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Why don't cities take down the Eruv during the flu season, so that no one gets sick?

By taking down the Eruv, one may not carry a cold on Shabbos, which helps stop the spread of disease.

This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.

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  • How do the patients get to the doctor on Shabbos?
    – DonielF
    Mar 3, 2020 at 23:50
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    Because then the chazzan can't carry a tune either.
    – rosends
    Mar 3, 2020 at 23:59
  • That might be Pikuach Nefesh @DonielF.
    – Moshe
    Mar 4, 2020 at 0:00

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It is not true one can not carry on Shabbos. What is true is that one may not carry on shabbos. Thus, if we remove the Eruv, we are afraid people will carry inadvertently. Thus, not only will it not help the situation, but more chillul shabbos will be caused.

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    This answer is gezel, because it steals my comment answer. מוטב שיהיו שוגגים ואל יהיו מזידים
    – Mordechai
    Mar 4, 2020 at 5:21
  • But many communities once a year dismantle the Eruv so that people don't get used to relying on the Eruv.
    – Moshe
    Mar 4, 2020 at 5:26
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    @Moshe I've heard that before, but never seen a source/heard of an actual case. Do you know of one?
    – magicker72
    Mar 4, 2020 at 6:00
  • @magicker72, Elizabeth, NJ does this
    – Ze'ev misses Monica
    Jan 18 at 13:00
  • @Ze'evmissesMonica Is there anything written about that online?
    – magicker72
    Jan 18 at 13:34
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Because when you first get the flu it takes a few days for symptoms to appear, so people will be transgressing inadvertently by carrying the flu if they have it but don't know it yet.

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Even without an eruv, carrying a cold (or anything) is only a rabbinic prohibition, since constructing an eruv relies on the opinion that we don't have a real reshus harabim.

Going near people when you have a cold violates various Biblical prohibitions of causing damage to them. We assume that anyone who knowingly violates that won't worry about rabbinic prohibitions either, so removing the eruv won't accomplish anything.

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    In the second sentence I'm 100% serious. Without getting into the lomdus of what exactly is violated and whether there's a chiyuv to pay, going near other people when you're sick is wrong.
    – Heshy
    Mar 4, 2020 at 15:14
  • Until this month I would say that everyone is mochel. But this month proves me wrong.
    – Mordechai
    Mar 4, 2020 at 16:59
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    @Mordechai if someone asks me for mechila I'm not going to deny it, but I am very upset when people go to shul sick. A little cold that is a minor annoyance for one person can last several weeks for other people (I'm one of those), and for older people can seriously affect their lives ch"v. And not only do people go to shul with colds, but they go to a crowded minyan and sit right in the middle of the room, sneezing and coughing! If you're not going to daven biychidus, at least have the decency to go to the most empty minyan and sit off in the corner.
    – Heshy
    Mar 4, 2020 at 17:07
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That only works in the movies.

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    This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post. - From Review
    – sabbahillel
    Mar 4, 2020 at 4:13
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    @sabbahillel get it?? מבוי??
    – Dr. Shmuel
    Mar 4, 2020 at 4:31
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    I didn't get it without the explanation, but there's room to make it good. Can you edit to make the joke clearer?
    – Daniel
    Mar 4, 2020 at 4:58
  • I need some help fellow purim Torah scholars
    – Dr. Shmuel
    Mar 4, 2020 at 6:23

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