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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman רס"ו · 13 Seifim
The traveler caught by the onset of Shabbos on the road — to discover and understand
סימן רס"ו
דִּין מִי שֶׁהֶחְשִׁיךְ לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ
🌱 Introductory Level · Beginners
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A first approach to Siman רס"ו: the full Hebrew text of the Mechaber, fluent English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, modern practical cases and a synthesis.
Topic: The traveler caught by the onset of Shabbos on the road
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן רס"ו (13 seifim)
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study Plan
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch — the 13 seifim of the Mechaber
2. The general context: why this siman, what is the question?
3. The key halachic concepts of this siman
4. Detail of the seifim — one by one
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
6. The position of the Rama — Ashkenazic vs Sephardic differences
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch
Siman רס"ו contains 13 seifim of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo) which codify the halachos relating to one who is caught by the onset of Shabbos on the road.
Seif 1 — Giving one's purse to a non-Jew
דין מי שהחשיך לו בדרך. ובו יג סעיפים:
מי שהיה בא בדרך וקדש עליו היום והיו עמו מעות ויש לו חמורו וגם יש עמו עכו"ם לא יניח כיסו על חמורו מפני שהוא מצווה על שביתתו אלא נותן כיסו לעכו"ם להוליכו לו ולמוצאי שבת לוקחו ממנו ואפי' לא נתן לו שכר על זה ואע"פ שנתנו לו משחשיכה מותר אבל אם מצא מציאה אינו יכול ליתנה לעכו"ם אא"כ באה לידו מבעוד יום דהשתא הוי ככיסו:
Translation: One who was traveling on the derech and Shabbos overtook him, while he had money on him (כיס), had his donkey and a non-Jew was present — he does not place the purse on the donkey (because he is mechuyav in שביתת בהמתו — the rest of his animal). He gives the purse to the non-Jew to carry it, and takes it back at the conclusion of Shabbos. Mutar even without payment, even if he gave it after the onset of Shabbos. Exception: a found object (מציאה) may not be given to the non-Jew, unless it had already come into the hand of the traveler before Shabbos — it then has the din of a "purse."
Seif 2 — Failing a non-Jew, the donkey (with precautions)
אם אין עמו עכו"ם מניחו על חמורו וכדי שלא יהיה חייב משום מחמר (פי' מנהיג את החמור) אי איכא עקירה והנחה מניחו לאחר שעקרה יד ורגל ללכת דלאו עקירה היא וכשהיא עומדת נוטלו הימנה ולאחר שתחזור ותעקור רגלה יניחנו וי"א שצריך ליזהר מלהנהיגה בקול רם כל זמן שהכיס עליה: הגה והוא לא ירכוב על החמור אלא ילך ברגליו ואם הוא צריך לצאת חוץ לתחום מפני שמתיירא מן הליסטים או שאר סכנה ואפי' הוא תוך התחום יכול לישב על החמור ולרכוב (ריב"ש וב"י בשם תשב"ץ):
Translation: If there is no non-Jew available, he places the purse on the donkey. In order not to be chayav on account of mechamer (= leading an animal carrying a forbidden load), one must place the purse after the animal has already lifted a leg (= already in motion, which is no longer a ritual akirah), and take it back when the animal stops. Some also require not to drive the donkey with a loud voice as long as the purse is on it.
Hagahah (Rama): the traveler himself does not ride on the donkey — he walks on foot. Exception: if he must leave the techum due to bandits or other danger, or even within the techum under such conditions, he may sit and ride (pikuach nefesh).
Hagahah (Rama): the traveler himself does not ride on the donkey — he walks on foot. Exception: if he must leave the techum due to bandits or other danger, or even within the techum under such conditions, he may sit and ride (pikuach nefesh).
Seif 3 — With donkey + cheresh/shoteh/katan
היה עמו חמור וחרש שוטה וקטן יניחנו על החמור ולא יתננה לאחד מאלו:
Translation: If he has a donkey and a cheresh (deaf-mute, lacking halachic daas), a shoteh (mentally incapacitated) or a katan (minor) — he places the purse on the donkey and not on any of these three. The reason: the mitzvah of שביתת בהמה is less weighty (rest of the animal) than that of protecting a human being unable to evaluate his action.
Seif 4 — Cheresh and shoteh: prefer the shoteh
היה עמו חרש ושוטה יתננו לשוטה לפי שאין לו דעת כלל:
Translation: if he has only a cheresh and a shoteh — he gives the purse to the shoteh, because the shoteh has no daas at all (and therefore no halachic chiyuv whatsoever), while the cheresh has partial daas (according to Chazal we would have to protect him more).
Seif 5 — Shoteh and katan: prefer the shoteh
שוטה וקטן יתננו לשוטה שהקטן יבא לכלל דעת חרש וקטן יתננה למי שירצה:
Translation: if he has a shoteh and a katan — give to the shoteh, because the katan will grow up and acquire daas (so he is being morally formed now — we must preserve him). But if it is a cheresh and a katan — he may choose.
Seif 6 — Precautions in placing/taking back
י"א שכשנותנו לאחד מאלו מניחו עליו כשהוא מהלך ונוטל ממנו כשהוא עומד הגה ודוקא כשנותן להם משחשיכה אבל כשנותן להם מבע"י מותר בכל ענין:
Translation: some hold that when one entrusts the purse to one of these three (cheresh, shoteh, katan), one must adopt the same precautions as for the donkey: place when the individual is walking, take back when he is stopped.
Hagahah (Rama): only if one gives it after nightfall. If one gives it before Shabbos — mutar in any manner.
Hagahah (Rama): only if one gives it after nightfall. If one gives it before Shabbos — mutar in any manner.
Seif 7 — As a last resort: less than 4 amos at a time
אם אין עמו שום אחד מכל אלו יטלטלנו פחות פחות מד' אמות ודוקא כיסו או מציאה שבאה לידו אבל אם לא בא לידו לא:
Translation: if none of the previous options is available (no non-Jew, no animal, no cheresh/shoteh/katan) — he moves the purse in increments of less than 4 amos at a time (stopping between each segment). But only if it is his own purse or a found object already received in hand — not an object first picked up on Shabbos.
Seif 8 — Not for the negligent
י"א דוקא מי שהחשיך לו בדרך שהיה סבור שעדיין יש שהות ביום אבל מי שיצא מביתו סמוך לחשיכה ושכח והוציא לרשות הרבים לא התירו לו שום אחד מהדרכים האלו:
Translation: according to some, all these heteirim apply only to one who was caught by the onset of Shabbos on the derech (he thought he still had time). But one who left his house close to the onset of Shabbos and forgot that he was carrying something in the reshus harabim — none of the previous heteirim are granted to him (negligence = no accommodation).
Seif 9 — Arrival at the outer courtyard
הגיע לחצר החיצונה המשתמרת נוטל מעל החמור כלים הניטלים ושאינן ניטלים מתיר את החבלים והשקים נופלים ואם היתה טעונה כלי זכוכית שאסור לטלטלם כגון שהם כוסות של מקיזי דם שאין ראויין בשבת לכלום לפי שהם מאוסים ואם יפלו לארץ ישברו מניח תחתיהם כרים וכסתות ודוקא במשואות קטנים שיכול לשמטן מתחתיהן אבל אם הם גדולות שאינו יכול לשמוט הכרים מתחתיהן אסור להניחם תחתיהן מפני שמבטל כלי מהיכנו (פירוש מהתשמיש שהיה מוכן לו) אלא פורקן בנחת שלא ישברו ולא יניח על הבהמה משום צער בעלי חיים:
Translation: arrived at the outer courtyard (safe and guarded place), he unloads the donkey: portable (non-muktzeh) objects — he takes them directly. Those which are muktzeh — he undoes the ropes so the sacks fall. If the load contains bloodletter's glass cups (muktzeh objects forbidden to handle, liable to break) — he places cushions underneath to absorb the fall (only if the load is small and he can withdraw the cushions afterward). If the load is too heavy for the cushions to be removable — assur: מבטל כלי מהיכנו. He must then bring the load down gently by hand so it does not break, and not leave it on the donkey (צער בעלי חיים).
Seif 10 — Tefillin on the head / Beis Hamidrash
חשכה לו בדרך ותפילין בראשו או שיושב בבהמ"ד בשדה וחשכה לו מניח ידו עליהם עד שמגיע לביתו ואם יש בית סמוך לחומה שנשמרים בתוכו מניחן שם:
Translation: if he was caught by Shabbos on the derech while still wearing his tefillin, or he is in a Beis Hamidrash outside the city and Shabbos comes in — he places his hand on the tefillin (gesture of discretion) until he reaches home. If there is a safe house at the edge of the city (close to the wall) — he leaves the tefillin there.
Seif 11 — Load on the shoulder: run to the house
היתה חבילתו מונחת על כתיפו וקידש עליו היום רץ תחתיה עד ביתו ודוקא רץ אבל לילך לאט לא כיון דלית היכירא אתי למעבד עקירה והנחה דזמנין קאי ולאו אדעתיה אבל רץ אית ליה היכירא וכי מטא לביתיה כי היכי דלא קאי פורתא ואשתכח דקא מעייל מרשות הרבים לרה"י זריק לה כלאחר יד דהיינו שלא כדרך זריקה כגון מכתפיו ולאחריו:
Translation: if Shabbos overtook him with a load already placed on his shoulder — he runs all the way home (running = a heker that recalls the urgency and prevents forgetfulness). Not to walk slowly: without a heker, he might stop and commit an akirah (lifting) + hanachah (placing). On arriving home, in order not to make a standard entry from the reshus harabim to the reshus hayachid, he throws the load b'shinui (kelachar yad) — for example, over the shoulder backwards.
Seif 12 — Load vs forgotten purse
יש אומרים דדוקא בחבילה התירו לעשות כן אבל לא בכיסו וי"א דה"ה לכיסו: הגה ומי ששכח כיסו עליו בשבת אם הוא בביתו יכול לילך עמו לחדר להתיר חגורו וליפול שם למצניעו ואם הוא בשוק אסור להביאו לביתו רק מתיר חגורו בשוק והוא נופל ואומר לעכו"ם לשמרו ואם מביאו אין לחוש (אגודה מסכת ביצה ב"י סי' ש"ט) ועיין לקמן סי' ש"י אם הכיס תפור בבגדו מה דינו:
Translation: according to some, the previous heter (run + throw kelachar yad) applies only to a large load, not to a purse. Others extend it to the purse.
Hagahah (Rama): one who forgot his purse on him at the onset of Shabbos — if he is at home, he may enter a room, undo his belt, and let the purse fall to conceal it. If he is in the marketplace — assur to carry it home; he undoes the belt on the spot, lets it fall, and asks a non-Jew to watch over it. If he ultimately brings it home — no chashash (forced situation).
Hagahah (Rama): one who forgot his purse on him at the onset of Shabbos — if he is at home, he may enter a room, undo his belt, and let the purse fall to conceal it. If he is in the marketplace — assur to carry it home; he undoes the belt on the spot, lets it fall, and asks a non-Jew to watch over it. If he ultimately brings it home — no chashash (forced situation).
Seif 13 — Purse found on Shabbos
מצא ארנקי בשבת אסור ליטלו אע"פ שירא פן יקדמנו אחר:
Translation: one who finds a wallet (ארנקי) on Shabbos — it is assur to take it, even if he fears that someone else may take it first. The wallet is muktzeh (object of mammon + not prepared before Shabbos). Potential financial loss does not lift the issur.
Overview of the 13 seifim: the siman draws a descending hierarchy of options for the traveler caught by Shabbos with a purse:
(1) non-Jew → (2) donkey (with movement precautions) → (3) shoteh → (4) cheresh → (5) katan → (6) less than 4 amos at a time. And finally: special halachos for unusual cases (tefillin on the derech, load on the shoulder, forgotten purse, purse found on Shabbos).
(1) non-Jew → (2) donkey (with movement precautions) → (3) shoteh → (4) cheresh → (5) katan → (6) less than 4 amos at a time. And finally: special halachos for unusual cases (tefillin on the derech, load on the shoulder, forgotten purse, purse found on Shabbos).
2. The general context
The founding scenario
Siman רס"ו deals with a dramatic case from medieval life: a Jewish traveler is on the derech and Shabbos overtakes him. He is carrying mammon (כיס), merchandise, tefillin. He is perhaps walking on foot, perhaps with a donkey. What is he to do?
The central problem: at the onset of Shabbos, carrying anything from a reshus hayachid to a reshus harabim (or vice versa, or within the reshus harabim) becomes melachah d'oraisa (hotzaah). But leaving the purse abandoned on the derech means a potentially ruinous financial loss — and the Torah does not demand ruin.
The fundamental question: how far may Chazal be meikel in the dinim of Shabbos in order to preserve the property of a traveler caught off guard? What degrees of "lesser evil" may be accepted? The siman is mekayem a graduated hierarchy of options, from the most lenient (non-Jew) to the most stringent (carrying in increments of less than 4 amos).
Place in Hilchos Shabbos
Siman רס"ו follows siman 265 (vessels under the candle) and precedes siman 267 (the tefillah of Friday night). It continues the "preparations for Shabbos" sequence: 263 (lighting), 264 (fuels), 265 (vessels), 266 (the traveler caught off guard). This is the sequence of "practical complications" linked to the onset of Shabbos.
3. The key halachic concepts
To understand the 13 seifim, one must master 4 structuring concepts:
Concept 1 — מְחַמֵּר (mechamer): one who leads an animal carrying a forbidden load on Shabbos. This is an issur derabbanan (according to some, d'oraisa). To avoid it, one places the purse after the animal has already lifted a leg, and takes it back when it stops — there is then neither akirah (lifting) nor hanachah (placing) attributable to the human.
Concept 2 — שְׁבִיתַת בְּהֵמָה (shevisas behema): the rest of the Yid's animal. Source: the Torah (Shemos 20:10 — "and your ox and your donkey"). The Yid has the mitzvas asei to make his animal rest on Shabbos — therefore making it carry a load would be a direct violation (not only of mechamer).
Concept 3 — פָּחוֹת פָּחוֹת מֵד' אַמּוֹת (less than 4 amos at a time): in the reshus harabim, carrying 4 amos or more = melachah d'oraisa. But by stopping completely before 4 amos and then setting out again, each "increment" is below the shiur. This is technically muttar to preserve mammon (heter of dechak), but reserved for situations without any other option.
Concept 4 — כְּלַאַחַר יָד (kelachar yad): "the reverse of the hand," that is, in an unusual manner (b'shinui). The Torah forbids melachah בִּדְרָכָהּ (kedarkah). When the action is done "backwards" (throwing over the shoulder), it is only derabbanan — so muttar in the case of the traveler returning home with a load.
Hierarchy of options for the traveler's purse:
- Non-Jew (first choice — no issue of shevisas behema)
- Donkey with precautions (acceptable since shevisas behema is less weighty than protecting a human)
- Shoteh (no daas at all)
- Cheresh (partial daas)
- Katan (will acquire daas)
- Less than 4 amos at a time (last resort)
4. Detail of the seifim — synoptic view
| Seif | Case | Conduct |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purse + donkey + non-Jew | Give to the non-Jew (not on the donkey) |
| 2 | Purse + donkey, without non-Jew | On the donkey with precautions (while walking, no loud voice). The Yid walks on foot — unless in danger. |
| 3 | Purse + donkey + cheresh/shoteh/katan | On the donkey, not on the incapable humans |
| 4 | Purse + cheresh + shoteh (no donkey) | To the shoteh (zero daas) |
| 5 | Purse + shoteh + katan | To the shoteh (the katan will mature) |
| 6 | Purse + cheresh + katan | Free choice |
| 7 | None of the options | Less than 4 amos at a time (only purse or found object already in hand) |
| 8 | Negligent departure, forgetfulness | No heter — total issur |
| 9 | Arrival at the courtyard: unload the donkey | Non-muktzeh objects: by hand. Muktzeh: undo the ropes. Glass cups: cushion buffers (if removable afterward). |
| 10 | Tefillin on the derech during Shabbos | Hand on the tefillin (discreet gesture); otherwise, safe house near the wall |
| 11 | Load on shoulder at the moment of onset | Run to the house + throw kelachar yad |
| 12 | Purse forgotten on self at the onset of Shabbos | At home: enter + undo belt. In the marketplace: undo on the spot + non-Jew. (Hagahah Rama) |
| 13 | Finding a wallet on Shabbos | Absolutely assur (muktzeh) — even if fear of loss |
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) counts 38 entries on this siman, making it one of the densest in the Shulchan Aruch on Hilchos Shabbos.
משנה ברורה (א) — חמורו: אפשר דה"ה כששכר את החמור מעכו"ם — די"א דשכירות קניא לחומרא. אבל אם שכר את העכו"ם שיוליכנו למקום פלוני, א"כ לא שכר את החמור — ע"כ טוב יותר שיניח הכל על החמור, אך יזהר שלא יהיה מחמר.
Explanation: what is the din if the donkey is not owned but rented from a non-Jew? Two scenarios — (a) if one rented the donkey itself, it is considered as belonging to us l'chumrah; (b) if one hired a non-Jew to transport (and the donkey is his equipment), then shevisas behema does not apply — one may place everything, but be nizhar not to become mechamer.
משנה ברורה (ב) — נותן וכו': אף שהעכו"ם שלוחו לישא בשבת, מ"מ הקילו חכמים — דקים להו שאדם בהול על ממונו, ואי לא שרית ליה אתי לידי איסור חמור שיוליך ד' אמות בר"ה.
Explanation: although giving to the non-Jew amounts to making him act as the Yid's shaliach (agent) — Chazal were meikel, since they know that a person is בהול על ממונו (panicked over his mammon). Without this heter, he would end up being over on worse (carrying 4 amos in the reshus harabim = melachah d'oraisa).
For the complete 38 entries: Mishnah Berurah 266.
6. The shitah of the Rama — 3 הגהות
The Rama adds three הגהות to this siman:
Hagahah 1 (seif 2) — the traveler walks on foot
The traveler himself does not ride on the donkey (which carries the purse) — he walks. Exception: in a case of sakanah (bandits, emergency), he may ride — even outside the techum. Source: Rivash + Tashbetz.
Hagahah 2 (seif 6) — precautions only after nightfall
The placing/taking-back precautions (during walking/stopping) with cheresh/shoteh/katan apply only after the onset of Shabbos. Before Shabbos — any manner.
Hagahah 3 (seif 12) — purse forgotten on oneself
Detailed procedure: if at home, enter the room, undo the belt, let it fall. If in the marketplace: undo on the spot + non-Jew. If one ultimately brings it home (b'oness) — no chashash. Source: Agudah + Beis Yosef siman 309.
7. Modern practical cases
| Situation | Application |
|---|---|
| Car travel on Friday, delay | If one foresees not arriving — stop before Shabbos at a safe inn. No "running with the car" — starting the engine is melachah d'oraisa. |
| Cell phone forgotten on oneself at the onset of Shabbos | Direct application of seif 12 (Hagahah): if at home → enter isolated room and undo the pocket. If in the marketplace → let fall on the spot + non-Jew. |
| Commercial flight delayed on arrival on Shabbos | שעת הדחק. Consult a Rav before departure. If the situation presents itself: do not be over on melachah d'oraisa oneself. |
| Walking with a forgotten shopping bag | Seif 11: run to the house (urgency reminder) + throw kelachar yad. Applicable when one is in חוץ-לארץ without an eruv. |
| Finding a wallet in the street on Shabbos | Seif 13: assur outright. The mammon is muktzeh. If one is concerned for someone's safety — that is פיקוח נפש and has its own dinim. |
| Yid traveling in a country without eruv, return to hotel on Shabbos with tefillin | Seif 10: hand on the tefillin, walk discreetly. Ideally: have removed tefillin before the onset of Shabbos. |
Modern guiding principle: Chazal were meikel for the caught traveler, not for the negligent one. The best strategy remains to plan one's return before Shabbos. In case of the unexpected, follow the siman's hierarchy.
8. Practical synthesis of the siman
The 7 rules to remember from Siman רס"ו:
- Anticipate. The prudent traveler returns before Shabbos. The siman covers only the unforeseen.
- Hierarchy of options: non-Jew → donkey → shoteh → cheresh → katan → less than 4 amos.
- On the donkey: during walking (not when stopped); the Yid walks on foot (except sakanah).
- Not for the negligent: one who left at the last minute has no heter.
- Load on shoulder: run + throw kelachar yad on arrival.
- Forgotten purse: undo + let fall, never carry in hand.
- Found on Shabbos: absolutely assur, even fearing loss.
9. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What is the founding scenario of Siman רס"ו?
- What is the hierarchy of options for the purse of the caught traveler? Why the non-Jew before the donkey?
- Why give to a shoteh rather than a cheresh? And to the cheresh rather than a katan?
- What precautions are needed in order not to be mechamer on one's donkey?
- What is the chiluk between "caught" and "negligent"? (seif 8)
- Why run with a load on the shoulder (seif 11)? And what is kelachar yad?
- Why is it assur to take a wallet found on Shabbos (seif 13)?
To go further
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