Eruvin 81 – Which food for eruv?

For the eruv (common food), which permits people to carry in their courtyards and in an alley on Shabbat, one can use any food that nourishes, except for water and salt – this is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer. As long as it is edible, food is considered uniting people. However, Rabbi Yehoshua says that it can be only bread, for otherwise people in the courtyard will not take it seriously. Moreover, it should be whole loaves of bread: a large broken piece cannot be used, whereas a small whole loaf can. Why? – Eruv is used to promote peace between neighbors, and there should be no jealousy, which may result if some people contribute pieces of bread, and some – whole loaves.

If one has a baker living in his courtyard, and he gives that baker a coin, asking him to contribute bread on his behalf, it is not valid. Why? – The Sages instituted multiple ways of acquisition but took away the power of money payment to acquire things, rather, the actual delivery has to take place, for fear that a seller may stop caring after receiving the payment. Therefore, his coin did not acquire bread for him, and not a part in the eruv. By contrast, if he gave money to a private person, asking to provide bread, this works. The private person would be willing to contribute bread even for free, and the money is regarded as a payment for his service.

Art: The Baker by Frans van the Younger Mieris (1689-1763)