Eruv Techumin between Har Shmuel and Ramot
Question
Shalom u'vrachah,
We are a couple who would like to eat the Shabbat meals in Har Shmuel and sleep at my wife’s parents’ home in the Ramot neighborhood.
1. Is there an issue of the prohibition of techumin between the community of Har Shmuel and the Ramot neighborhood, and vice versa?
2. Is it possible to place an eruv techumin, since it is not clear to me whether this is considered for the sake of a mitzvah [perhaps because it is more comfortable for my wife to sleep at her parents’ home, and perhaps it will also make them happy—honoring parents].
3. Suppose my wife has a mitzvah; does that also permit the husband to accompany his wife, since for him it is not for the sake of a mitzvah?
If possible, I would appreciate an expanded and reasoned answer.
Thank you in advance
Answer
Shalom u'vrachah.
1. The distance between Har Shmuel and Ramot is more than two thousand amot, and it is forbidden to walk from one to the other without an eruv techumin.
2. An eruv from the direction of Ramot toward Har Shmuel covers the entire community. However, an eruv from Har Shmuel toward Ramot is effective only for part of the neighborhood.
Therefore, if you wish, send the location in Ramot and I will be able to check whether it is within the boundary from the direction of Har Shmuel.
3. The ruling of the poskim is to consider a visit to one’s parents, or to other people, as a mitzvah.