Eruvin 48 – Objects brought to market by non-Jews

We know that objects belonging to a Jew have the same limitations on travel as their owner. On Shabbat, one cannot carry at all. But on a Festival, they can be taken only as far as the owner himself can go, two thousand steps from his residence. By contrast, ownerless objects acquire residence on their own, same say, just four steps around them, and others – two thousand steps.

What about objects (say, sheep) that were brought to a market by a non-Jews from a distance greater than two thousands steps? Some say that they are like ownerless objects, and a Jew may buy and use them on a Festival (of course, not by paying money, but but promising to pay later). Others say that they have the same law as Jewish objects – for without this law the Jews also may eventually forget the techum limitations.

Such case actually happened, and Rava allowed everyone to buy them, following the first opinion. When he heard that Rabbi Yochanan upholds the second view, he reconsidered and said that the sheep can only be moved four steps around their residential area. However, since their new residential area was that town where the fair happened to be, all residents who live there could actually buy and use the sheep for the Festival, but not anyone out-of-town.

Art: Bela Pallik - Sheep