Understanding the Concept of Eruv
It is permitted to cook on a Jewish holiday (Yom Tov), as we learn from Exodus 12:16: “…No work shall be done on these days [=Yom Tov], except to prepare food for everyone to eat; this alone may be done.” However, our sages explained that it is only permitted to cook on Yom Tov what will be consumed during Yom Tov; one cannot prepare or cook on Yom Tov food that will be consumed after that particular day. Therefore, when a holiday falls on Thursday/Friday, as it does this year, we are not allowed to cook on Yom Tov for Shabbat unless we prepare an eruv tavshilin.
The eruv tavshilin consists of:
- Preparing some cooked and baked food before Yom Tov.
- Declaring that we are preparing this food for Shabbat.
- Keeping that food for Shabbat.
- Eating that food during Shabbat. This way, we begin to cook for Shabbat before the holiday starts, and we continue preparing that food on Yom Tov for Shabbat.
How Do We Do It? Following these principles, this is what we do:
Preparing: Today, Wednesday, October 16, in the afternoon before the Holiday begins, we should set aside a plate with some cooked food and a piece of bread and save this plate for Shabbat. This plate is what we call the eruv. Since some food has already been prepared for Shabbat before Yom Tov, the cooking that takes place during Yom Tov will be considered an extension (the word eruv in this context means “extension”) of the food that was already prepared before the holiday began.
Declaring: The following blessing is recited while holding the plate with the food (eruv) in one’s hands: “Barukh Ata A-donay E-lohenu Melekh ha’Olam Asher Qiddeshanu beMitzvotav veTzivanu AL MITZVAT ERUV” בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-לֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל מִצְוַת עֵרוּב Then, the following text is recited, establishing that by preparing this eruv, we are permitted to do all necessary work and cook on Yom Tov for Shabbat: בַּדֵין עֵרוּבָא יְהֵא שָׁרֵא לָֽנָא לַאֲפוּיֵי וּלְבַשּׁוּלֵי וּלְאַטְמוּנֵי וּלְאַדְלוּקֵי שְׁרָגָא וּלְתַקָּנָא וּלְמֶעְבַּד כָּל צָרְכָּֽנָא, מִיּוֹמָא טָבָא לְשַׁבְּתָא.
Storing: After reciting the blessing, we place the eruv in a safe place or in the refrigerator and keep it until Shabbat.
Consuming: For the eruv to be valid, we must eat that food at some point during Shabbat. Usually Seuda Shelishit.
The general practice is to prepare the eruv with a boiled egg and a piece of bread. Many people also add meat, rice, and other types of cooked foods to their eruv .
