✦ ❖ ✦
DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman שס״ז · 1 seif of the Shulchan Aruch
Whether a wife may make the eruv for her husband — to discover and understand
סימן שס״ז
אם אשה יכולה לערב
🌱 Beginner Level · מתחילים
✦ ❖ ✦
First approach to Siman שס״ז: complete Hebrew text of the Mechaber and of the Rema's gloss, English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, practical cases and synthesis.
Topic: whether a wife may make the eruv for her husband, and who else may make it for a resident
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן שס״ז (a single seif in the Shulchan Aruch, with a gloss of the Rema; a single seif in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav as well, studied at Level 4)
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study Plan
1. The Shulchan Aruch text — the single seif of the Mechaber, with the Rema's gloss
2. General context: why this siman, what is the question?
3. Key halachic concepts of this siman
4. Detail of the seifim — one by one
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
6. Position of the Rema — his gloss
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The Shulchan Aruch text
Siman שס״ז contains a single seif of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo), followed by a gloss of the Rema. Topic of the siman: whether a wife may make the eruv for her husband, and on what conditions the members of his household, the residents of the courtyard or the beis din may make it for him. The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe also has a single seif for this siman; its wording is studied at Level 4.
Seif א
אם אשה יכולה לערב. ובו סעיף אחד:
אשתו של אדם מערבת לו שלא מדעתו אפי' אם מיחה בה שלא לערב ואפי' אין רגיל לערב עמהם וה״מ כשאוסר עליהם כגון שאין הבית פתוח אלא לאותו חצר אבל אם הוא פתוח לשתי חצרות באחת רגיל לצאת ולבא תדיר שאוסר עליהם ובאחת אינו רגיל לצאת ולבא ברגיל שאוסר מערבת שלא מדעתו אפי' אינו רגיל לערב וכשאינו רגיל לצאת ולבא נמי אע״פ שאינו אוסר אם רגיל לערב עמהם מערבת שלא לדעתו אבל אם אינו אוסר וגם אינו רגיל לערב עמהם אינה מערבת שלא לדעתו וכל זמן שלא מיחה בה בפירוש אפי' אם אינו רגיל לערב עמהם ואינו אוסר מערבת שלא בידיעתו דמסתמא ניחא ליה אבל אינה יכולה לזכות משלו לאחרים שלא בידיעתו ואם אין הבעל והאשה בעיר יכולים בני הבית לערב שלא בידיעתו אם אין הבית פתוח אלא לחצר א' ואפילו אם היה פתוח לשתי חצרות אם הוא רגיל לערב לאחת מהם מערבין עליו אבל אם אינו רגיל לא אבל בני החצר אין יכולים ליקח פתו מביתו לערב שלא מדעת אחד מבני הבית אפילו רגיל עמהם ואוסר עליהם וי״א דאין אשתו מערבת אלא שלא בידיעתו אבל אם אומר שאינו רוצה לערב עמהם לא ואם הוא רגיל לערב עמהם ועכשיו אינו רוצה בני חצר נכנסים לתוך ביתו ונוטלים ממנו בע״כ ואם אינו רגיל אינם יכולים ליטול ממנו בע״כ אבל כופין אותו בב״ד לערב עמהם או בית דין יורדים לנכסיו: הגה מי שאינו רגיל לערב ועירב עם בני חצר וחזר מעירובו צריך לחזור ולזכות אבל אם רגיל לערב הוי עירוב בעל כרחו [הרא״ש פרק הדר]:
Translation: A man's wife makes the eruv for him [from what is his — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ב] without his consent, even if he protested to her not to make it, and even if he is not accustomed to make the eruv with them [the residents of the courtyard]. And this applies when he “forbids” [the courtyard] to them, for example when the house opens only onto that courtyard. But if it opens onto two courtyards — in one he is accustomed to go in and out regularly, so that he forbids them, and in the other he is not accustomed to go in and out — in the one he regularly uses, where he forbids, she makes the eruv without his consent even if he is not accustomed to make the eruv; and in the one where he is not accustomed to go in and out as well: although he does not forbid there, if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them, she makes the eruv without his consent. But if he does not forbid and is also not accustomed to make the eruv with them, she does not make the eruv without his consent. And as long as he has not explicitly protested to her, even if he is not accustomed to make the eruv with them and does not forbid, she makes the eruv without his knowledge, for presumably it suits him. But she cannot confer on others [a share] of what is his without his knowledge. And if the husband and the wife are not in town, the members of the household may make the eruv without his knowledge if the house opens onto only one courtyard; and even if it opened onto two courtyards, if he is accustomed to make the eruv with one of them, they make the eruv for him; but if he is not accustomed, not. But the residents of the courtyard cannot take his bread from his house to make the eruv without the da'at (שלא מדעת: knowledge or consent) of one of the members of the household [the word is read in two ways. Without the knowledge: so the Mishnah Berurah reads it — without any of them knowing —, adding that if one of them knows, it is permitted as long as they have not heard the master of the house say he does not want the eruv: « ר״ל שלא בידיעת אחד מבני בית דאי היה בידיעתם היה מותר כ״ז שלא שמעו מבעה״ב שאינו רוצה בעירוב » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק י״ב); it refers to the Biur Halachah, where it brings several Acharonim who allow the residents of the courtyard to take his bread without his knowledge, as long as they do not know that he objects, even without the household knowing. Against the will: the Beis Yosef gives as the source of this clause Tosafos and the Rosh, for whom no eruv is valid against one's will, that is, without his consent or his wife's: « שאין שום עירוב מועיל בע״כ כלומר שלא מדעתו ושלא מדעת אשתו » (בית יוסף או״ח שס״ז); and the Biur Halachah, after reporting the Mishnah Berurah's reading, proposes to read the clause this way: « ושלא מדעתו דקאמר גבי בני החצר היינו בע״כ דבע״ב » (ביאור הלכה שס״ז), then notes what this reading leaves unexplained and ends with a צ״ע — see Level 2, section 7], even if he is accustomed [to make the eruv] with them and forbids them. And some say that his wife makes the eruv only without his knowledge, but if he says that he does not want to make the eruv with them, not. And if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them and now does not want to, the residents of the courtyard enter his house and take from him against his will; and if he is not accustomed, they cannot take from him against his will, but he is compelled by the beis din to make the eruv with them, or the beis din “goes down to his property” [and makes the shituf — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ז]. Gloss of the Rema: one who is not accustomed to make the eruv, who made it with the residents of the courtyard and then withdrew from his eruv, must again confer [it]; but if he is accustomed to make the eruv, it is an eruv against his will (Rosh, chapter HaDar).
What this seif says:
- The wife makes the eruv for her husband, even against his protest: אשתו של אדם מערבת לו שלא מדעתו אפי׳ אם מיחה בה שלא לערב.
- But this where he “forbids” the courtyard to the others: « וה״מ כשאוסר עליהם כגון שאין הבית פתוח אלא לאותו חצר » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א).
- A house opening onto two courtyards: in the one he regularly uses — ברגיל שאוסר מערבת שלא מדעתו אפי׳ אינו רגיל לערב; in the other, if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them — אע״פ שאינו אוסר אם רגיל לערב עמהם מערבת שלא לדעתו.
- If he neither forbids nor is accustomed, not against his will — אבל אם אינו אוסר וגם אינו רגיל לערב עמהם אינה מערבת שלא לדעתו; but as long as he has not explicitly protested, she makes it without his knowledge — וכל זמן שלא מיחה בה בפירוש… מערבת שלא בידיעתו דמסתמא ניחא ליה.
- She does not confer on others what is his: אבל אינה יכולה לזכות משלו לאחרים שלא בידיעתו.
- Husband and wife out of town: יכולים בני הבית לערב שלא בידיעתו אם אין הבית פתוח אלא לחצר א׳; for a house opening onto two courtyards — אם הוא רגיל לערב לאחת מהם מערבין עליו אבל אם אינו רגיל לא.
- According to the first opinion, the residents of the courtyard do not take his bread without any member of his household knowing (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ב, which permits it if one of them knows, as long as they have not heard the master of the house refuse the eruv): אין יכולים ליקח פתו מביתו לערב שלא מדעת אחד מבני הבית אפילו רגיל עמהם ואוסר עליהם.
- A second opinion: וי״א דאין אשתו מערבת אלא שלא בידיעתו אבל אם אומר שאינו רוצה לערב עמהם לא.
- One who is accustomed and now refuses (written after the second opinion; when, by refusing, he forbids the courtyard to them, the Mishnah Berurah specifies, ס״ק ט״ו, adding that the same holds for his wife): בני חצר נכנסים לתוך ביתו ונוטלים ממנו בע״כ; without that custom, through the beis din — אבל כופין אותו בב״ד לערב עמהם או בית דין יורדים לנכסיו. The Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק כ) notes that according to the first opinion they may not take from him against his will without his wife's consent, and that the beis din compels him so that he not forbid the courtyard to them, and this according to all (ס״ק ט״ז).
- Rema: one who withdraws from his eruv — מי שאינו רגיל לערב ועירב עם בני חצר וחזר מעירובו צריך לחזור ולזכות; but if he is accustomed — אבל אם רגיל לערב הוי עירוב בעל כרחו.
2. General context
What does this siman discuss?
The previous siman states how the eruv of a courtyard is made: « שגובים פת מכל בית ובית ונותנים אותו בא׳ מבתי החצרות » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ו:א). Siman שס״ז asks who may put a resident's share into that eruv in his place: its title is « אם אשה יכולה לערב » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א), and the seif then turns to the members of his household, the residents of the courtyard and the beis din.
The fundamental question: may a resident be included in the eruv without his knowledge, or even against his will? The seif looks at whether he “forbids” the courtyard to the others (כשאוסר עליהם) and whether he is accustomed to make the eruv with them (רגיל לערב עמהם), and, for the wife, it distinguishes what she does “without his consent” (שלא מדעתו) from what she does “without his knowledge” (שלא בידיעתו).
Place in Hilchos Eruvin
In Sefaria's index, the section הלכות עירובין of the Shulchan Aruch begins at siman 345. Siman שס״ז follows siman שס״ו, which deals with the eruv of a courtyard where many households live. For the house opening onto two courtyards, the Mishnah Berurah refers ahead to siman 386, seif 9: « כדלקמן בסי׳ שפ״ו ס״ט » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ד).
3. Key halachic concepts
A few notions structure this siman:
The essential concepts of siman שס״ז:
- שלא מדעתו (or שלא לדעתו) and שלא בידיעתו — two expressions of the seif, which the Mishnah Berurah glosses each in its place. In the clauses about the wife, the first holds even if he protests: the seif writes it, « אפי׳ אם מיחה בה » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א); the Mishnah Berurah says it on the opening words of the seif, « והקילו אפילו כשמיחה בה » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק א), and on שלא לדעתו for the habitual participant, « היינו אפילו כשמיחה בה » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ה). The second means « פי׳ שאין הבעל יודע מזה » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ח). But the first word does not have that sense of “even if he protests” everywhere: in the clause about the residents of the courtyard, « שלא מדעת אחד מבני הבית » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א), the Mishnah Berurah reads “without the knowledge” (ס״ק י״ב), and the Biur Halachah proposes to read “against the will”, as do Tosafos and the Rosh, from whom the Beis Yosef draws the clause (both readings are quoted in the translation); and the Tur, who writes שלא מדעתו where the seif has שלא בידיעתו, is read this way by the Beis Yosef: « והאי שלא מדעתו אינו כמו שלא מדעתו דלעיל דהוי אפילו בע״כ אבל האי שלא מדעתו היינו שלא בידיעתו » (בית יוסף או״ח שס״ז).
- רגיל לערב עמהם — the established custom of making the eruv with the residents of the courtyard. According to the Mishnah Berurah, this is why the eruv then holds even against his protest (seif א, first opinion): « והטעם משום דרכי שלום כיון שעד עתה היה דרכו ליתן חלק בעירוב » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ה).
- אוסר עליהם — the resident who “forbids” the courtyard to the others as long as he is not in the eruv; the seif gives as an example « כגון שאין הבית פתוח אלא לאותו חצר » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א).
- לזכות משלו לאחרים — conferring on others a share of what is his: the wife may not do so without his knowledge; from her own food she may — « וממזונותי׳ יכולה לזכות שהיא שלה » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ז).
- בית דין יורדים לנכסיו — the beis din takes from his property; the Mishnah Berurah adds: « ועושין שיתוף » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק י״ז).
4. Detail of the seifim — one by one
| Seif | Content |
|---|---|
| א | The wife makes the eruv for her husband without his consent, even if he protested, where he “forbids” the courtyard. A house opening onto two courtyards: she makes it in the one he regularly uses, and in the other if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them; neither: without his knowledge, as long as he has not explicitly protested. She cannot confer on others what is his without his knowledge. Husband and wife away: the members of the household may make the eruv (house opening onto one courtyard; onto two, if he is accustomed with one of them; not if they know he does not want it, even without an explicit protest — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט). According to the first opinion, the residents of the courtyard do not take his bread without any member of the household knowing; if one of them knows, it is permitted as long as they have not heard the master of the house refuse (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ב). A second opinion (יש אומרים): the wife makes the eruv only without his knowledge, not if he says he does not want it. One who is accustomed and refuses, when he forbids the courtyard to them (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט״ו, which adds his wife): they take from him against his will (according to the first opinion, not without his wife's consent — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק כ); without that custom, the beis din compels him or goes down to his property, so that he not forbid the courtyard to them (according to all — ס״ק ט״ז). Rema: one who withdraws must confer again, unless he is accustomed to make the eruv. |
Heart of the siman: according to the first opinion, what decides, among other things, whether a resident may be included in the eruv without his participation is whether he forbids the courtyard to the others, whether he is accustomed to make the eruv with them and whether he has explicitly protested; and the seif distinguishes what the wife does “without his consent” from what she does “without his knowledge”. The Mechaber then brings a second, more restrictive opinion (וי״א) on the wife's power.
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) contains 20 entries on this siman. Here are the first ones — to better understand the meaning of the seif:
משנה ברורה (א) — (א) אשתו של אדם וכו' - מפני שאשתו כגופו והקילו אפילו כשמיחה בה משום שחששו חז״ל שמא יתכוין להקניט את הדרים לאסור עליהם:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) מערבת לו - משלו:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) כשאוסר עליהם - החצר אם לא יערב עמהם:
משנה ברורה (ד) — (ד) ברגיל שאוסר וכו' - כדלקמן בסי' שפ״ו ס״ט ע״ש:
משנה ברורה (ה) — (ה) רגיל לערב וכו' שלא לדעתו - היינו אפילו כשמיחה בה והטעם משום דרכי שלום כיון שעד עתה היה דרכו ליתן חלק בעירוב לכן חל העירוב בכל גווני ומותר אח״כ לטלטל כלים ששבתו בביתו למבוי זה:
For the complete text of all 20 entries, consult Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 367.
6. Position of the Rema
The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) adds one gloss (הגה) in this siman, at the end of seif א.
The Rema's gloss:
- Seif א — one who is not accustomed to make the eruv, who made it with the residents of the courtyard and then withdrew, must confer again; if he is accustomed, the eruv holds against his will. The Rema cites the Rosh, chapter HaDar. The Mishnah Berurah explains what the withdrawal is — « היינו שאמר חוזרני בי מן העירוב » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק י״ח) — and what “an eruv against his will” means: « ר״ל שאינו יכול לחזור ולבטל עירובו » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק כ).
- Chabad → Level 4 — Daat HaRav studies this siman in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, siman שס״ז, which also has a single seif.
7. Modern practical cases
The situations below are applications by the site: the seif does not name them, and each is tied to the part of the seif it involves.
| Situation | Quick analysis |
|---|---|
| The husband, at home, has not given his share of the eruv; his wife wants to give it for him | Application by the site, seif א: this is the wife's case. According to the first opinion, she makes the eruv for him, even without his consent, where he forbids the courtyard or if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them; otherwise, without his knowledge, as long as he has not explicitly protested. According to the second (וי״א), only without his knowledge, and not if he said he did not want it; but if he is accustomed to make the eruv with them and now refuses, the seif writes, after the second opinion, that they take from him against his will, and the Mishnah Berurah adds his wife, when, by refusing, he forbids the courtyard to them: « וה״ה אשתו ומיירי שע״י מניעתו את העירוב אוסר עליהם » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ט״ו). |
| The wife wants to give a share in her husband's name to a neighbour | Application by the site, seif א: « אינה יכולה לזכות משלו לאחרים שלא בידיעתו » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א); from her own food she may (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ז). |
| Husband and wife are out of town for Shabbos; other members of the household have stayed at home | Application by the site, seif א: the seif addresses this case, « ואם אין הבעל והאשה בעיר » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א); the members of the household may make the eruv without his knowledge if the house opens onto only one courtyard; if it opens onto two, only if he is accustomed to make the eruv with one of them. Not if they know he does not want it, even if he has not explicitly protested: « ואם ידעו ממנו שאינו רוצה אע״פ שלא מיחה בם בפירוש אין יכולים לערב » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ט). |
| A neighbour who takes part in the eruv every year refuses this time | Application by the site, seif א: « בני חצר נכנסים לתוך ביתו ונוטלים ממנו בע״כ » (שו״ע או״ח שס״ז:א); the Mishnah Berurah specifies that this is when, by refusing, he forbids the courtyard to them (ס״ק ט״ו). It notes that according to the first opinion, without his wife's consent, the residents of the courtyard do not take from him against his will: « ואף לדעה הראשונה דס״ל דבלא דעת אשתו אין בני החצר יכולין ליקח ממנו בע״כ » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק כ). The Biur Halachah, which reads the Mechaber as holding the first opinion to be primary, concludes on this very case: « היוצא מכל זה דמדינא מסתברא דהיכי שרגיל ואוסר בני החצר נוטלין אפילו בע״כ ולא בעינן דעת אשתו כלל » (ביאור הלכה שס״ז) — see Level 2, section 8. If he was not accustomed, it goes through the beis din, so that he not forbid the courtyard to them: « ב״ד היו כופין אותו שיערב עמהן כדי שלא יאסור עליהן » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ט״ז); and this holds according to all: « ודין זה דב״ד כופין הוא לכו״ע אף לדעה ראשונה » (משנה ברורה שס״ז ס״ק ט״ז). For what to do today, consult your Rav. |
| A resident who once joined the eruv announces that he is withdrawing | Application by the site, seif א, Rema's gloss: if he is not accustomed to make the eruv, his withdrawal undoes his eruv (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ט), and to rejoin he must confer again; if he is accustomed, the eruv holds against his will. |
For precise practical cases: the seif brings two opinions on the wife's power, and the ruling depends on how the houses and courtyards are laid out. For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.
8. Practical synthesis of the Siman
Teachings of Siman שס״ז:
- The wife makes the eruv for her husband without his consent, even if he protested, where he forbids the courtyard to the others (seif א, first opinion).
- A house opening onto two courtyards: the custom of going in and out and the custom of making the eruv with them decide (seif א, first opinion).
- With neither: without his knowledge, as long as he has not explicitly protested (seif א).
- She does not confer on others what is his without his knowledge (seif א).
- Husband and wife away: the members of the household may make the eruv, on the seif's conditions, unless they know he does not want it, even without an explicit protest (seif א; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט).
- The residents of the courtyard, according to the first opinion, do not take his bread without any member of the household knowing; if one of them knows, it is permitted as long as they have not heard the master of the house refuse (seif א; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ב).
- A second opinion (וי״א) allows the wife's eruv only without his knowledge (seif א); the Biur Halachah attributes it to the Rambam and reads the Mechaber as holding the first opinion to be primary, then considers being strict according to the second for one who is not accustomed, then cites the Eliyah Rabbah, who rules leniently according to the first opinion, and leaves the question open (צ״ע), without deciding (see Level 2, section 8).
- The accustomed resident who refuses: the seif writes, after the second opinion, that they take from him against his will; the Mishnah Berurah specifies that this is when, by refusing, he forbids the courtyard to them, and adds his wife (ס״ק ט״ו); according to the first opinion, not without his wife's consent (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק כ); the Biur Halachah, at the end of its discussion, concludes that by strict law it stands to reason (מדינא מסתברא) that for one who is accustomed and forbids the courtyard, his wife's consent is not required (see Level 2, section 8). Without that custom, the beis din compels him or goes down to his property, so that he not forbid the courtyard to them, and this according to all (seif א; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט״ז).
- The Rema: one who is not accustomed to make the eruv and withdraws must confer again; for one who is accustomed, the eruv holds against his will (seif א, gloss).
- For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.
9. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What criteria allow the wife to make the eruv for her husband without his consent?
- What changes in the case of a house opening onto two courtyards?
- What difference do the seif and the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק א, ה and ח) make between שלא מדעתו (or שלא לדעתו) and שלא בידיעתו?
- What can the wife not do for others, and what may she give them (ס״ק ז)?
- On what conditions may the members of the household make the eruv for the absent master of the house?
- What does the second opinion (וי״א) say, and on what point does the seif bring in the beis din?
- According to the Rema, what becomes of the eruv of one who withdraws from it?
To go further
If you want to deepen this siman:
📖Join the chavrusa
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for pilpul, the שיטות ראשונים, the חקירות יסודיות, and the nuances of the Acharonim
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and rapid memorization with mnemonics
- 📜 Level 4 — Daat HaRav: the Shitah of the Alter Rebbe (Shulchan Aruch HaRav siman שס״ז)