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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman שנ"ד · 2 Seifim
Pit and ash heap in reshus harabim — to discover and understand
סימן שנ"ד
דִּין בּוֹר וְאַשְׁפָּה בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים
🌱 Introductory Level · מתחילים
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First approach to Siman שנ"ד: full Hebrew text of the Mechaber, fluent English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, modern practical cases, and synthesis.
Subject: Pit and ash heap in reshus harabim
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן שנ"ד (2 seifim)
Compilation: Rav Yossef Chaim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study outline
1. The Shulchan Aruch text — the 2 seifim of the Mechaber
2. The general context: why this siman, what is the question?
3. The key halachic concepts of this siman
4. The detail of the seifim — one by one
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
6. The position of the Rama — Ashkenaz vs Sephardic differences
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The Shulchan Aruch text
Siman שנ"ד contains 2 seifim of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo), which codify the rules concerning a pit and an ash heap in reshus harabim.
Seif א
דיני בור ואשפה ברשות הרבים. ובו ב סעיפים:
בור ברשות הרבים וחוליא סביבו אם עומד בתוך ד' טפחים לרשות היחיד מותר למלאות ממנו לרשות היחיד אפילו אין החוליא גבוה עשרה ואם הוא רחוק ד' מרה"י אין ממלאים ממנו אלא אם כן תהא החוליא גבוה עשרה:
Translation: A pit located in reshus harabim, with a chulyah (a ring of earth forming a sort of small wall around it): if the pit stands within 4 tefachim of a reshus hayachid, it is permitted to draw water from it into the reshus hayachid — even if the chulyah does not reach 10 tefachim high. But if it is 4 tefachim or more away from the reshus hayachid, water is not drawn from it — unless the chulyah is 10 tefachim high.
Seif ב
אשפה ברשות הרבים שגבוה עשרה ורחבה ארבעה אם היא של רבים מותר לזרוק לה מרשות היחיד הקרוב לה: הגה ולא חיישינן שמא יתגלגל מן האשפה לר"ה ואתי לאתויי דאין דרך לזרוק לאשפה אלא דברים מאוסים (המגיד פ' ט' בשם הרשב"א) ואם היא של יחיד אסור משום דיחיד עשוי לפנות אשפה שלו ויבואו לשפוך שם כדרכן ונמצאו שופכים בר"ה:
Translation: An ash heap (אַשְׁפָּה) in reshus harabim, 10 tefachim high and 4 wide: if it is public, it is permitted to throw an object onto it from a nearby reshus hayachid. Gloss of the Rama: and we do not fear that the object will roll from the heap into the reshus harabim and that one will retrieve it — since one is accustomed to throw onto an ash heap only repulsive things. But if the heap is private, it is forbidden — because a private owner is liable to clear his heap, [and then people] would continue to dump there as they were accustomed and would end up dumping into the reshus harabim.
Full text: these 2 seifim constitute the entire Mechaber's codification on this topic. Each spells out a case, a condition, or an exception.
2. The general context
What does this siman discuss?
Siman שנ"ד addresses two objects located in reshus harabim but which can take on the status of a reshus hayachid: a pit (with its rim) and an ash heap. In both cases, the question is: can one transfer between this object and the neighboring house?
The fundamental question: a hollow pit or a raised heap in reshus harabim are, by their measurements, "reshuyos hayachid". But the transfer toward the neighboring house runs into concerns: is the pit close enough, or its rim high enough? Is the heap stable enough so that one does not end up dumping into the reshus harabim itself?
Place in Hilchos Shabbos
Siman שנ"ד continues the series on hotza'ah (345-365). The Talmudic source is Eruvin 99b — the pit and the ash heap in reshus harabim.
3. The key halachic concepts
Four notions structure this siman:
The essential concepts of Siman שנ"ד:
- בּוֹר — a pit; its depth of 10 tefachim makes it a reshus hayachid.
- חוּלְיָא — the ring of earth around the pit; it extends its "wall" upward.
- תּוֹךְ ד' טְפָחִים — within 4 tefachim of the house, the intermediate space is not trodden by the public: it is a mekom petur.
- אַשְׁפָּה שֶׁל רַבִּים / שֶׁל יָחִיד — a public ash heap (stable) or a private one (liable to be removed).
4. The detail of the seifim — one by one
| Seif | Content |
|---|---|
| א | Pit in reshus harabim with rim: within 4 tefachim of the house → one draws from it for the house, even with a low rim; 4 tefachim or more → only if the rim reaches 10 tefachim. |
| ב | Ash heap 10 high and 4 wide: public → one may throw onto it from a nearby house (only repulsive things are thrown there); private → forbidden, because it might be removed and one would then dump into the reshus harabim. |
The heart of the siman: a pit or a heap can be a "reshus hayachid" in the middle of the reshus harabim — but the transfer is permitted only if one removes the fear of error: either by proximity (less than 4 tefachim), by the height of the rim (10 tefachim), or by the stability of the heap (public, not private).
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) has 15 entries on this siman. Here are the first — to better understand the meaning of the seifim:
משנה ברורה (א) — (א) וחוליא - היינו קרקע סביבות הבור נותן סביבותיו להקיף כמין חומה:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) אם עומד - היינו הבור עצמה:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) בתוך וכו' - דכיון שהוא הפסק פחות מד"ט בין הבור להכותל לא דרסי בה רבים כלל וע"כ הוי מקום פטור:
For the full text of all 15 entries, see Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 354.
6. The position of the Rama
The Rama adds an important reason to seif ב: we do not fear that an object thrown onto the public heap will roll into the reshus harabim and that one will retrieve it — for one throws onto a heap only repulsive things, which one would not care to recover.
The Rama's gloss (seif ב):
- No fear of "rolling and retrieving": one throws onto a heap only refuse.
- Public heap = stable → transfer permitted; private heap = may be removed → forbidden.
- The concern with the private heap: once removed, people would dump onto the bare reshus harabim.
- Chabad → follow the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch, Siman שנ"ד (see Level 4).
7. Modern practical cases
Siman שנ"ד applies to wells, cisterns, and containers located in a public space:
| Situation | Quick analysis |
|---|---|
| Pit adjacent to the house (less than 4 tefachim) | One may draw from it for the house, even with a low rim. |
| Pit far from the house (4 tefachim or more) | Only if the rim reaches 10 tefachim high. |
| Public garbage container, tall and wide | One may throw refuse onto it from a nearby house. |
| Private trash bin liable to be moved | Forbidden to transfer — risk of dumping into reshus harabim. |
For precise practical cases: measure the distance, the height of the rim, and the nature (public/private). For halachah lema'aseh, consult your Rav.
8. Practical synthesis of the siman
The lessons of Siman שנ"ד:
- Pit within 4 tefachim of the house: one draws from it, even with a low rim.
- Pit further away by 4 tefachim or more: only if the rim reaches 10 tefachim.
- Public ash heap (10 high, 4 wide): one may throw onto it from a nearby house.
- Private heap: forbidden — it might be removed and one would dump into reshus harabim.
- For halachah lema'aseh, consult your local Rav.
9. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What is the general subject of Siman שנ"ד?
- How many seifim does this siman contain? What is the theme of each?
- What is the difference between the Mechaber and the Rama (where applicable)?
- What structuring halachic concepts appear in this siman?
- What is the practice to retain for daily life?
- In which borderline cases should one consult a Rav?
To go further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
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- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and rapid memorization with mnemonics
- 📜 Level 4 — Daat HaRav: the shittah of the Alter Rebbe (Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch Siman שנ"ד)