Eruvin

I just read this fascinating article on Slate about eruvin. I'll let you read it first before I briefly reflect on what this might mean for The GeoTheo. Click here.

Interesting, huh?

These lines aren't marking the boundary between the sacred and the secular; they are marking a place for the Sabbath. We are accustomed to think about the Sabbath as a time period, but here is an example of the Sabbath as a geographic boundary.

Does your own sabbath-keeping have geographical boundaries? If you make a point of going to church on Sundays, are there also places you avoid? I'm not always successful, but I avoid commercial places on the Sabbath. We avoid the grocery store, the movie theatre, and even the gas station. I like to spend time at home on Sundays after worship, or perhaps go to a public park or playground with my son. Places that are easy on the soul, and don't make demands on my attention, are good places to be in rest.

If each day of your week had a map, would your Sabbath map be different?