fourth chapter. The fourth chapter also deals with issues surrounding tekhumim, the 2000 amot area person may walk from where he makes Shabbat. The first Mishna deals with cases when a person was extracted from his tekhum. Is he only permitted to walk four amot or may he walk farther? It depends on the situation.

“MISHNA: With regard to one whom gentiles forcibly took him out beyond the Shabbat limit, or if an evil spirit took him out, i.e., he was temporarily insane, and found himself outside the Shabbat limit, he has only four cubits that he may walk from where he is standing.

"If the gentiles returned him, or if he came back while still under the influence of the evil spirit, it is as though he had never left his Shabbat limit, and he may move about within his original limit as before.

"If the gentiles brought him to a different city that was surrounded by walls, or if they put him into a pen or a stable, i.e., animal enclosures, the Sages disagree. Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya say: He may walk about the entire city, as the whole city is considered like four cubits. Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva say: He has only four cubits from where he was placed.

"The mishna relates: There was an incident where all of these Sages were coming from Pelandarsin, an overseas location, and their boat set sail on the sea on Shabbat, taking them beyond their Shabbat limit. Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya walked about the entire boat, as they hold that the entire boat is considered like four cubits, while Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva did not move beyond four cubits, as they sought to be stringent with themselves.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The disagreement between Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya and Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva have real life repercussions for those who like to cruise. You’re on the boat that is docked before Shabbat and your within your tekhum where is permitted to walk. The boat set sail on Shabbat and now you’re outside your original tekhum. How far are you allowed to walk throughout the boat? Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya say that one is allowed to walk throughout the entire ship whereas Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva say that you’re basically stuck in your cabin. But fear not because Rav and Shmuel agree that the halakha is according to Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.

Even Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva agree when the boat is in motion one is permitted to walk throughout the entire boat. However, when the boat is standing still they limit a person to walk four amot because the boat now is more similar to the pen or the stable. Nevertheless, the Gemara notes that the reason why Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva won’t walk more than four amot on that cruise that left Pelandarsin is that they accepted a stringency upon themselves lest at some point of the voyage the boat would suddenly stop and remain stationary. Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya wasn’t worried that the boat would suddenly stop and remain stationary.

You can enjoy everything a cruise line can offer on Shabbat even when it is at sea. (Shulkan Arukh, 405:7, see the Rama)