Do eiruvs have to be physical?

Question

I go by a couple of synagoges on the way to work and I notice signs on the telephone poles saying "End of eiruv". Looking around, I don't see any lines that would form a closed space. I had been given the impression there had to be a physical line to mark the space. Is this correct?

It is common to use transparent fishing wire made of nylon from the top of one pole to the other and that can be very difficult to see — Moses Supposes, Nov 30 '23 at 09:00

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 06 '18 at 18:35

4

Yes, an eruv boundary must be physical, though gaps are allowed to an extent. You said the signs were on telephone poles: likely, the telephone poles and wires themselves (or possibly other, tauter wires attached to the poles) served as part of the eruv boundary.

answered Jan 06 '18 at 18:35

msh210

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It's also possible the signs were placed a bit inward of the boundary to prevent mistakes. – Double AA Jan 06 '18 at 22:55

Do eiruvs have to be physical?

1 Answers1