Arris

Abstract:

The objectives of this paper are to describe the eruv phenomenon in history and today and to analyze its design principles and architectural framework. The analysis takes into account time and space, domestication of urban public space, physical attributes, and mental mapping, which contribute to the image and legibility of the eruv in the city and its capacity to create access to spiritual renewal. Every seventh day for thousands of years, the Sabbath is acknowledged within a unique temporary urban space. The establishment of the eruv district re-conceptualizes the limits of home and helps people to observe the holy day of the Sabbath outside their homes in a shared public space with activities that are normally forbidden in public on that day. This underscores the importance of making time visible in civic space, especially for spiritual renewal. In pursuing this objective, the eruv is examined in the contexts of home and urban domestication.