When a Major Storm is Expected on Shabbos
ANSWER: Many Jews live in communities that have an eiruv. The eiruv is typically checked every week, and once the eiruv has been checked and found to be in order; there is a chazaka (presumption) that the status will not change on Shabbos. It is on this basis that we are permitted to carry on Shabbos. However, when there was a storm and large branches were knocked down, and especially if we know that there have been power outages, this creates a reiyusa (weakness) with the chazaka. Once there is a reiyusa, one should no longer rely on the chazaka until the eiruv has once again been checked and found to be intact. If a city eiruv is broken, the Mishnah Berurah (276:25) writes that one is permitted to ask a non-Jew to fix it, since many Jews might not realize that the eiruv is down and may carry outside on Shabbos.
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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.