iyhbyu- I am by no means an expert in eiruvin, and I did not mean to imply that. My point was that I and a few others pointed out precisely what the “kula” in eiruv is, and you responded with “I’m pretty sure that everyone agrees to the concept, seeing as there is a whole mesechta in shas about it” You responded to a very specific argument with a generality that i’m sure everyone agrees to the concept. In essence, you were saying I don’t know the sources but I feel confident that I’m right and you’re wrong.
I’m not sure what sources you’re looking for, I think we’ve made pretty clear what we’re trying to say. But I’ll try again. The Mechaber in siman 345 seif 7 says in his first deah that a street which is 16 amos wide makes a city into a reshus harabim. He then brings a yesh omrim that says if there aren’t 600,000 people (in the city or the street; see igros moshe) it is not a reshus harabim. When the mechaber brings down 1 deah and then a yesh omrim he is paskening like the 1st deah. Since most cities in the U.S. have streets wider than 16 amos, I said, and others did as well, that according to the first deah most cities cannot have an eiruv. No one said the whole concept of eiruv doesn’t work. The biur halacha then quotes many rishonim (13 according to one of the posters) who agree with the mechaber, and many who don’t. Since the mechaber and the majority of rishonim hold that a city with a street wider than 16 amos can’t have an eiruv, and considering that we’re dealing with a diooraysa, I said that most eiruvin rely on a kula. Please point out exactly where I have erred and what’s bothering you. Please do not throw some general statement out or resort to personal attacks. What’s funny about this whole argument is that you would think daasyochid, myself, and others, are coming up with this radical chiddush. Speak to any knowledgeable rov, including those that carry, I guarantee they’ll say the same exact thing.
daasyochid- I agree with you that we have a different view of the term “kula” than most people on the site, but I don’t think we see exactly eye to eye on this one. If my rov were to tell me he holds of this kula, then I would carry without feeling guilty and even shelo bishaas hadchack. I don’t view the kula/chumra thing as what I should do vs. what I’m allowed to do.