YU Eruv
Question
Rabbi Schachter shlita has approved of an Eruv in the YU section of Washington Heights. He bases his heter on the Hazon Ish, who says that buildings form mechitzos (they are walls, even though they werent built beshem walls). They also did 'sechiras reshus' (haarama if there ever was one) from the NYPD. The dalasos go up once a year. The website for the eruv is www.yueruv.org There are numerous questionable aspects of this eruv: a) The Shita of Rav Moshe and Rav Aharon that it it impossible to make any eruv in Manhattan (the Rav ztl (!!) and Rabbi Aharon Soloveitchik were also against having an eruv) b) The inefficacy of sechiras reshus bezman hazeh c) The question of how dalasos can be put up once a year d) the big question of Amsterdam Avenue: is it a reshus harabim or not The heter that Rav Schachter uses for the eruv is, again the sevara of the Hazon Ish (three walls + mavuey doesnt contitute a reshus harabim, even if the walls are buildings) How do we answer for the shita of the Hazon Ish (and R Schachter, who is a baal davar in his own right)? What should be the minhag lmaysah? Talyah Milsa BeAshley Revivoai
Answer
Answered by Aaron AbadiA) Rav Moshe & Rav Aharon are not alive for decades. The Halachah is determined by the qualified Rabbis of TODAY! B) That is a problem that the Rabbis should address. C) Same as B D) Same as A If you want to disagree and you are qualified to, then you are entitled, but why are we bothering today's Rabbis with the opinions of the Rabbis of the previous generations. The Nodah BeYehuda says in one of his Responsa, "I don't usually look at the opinion of Rabbis in my generation, nor in the previous generation. I have the Gemara, Rishonim, and Shulchan Aruch. ....Besides that....why should those Rabbis opinions be better than mine." He was giving us a real lesson there. AA