There’s always room for Jell-O, cookies, or cake TB Eruvin 82

Today we finished the seventh chapter of massekhet Eruvin and with daf TB Eruvin 82 we begin the eighth chapter. This chapter continues the discussion concerning joint participation in an eruv. The first two Mishnahs begins to teach different halakhot concerning erev tekhumim.

“MISHNA: How does one participate in the joining of Shabbat boundaries (erev tekhumim)? One who wishes to establish a joining of Shabbat boundaries for himself and others places a barrel of food in the location he designates as their place of residence, and says: This is for all the residents of my town, for anyone who wishes to go on Shabbat to a house of mourning or to a house of a wedding feast situated beyond the Shabbat limit” (Sefaria.org translation) The Gemara understands the phrase “a house of mourning or to a house of a wedding feast” as limiting the permissibility of creating an erev tekhumim only for the purpose of a mitzvah. The Shulkhan Arukh expands what the definition of a mitzvah is by including going out to greet your Rav or good friend who is journeying or one fleeing persecution or bandits. The Rama adds taking a Shabbat walk in an orchard because of the joy this creates and to rejoice on Shabbat is a mitzvah. Nevertheless, the Tur poskins that an eruv created for a non-mitzvah purpose is still a kosher eruv.[1] (Orekh Hayyim, 415:1)

We already know that one must set aside enough food for two meals for each person participating in this eruv.[2] But how much food is that? “MISHNA: What is the measure for a joining of Shabbat boundaries? It consists of a quantity of food sufficient for two meals for each and every one of those included in the eiruv. The tanna’im disagree with regard to the size of these two meals. It is referring to one’s food that he eats on a weekday and not on Shabbat; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is referring to the amount he eats on Shabbat and not on a weekday. And both this Sage, Rabbi Meir, and that Sage, Rabbi Yehuda, intended to be lenient, as Rabbi Meir maintains that people eat more food on Shabbat, whereas Rabbi Yehuda believes that they consume more on a weekday.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rashi explains why Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda believes his position is the lenient one. Rabbi Meir believes that one eats more on Shabbat than on the weekday. Meals are just more elaborate and the food is plentiful then on weekdays. Besides sweet desserts are also served and there’s always room for dessert. Consequently, the amount of food needed for a weekday meal being less is a more lenient position. We are accustomed to eating three meals a day, but back in Talmudic times people ate two meals on a weekday day and three meals on Shabbat. The third meal in Hebrew is called se’udat shilisheet (סעודת שלישית) and in Yiddish shaleshudes. Rabbi Yehuda believes that people will eat less at each Shabbat meal because they know another one is coming. Intuitively and from our own experience we know that Rabbi Meir is correct. Shabbat meals are larger and more elaborate than an ordinary weekday meal. The Gemara comes to the same conclusion. “Rav Yosef said to Rav Yosef, son of Rava: Your father, in accordance with whose opinion does he hold, that of Rabbi Yehuda or Rabbi Meir? He replied: He holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir. Rav Yosef added: I too agree with the ruling of Rabbi Meir, because if the halakha is in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda, a difficulty would arise from the popular saying: There is always room for sweets. It is generally accepted that one dining on delicacies eats more, and therefore, the amount of food in Shabbat meals is greater than that of weekdays, as they include more sweet foods.” (Sefaria.org translation)

 

 

 

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[1] אין מערבין ערובי תחומין אלא לדבר מצוה כגון שהיה רוצה לילך לבית האבל או לבית המשתה של נישואין או להקביל פני רבו או חבירו שבא מן הדרך וכיוצא באלו : הגה או שרוצה לילך לטייל ביום טוב או בשבת בפרדס שיש בו שמחה בזה מיקרי דבר מצוה (תה"ד סימן ע"ז) או מפני היראה כגון שהיה רוצה לברוח מן העכו"ם או מן הלסטים וכיוצא בזה ואז מותר לו לילך אפי' לדבר הרשות (טור והג"א פרק בכל מערבין) ואם עירב שלא לא' מכל אלו אלא לדברי הרשות הרי זה עירוב:

 

[2]  The required bread making up two meals for an eruv hatzerot is much smaller and there is a cap to the amount. “Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, said: It was explained to me personally by my father, Rav Yehuda: Any case where, if one were to divide the food of two meals between them and it does not amount to the measure of a dried fig for each and every one of them, these are the very ones the tanna called numerous, and in this case food for two meals suffices for all of them. And if not, these are the very ones the tanna termed few, which means food in the measure of a dried fig is required for each of them.” (TB Eruvin 80b, Sefaria.org translation)