Issues Over
A High Wire
West Bloomfield residents gain access to a limited eruv.
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
ast summer, Shelley Eizel- west of Middlebelt. The eruv cost
manand her newborn baby almost $10,000, which was do-
spent nearly every Shabbat nated by people who use it.
Eruvs must consist of perfect-
confined to their West
ly vertical poles with a horizon-
Bloomfield home.
Ms. Eizelman was uncomfort- tal wire directly on top (see
able, but not resentful. She re- diagram). The partition forms a
spects the Jewish law prohibiting high-wire fence, sectioning off ar-
individuals from carrying and eas where people may carry cer-
pushing items — even strollers tain items like books and
and baby buggies — beyond their talleisim on Shabbat without vi-
olating Jewish law. It sanctions
front porch on Shabbat.
Crossing into public domain the pushing of strollers and
with any object in one's hands or wheelchairs, as well.
In West Bloomfield, the eruv
pockets constitutes a transgres-
sion. For Mrs. Eizelman and oth- has been formed by attaching a
er observant Jews, the regulation vertical pole onto an already ex-
can make Shabbat a day of rest, isting telephone post. The pole
extends up to the edge of the low- might be extended into parts of
relaxation and isolation.
But two weeks ago, Mrs. Eizel- est telephone wire, but no further. Huntington Woods.
man received the solution to her Detroit Edison gave Rabbi Sil-
Some debate exists over the
difficulty. In Hebrew, it's called berberg permission, and an in- high-wire fence. The late Lubav-
an eruv (pronounced: ay-ruhv). dependent contractor, Jacobs itch Rebbe Menachem Mendel
The eruv is a physical boundary Electrical Construction Inc., did Schneerson warned Jews about
that symbolically broadens pri- the work.
relying on it. The concern, he said,
vate property to include
was that people would not culti-
4
Telephone Posts
land within a specific
vate discipline enough to modify
perimeter. .... their lives should they move to a
.- section of town without an eruv.
11--' --'
...1
"It makes the neigh- --' .
borhood into one extend-
Mrs. Shear understands.
ed yard," says Rabbi
"It can lead to a laxity," she
Telephone Wires
Elimelech Silberberg of
says. "But I think the advantages
Bais Chabad of West
far outweigh the disadvantages."
Bloomfield.
Other issues involve major
Horizontal Wire t
The new eruv clinched
thoroughfares. Eruvs, typically,
For Eruv
the Shear family's deci-
are not supposed to traverse
sion to relocate from Oak
heavily traveled roads.
Park to West Bloom-
`There are opinions that would
field's Deerfield Village
question the feasibility of the
two weeks ago. The ex-
eruv," Rabbi Silberberg says.
pectant mother and her
`Therefore my advice to people is:
husband enjoy visiting
Use the eruv only if you feel
401 - Vertical Poles
friends on Shabbat. They
stranded."
Of Eruv
want to carry food, books
Rabbi Silberberg stresses that
and their baby to and
his is a limited eruv, which does
from synagogue, learn-
not run contrary to Rabbi
ing circles and social ac-
Schneerson's caveat. It is a small
eruv, he says, which enables peo-
tivities on Saturdays.
"I don't want to be a
ple to more easily attend syna-
prisoner in my home on
gogue without forgetting about
Shabbat restrictions.
Shabbat," Mrs. Shear
says. "If they didn't have
"There are many authorities
who say the eruv should not be
an eruv here, I don't
know whether we would
used. There are authorities who
would question drooping cables.
have made the move."
There are other fine points in
Earlier this month, How the eruv was erected.
Jewish law where certain au-
Rabbi Silberberg worked
Jewish communities world- thorities feel it is best not to rely
with a committee of congregants
to establish the eruv in West wide have used the eruv for thou- on the eruv. I believe it's best not
Bloomfield. It encompasses less sands of years. Locally, Southfield to, unless you really have to,"
than one square mile of land be- installed an eruv more than a Rabbi Silberberg says.
Traditionally, all individuals
tween 14 and 15 Mile Roads, just decade ago. Oak Park residents
east of Orchard Lake Road and also have an eruv, which soon who use the eruv jointly purchase
Above:
Rabbi Silberberg
advises Roy
Harmon in the
construction of
West Bloomfield's
first eruv.
Left:
Larry Stairs
checks the eruv.
(
t
y
a box of matzah.
Stored in the
synagogue, the
matzah repre-
sents a shared meal between peo-
ple who are blended into one
family. The word eruv means
blended together.
Young Israel of Southfield Rab-
bi Elimelech Goldberg, in a bul-
letin to congregants, wrote that
Jewish law does not obligate in-
dividuals to use the eruv. In fact,
nowhere does written Torah
mention the eruv; it is permissi-
ble only through a lenient, albeit
widely accepted, interpretation
of rabbinic law.
"Because the purpose of the
eruv is to unify rather than di-
vide, there is no reason that any
line be drawn between those who
do and those who do not avail
themselves of the eruv," Rabbi
Goldberg wrote.
The eruv in Southfield extends
7.5 miles between 11 and 12 Mile
Roads, east of Tel-12 Mall and
west of Evergreen.
Since there's always a chance
that the wind and inclement
weather can knock down the
eruv, community members access
a hotline to determine, week to
week, if the symbolic fence is still
intact. That number is (810) 353-
ERUV.
For the West Bloomfield area,
observant families may call (810)
855-6170.
Historically, eruvs have at-
tracted observant Jews to specific
neighborhoods. Locally, members
of Bais Chabad of West Bloom-
field believe their new eruv will
increase the area's population of
Orthodox Jews. In the Deerfield
Village subdivision alone there
are some 40 observant families.
And, says Mrs. Shear, the popu-
lation is growing. Members of
Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield
are doubling the size of their syn-
agogue's building.
Although Rabbi Silberberg
doesn't use the eruv, he wants to
make sure it's there to accom-
modate those who do.
"Many people who can't get out
on Shabbos feel incarcerated," he
says. 'They would love to come to
shul, but can't. I sympathize with
their situation." ❑
Nix It
What the eruv
does not
sanction.
The following has been con-
densed from Rabbi Elimelech
Goldberg's bulletin on the
subject of the ertiv. To his con-
gregants at Young Israel of
Southfield, he wroth, 'Those
things that one may not do on
the Shabbat, even within the
boundaries of the eruv include
1. Putting out trash for the
purpose of collection.
2. Carrying an umbrella
since the opening and
closing of an umbrella
constitutes "shelter mak
ing" and is forbidden.
3. Swimming, even in an en-
closed pool,
4. Bicycle riding.
5. Ball playing.
6. Carrying or dragging
large or heavy objects.
7. Any form of gardening ac-
tivity.
8. Mailing letters.
9. Picking up a pre-paid item
in a store.
10. Carrying items to be used
after Shabbat, ie. keys to
the car.
11.Moving or handling "rnuk-
tza" (like a pen, money
and electrical gadgets.) Cl