It ostensibly refers to the "mixed multitudes" which were at least some of the people at Sinai who pushed Aaron to fashion the golden calf.
Some were Israelites. Some were non-Israelites who were also slaves in Egypt and decided to escape slavery along with the Israelites. They figured they had a good thing going.
In essence, though, the Erev Rav refers to the type of Jews who work against Judaism, wittingly or unwittingly.
They called for the golden calf at Sinai.
They wanted to adapt Judaism to Hellenistic culture -- The Maccabees had to fight not just the Greeks, but also fellow Jews who thought Israelites should be more like Greeks. The Maccabee victory is celebrated as Chanukah. Consider the Reform Jews who treat Chanukah as a Jewish Christmas; would they have fought with the Maccabees or for the Hellenists?
And today there are still those that follow Torah and those that follow whatever the latest fad is.
Now this is a Torah concept. I'm no great Talmudic scholar -- but neither are most of the people who attack the Talmud.
But I imagine the Eruv Rav are discussed in there.
Who says it doesn't?
There is a term in Judaism called the Erev Rav.
It ostensibly refers to the "mixed multitudes" which were at least some of the people at Sinai who pushed Aaron to fashion the golden calf.
Some were Israelites. Some were non-Israelites who were also slaves in Egypt and decided to escape slavery along with the Israelites. They figured they had a good thing going.
In essence, though, the Erev Rav refers to the type of Jews who work against Judaism, wittingly or unwittingly.
They called for the golden calf at Sinai.
They wanted to adapt Judaism to Hellenistic culture -- The Maccabees had to fight not just the Greeks, but also fellow Jews who thought Israelites should be more like Greeks. The Maccabee victory is celebrated as Chanukah. Consider the Reform Jews who treat Chanukah as a Jewish Christmas; would they have fought with the Maccabees or for the Hellenists?
And today there are still those that follow Torah and those that follow whatever the latest fad is.
Now this is a Torah concept. I'm no great Talmudic scholar -- but neither are most of the people who attack the Talmud.
But I imagine the Eruv Rav are discussed in there.