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Of the thesis entitled:ÌýThe Atlas of Legal Fictions :ÌýDiscovering the Implicit and Invisible BoundariesÌýof the Jewish Eruvin

Abstract:

The JewishÌýEruvÌýis a defined physical area that symbolically extends theÌý‘home,’ beyond its walls and into the community. Purposefully built to beÌýundetectable to the untrained eye, Eruvin are present, yet hidden, in theÌýphysical urbanÌýworld around us. This spatial practice acts as a physicalÌýloophole; symbolically transforming space to provide leniencies to OrthodoxÌýJewish communities. The Eruv demarcates a space of freedom on the Sabbath, butÌýstill maintainsÌýreligious law that does not permit individuals to work or carryÌýobjects outside the private realm on the day of rest. Within the Eruv, theÌýperformance of daily activities becomes possible, and citizens are able toÌýparticipate in theirÌýcommunities and cities. The establishment of these sacredÌýboundaries creates a shared, privatized religious space within what is commonlyÌýrecognized as the public realm.

The AtlasÌýof Legal FictionsÌýplays a unique role in the world ofÌýmapmaking, depicting the unexplored and unseen reality of the Eruv, and itsÌýability to negotiate space, people, community and spiritual practice within theÌýplurality foundÌýin our urban surroundings. This atlas details the physicalÌýpresence and conveys the spiritual allegory of Eruvin at all scales, whichÌýuntil now, have remained undocumented in the field of architectural and urbanÌýstudies. EruvinÌýconsequently alter the physical, social and symbolicÌýinterpretations and uses of cities; varying in size and shape, and utilizingÌýmany pre-existing natural or man-made elements as their boundaries, they embedÌýthemselves within theÌýurban context. The basic construction of the Eruv,Ìýcommonly made of timber posts connected with fishing line, represent the wallsÌýand roof of a house where tradition and assimilation, the new and the old,Ìýintermingle. Referred to as aÌýlegalÌýfiction—an assertion accepted as true—the Eruv is used to create community, maintainÌýpractice, and integrate individuals into their surroundings through personalÌýcommitment and connection to their authority.

By exploring its physical components,Ìýurban considerations, and social consequences,ÌýThe Atlas of Legal Fictions,Ìýconsiders the Eruv as anÌýarchitecture of necessity, critical to the practice of place-making andÌýestablishment ofÌýcommunity. As architecture’s minimum, the Eruv transforms theÌýexisting fabric of a city into a physical space with a multiplicity ofÌýmeanings. The Eruv, built by people, for people, has the potential to indicateÌýthe desired and functionalÌýscale of community.

Focusing on Eruvin built for the Diaspora communities, this thesisÌýcontributes to the study of these boundaries while preserving their sacredÌýexistence, and ultimately illuminates how community and religion canÌýharmoniously negotiateÌýtheir survival in the modern world.ÌýTheÌýAtlas of Legal FictionsÌýreveals a little known reality,Ìýuncovering the nature of these religious boundaries and exposing the factualÌýexistence of what is considered fiction in the modern world.