3 ms·

My favorite is Eruv[1], which in my neighborhood and others in NYC is tiny thin wires strung between streetlights to "enclose" a neighborhood. In some of our b

My favorite is Eruv[1], which in my neighborhood and others in NYC is tiny thin wires strung between streetlights to "enclose" a neighborhood. In some of our big storms recently many of the wires have come down, limiting people's mobility. To call all this hackery "circumvention" is not accurate ... one way or another, in building & using tricks to live with them, you are being "observant," by remembering and practicing the rules. Remembrance being a key part of faith. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruv https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruv

reuven 12y ago
My take on eruv is that it's one of several elements in Jewish law designed to create and foster communities. Community is crucial to Jewish survival. So among other things: - You need 10 adults to have many important prayer services - You need to eat kosher food -- which is only feasible when there's a critical mass of other Jews around - Women need to go to a ritual bath once a month; it's only feasible to have such a ritual bath if you live near other Jews who help to fund it - You can't carry on the Sabbath unless you have an eruv around your community, in which case you can carry within the community. These, together with other rules, have the effect of encouraging Jews to live near other Jews, which helps to strengthen the community more and perpetuate the tradition. I think that much of Jewish law is aimed at this underlying goal. When a rule conflicts with this goal, it's considered desirable to find a way around the rule, such that the community's centrality and strength win out.
shmerl 12y ago
It's not really a circumvention, but I'd call it a hack indeed (i.e. an ingenious solution[1]). It works by modifying the subject of the law. I.e. Jewish law forbids carrying objects between public and private domain on Shabbos. What is considered private and public domain has quite clear definitions. So using that method (of connecting areas with some wires or ropes) one changes the status of the area in light of the law from public to private domain. I.e. the law applies all the same, but its subject is different, so carrying becomes permitted. [1] http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/meaning-of-hack.html http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/meaning-of-hack.html

reuven 12y ago

My take on eruv is that it's one of several elements in Jewish law designed to create and foster communities. Community is crucial to Jewish survival. So among other things: - You need 10 adults to have many important prayer services - You need to eat kosher food -- which is only feasible when there's a critical mass of other Jews around - Women need to go to a ritual bath once a month; it's only feasible to have such a ritual bath if you live near other Jews who help to fund it - You can't carry on the Sabbath unless you have an eruv around your community, in which case you can carry within the community. These, together with other rules, have the effect of encouraging Jews to live near other Jews, which helps to strengthen the community more and perpetuate the tradition. I think that much of Jewish law is aimed at this underlying goal. When a rule conflicts with this goal, it's considered desirable to find a way around the rule, such that the community's centrality and strength win out.

shmerl 12y ago

It's not really a circumvention, but I'd call it a hack indeed (i.e. an ingenious solution[1]). It works by modifying the subject of the law. I.e. Jewish law forbids carrying objects between public and private domain on Shabbos. What is considered private and public domain has quite clear definitions. So using that method (of connecting areas with some wires or ropes) one changes the status of the area in light of the law from public to private domain. I.e. the law applies all the same, but its subject is different, so carrying becomes permitted. [1] http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/meaning-of-hack.html http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/meaning-of-hack.html