Siman - Eruvin Daf 64
- When an idolater refuses to rent out his rights in the mavoi
The Gemara on Daf 63b related that there was a certain mavoi in which an idolater named Lachman bar Ristak lived, and he refused to rent out his rights in the mavoi, restricting the Jews from carrying items into it. After rejecting a couple of recommendations that Abaye made to the residents, on our Daf, Rava suggested that they should let one of the residents go and develop a relationship with the idolater and then request permission to use a place in his chatzeir to store something, דהוה ליה כשכירו או לקיטו – by doing this, he would become similar to an employee or part-time farm hand. Rashi defines a שכיר as a year-round employee and a לקיט as someone hired for reaping and harvesting seasons. Rav Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel, אפילו שכירו ואפילו לקיטו נותן עירובו ודיו – even a Jewish employee or farm hand working for an idolater may give his share of the eruv and this is sufficient for the idolater’s dwelling. Rashi writes that the worker only has to join the eruv and does not have to rent out the owner’s rights to the Jewish residents.
- Drinking wine and davening
Rabbah bar Rav Huna said, שתוי אל יתפלל – Someone who drank wine should not daven, ואם התפלל תפלתו תפלה – and if he did daven, his tefillos are valid. שיכור אל יתפלל – Someone who is drunk should not daven, ואם התפלל תפלתו תועבה – and if he did daven his tefilos are an abomination. As two Amoras were taking leave of each other, one suggested they each say something that the other has never heard for Rav Mari bar Rav Huna said, לא יפטר אדם מחבירו אלא מתוך דבר הלכה שמתוך כך זוכרו – A person should not take leave of his friend except with a halachah for by doing this he will remember him. One began by defining שתוי as, כל שיכול לדבר לפני המלך – as one who is still capable of speaking before a king, and a שיכור as כל שאינו יכול לדבר לפני המלך – as one who is not capable of speaking before a king.
- Purchasing a sefer Torah when one suddenly becomes wealthy
The other Amora asked what one should do who takes possession a ger’s estate who died with no relatives to inherit him in order that it stays in his hands? Rashi explains that since the windfall is a source of astonishment to people because he received it without any effort, it will not remain secure unless he uses part of it for a mitzvah. He answered that he should purchase a sefer Torah with some of the monies. Rav Sheishess said that a husband who married a wealthy woman should do the same. Rashi says that his sudden gain will arouse an ayin horaand performing a mitzvah will protect it. Rava said that even someone who invested and profited should do the same. Rav Pappa said even someone who found a found a lost object of great value should do the same.
Rav Chanin, and some say it was Rebbe Chanina, said that this principle that a person will retain his possessions if he does a mitzvah with them is learned out from, וידר ישראל נדר – Yisroel declared a vow. Rashi explains that before bnei Yisroel went to war with Arad after Aharon’s death, they vowed to donate the spoils of the cities they would capture as hekdesh. With this act of tzedakah their tefilos were answered and they were victorious.
