Expert: Ovadiah ben Avraham - 7/25/2007

Question
Reading up I came across and article which states:

"Carrying in a private home is permitted on the Sabbath. It is only in a public domain that it is forbidden. When a semipublic domain is involved the Rabbis prohibited carrying to it from a public domain and vice-versa without an Eruv.

So for example-

If I do not live in an eruv...leaving my place I cannot carry anything from there.  But once at the schul (which is in the eruv) I can carry items out of the car to the schul and reverse right.  But once home again (outside the eruv) I cannot carry anything in right? What if I was living in the ERUV, what about my keys to get back in my place?

Answer
R,
You are correct, the transfer of articles between domains is Rabbinically prohibited. Many mid and larger cities have an eruv set up around the "Jewish quarter" to make this easier. Articles of clothing and accessories are an exception if they are required, so some men turn a house key into a tie tack or some other similar article worn on the Sabbath so as to circumvent the Rabbinical prohibition. Hope this helps! Shalom!