Shliach Runs 4 Miles to Blow Shofar

The ‘Running Rabbi’, Rabbi Chalom Boujnah of Chabad at San Diego State University, ran 4 miles on Rosh Hashana to blow Shofar for those who couldn’t make it to Shul.

10 Comments

  • very sweet but 2 questions

    1. Whats with techum? One is not allowed to go past the techum on yomtov as well.
    2. How is one allowed to run on yomtov?

    • those were my questions too

      It does sound strange, but maybe it was within the city limits or an eiruv?
      And maybe since he was running to do a mitzva, and not for exercise, it’s ok?

      Could someone who knows the halacha please respond.

    • Milhouse

      1. What on earth made you think he left the city? The reporter says the woman was in Lemon Grove, which is indeed 4 miles from SDSU, and well within greater S Diego. In fact I don’t think it’s possible to go 4 miles from SDSU in any direction and leave the city.

      2. What’s wrong with running? The Shulchan Aruch explicitly says one may run on Shabbos for pleasure. Kol shekein one may do so for a mitzvah.

    • Ezra

      1. If it’s all within the same city, there’s no issue of the techum. (How do you think people do tahalucha?)

      2. Even on Shabbos you’re allowed to run for a dvar mitzvah; how much more so on Yom Tov. See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, the very first words of siman 301.

  • Yossi A

    To #2
    There is another website claiming that it was a 7 miles run. mabey it was 3 1/2 each way.

  • Bochur

    1. One may travel as far as he wants as long as it’s within the city.

    2. It is permissible to run for a mitzva.