“The Thin Jew Line”

Written by Robin Marie in Educational, Humor, News at March 26, 2011

The Daily Show had a segment last week about a controversy about an eruv in Westhampton Beach, NY.

If you have no idea what an eruv is, you were like me. Apparently, an eruv, a practice observed by orthodox or observant Jews, is an enclosure around a community that allows for the carrying of things — as in, the transportation of objects — on the Sabbath. Which apparently you’re not supposed to do.

Interestingly, the segment focuses on the disagreement about the eruv between orthodox Jews and at least one, apparently reformed Jew. I personally think there is nothing wrong with the eruv, for as the segment explains, even the orthodox are content with this so-called enclosure consisting of a near-invisible string that couldn’t possibly inconvenience or bother anyone.

But from an atheist’s perspective, this is definitely one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of how silly the convoluted and absurd rules of religion can be. I’m quite surprised I’ve never heard of it before, actually, as the comedic potential in this is so great that the Daily Show couldn’t resist it and indeed, made a very funny segment out of it.

Why do you think the more devout among us continue to feel a need to follow these rules? Do they really think they matter, that they are handed down by God, or are they simply trying to preserve a cultural heritage that, for some reason, they think rules like this are a vital part of?