[Avodah] free public transport on Shabbos/Yomtov

[Zev Sero]

On 7/6/20 5:56 pm, Chana Luntz via Avodah wrote:
> On the other hand, those who permit, such as the Mishpachat Uzziel (see Shut
> Piskei Uzziel B'Shailot HaZman siman 13, Shut Mishpat Uzziel Krach 1 Orech
> Chaim siman 9) only do so in a situation where not only is the transport
> owned by and driven by non-Jews, but the transport also does not go to any
> place where there are Jewish settlements because in such a case, the bus
> company and driver will be intending to carry Jews.

This seems to address a situation in Eretz Yisrael where there are 
settlements that are entirely Jewish, so that if the bus stops there it 
is obviously intending to service the people of that settlement.

>  So it is only "in a
> place where all the dwellers are not Jewish, is it permitted for a Jew to
> travel on a [electric or steam] wagon of non-Jews, when it is accustomed to
> go inside the city on condition that they do not need to pay money for a
> ticket to travel on Shabbat or Yom Tov.  And even this is only for the sake
> of a going of mitzvah, like going to the synagogue".

Obviously he does not mean that the Jew who wants to use it is the only 
Jew living along the line, or that there is no Jewish community. 
Because in that case how is there a shul for him to go to?


> Of course, if you hold like Rav Uzziel that it is only permitted where there
> are no Jewish inhabitants, having two eruvin on the line eliminates the
> permissibility of using the bus completely.

So this cannot be true.  By the terms of his heter itself there is at 
least one shul along the route, so why should there not be an eruv, or 
multiple eruvin?


Speaking of which, I think we discussed a while ago Rabbenu Yeshaya di 
Trani's practice of using the gondolas in Venice on Shabbos, and the 
discomfort many later rishonim felt about it, while nobody but Maharam 
MeRutenberg was willing to say he was wrong.

But I've never understood how he did it without paying.  Does anyone 
know?  Were the Venetian gondolas a public service, paid for by 
municipal taxes?  Or was it perhaps a subscription service, and the 
gondoliers recognized Rabbenu Yeshaya as a paid-up member?  I'm just 
guessing here.

-- 
Zev Sero            Wishing everyone a *healthy* and happy summer
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper