✦ ❖ ✦
DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ש״ע · 8 seifim of the Shulchan Aruch

Who must take part in the eruv of courtyards — to discover and understand
סימן ש״ע
דיני שתוף בערוב
🌱 Beginner Level · מתחילים
✦ ❖ ✦

First approach to Siman ש״ע: complete Hebrew text of the Mechaber and of the Rema's glosses, English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, practical cases and synthesis.

Topic: who, among those who live in the courtyard, must give his share to the eruv, and who does not forbid the residents of the courtyard
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ש״ע (8 seifim in the Shulchan Aruch, with glosses of the Rema in seifim ב, ג, ד and ח; 10 seifim in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, studied at Level 4)

Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com

📑 Study Plan

1. The Shulchan Aruch text — the 8 seifim of the Mechaber, with the Rema's glosses
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 glosses in seifim ב, ג, ד and ח
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions

1. The Shulchan Aruch text

Siman ש״ע contains 8 seifim of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo); the Rema adds glosses in seifim ב, ג (two glosses), ד and ח. Topic of the siman: who, among those who live in the courtyard, must give his share to the eruv — one who lives in a place that is not a dwelling (seif א), those who live in houses that a householder lent or rented to them (seif ב), groups in one hall divided by partitions (seif ג), those who eat at one table (seif ד), one who eats in one place and sleeps in another, and those who receive a portion (seifim ה and ו), houses one inside the other (seif ז), and one who is lodging as a guest (seif ח). The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (of the Alter Rebbe) has 10 seifim for this siman; his wording is studied at Level 4.

Seif א

דיני שתוף בערוב. ובו ח סעיפים:
הדר בבי' שער אכסדרה ומרפס' שבחצר אינו אוסר על בני החצר שאינם חשובים דירה אבל הדר בבי' התבן בבי' העצים בבי' הבקר ובבי' האוצרו' אוסר:
Translation: One who lives in a gatehouse [beis sha'ar], a portico [achsadra] or a gallery [mirpeses] that are in the courtyard does not forbid the residents of the courtyard [even if he has not given a share in the eruv — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ג], since these are not considered a dwelling; but one who lives in the straw-house, in the wood-house, in the cattle-house or in the storehouses forbids [until he gives his share in the eruv — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ו].
What this seif says:

Seif ב

בעל הבי' שיש לו הרבה בתים בחצר והשאילן או השכירן לאחרים ויש לו בכל א' מהם דברים שאינם ניטלים בשב' מחמ' כבדן או מחמ' איסור שהם דברים שאסור לטלטלם אפי' לצורך מקומו אין הדרים בהם אוסרים עליו לפי שנעשו כולם כאורחים אצלו לפיכך גם הם מותרים להוציא מבתיהם לחצר אע״פ שלא נתנו עירוב ואם אין הבתים שלו לא קנויות ולא שכירות אע״פ שיש לו בהם דברים שאסור לטלטלם אוסרים זה על זה: הגה ויש אומרים דכל זה כשאין דיורים בחצר אלא הם אבל כשיש דיורים אחרים ומוליכים ערובן אצלן צריכים כל אחד לערב (הר״ר יהונתן פרק כיצד משתתפין) אחד ששכר בית מן העכו״ם והשכיר אחד מן הבירה לחבירו אם מתחלה לא שכרה אדעתא דהכי הוה ליה כאלו כל הבירה שלו והשכיר אחד מן הבתים לחבירו אבל אם שכרה מתחלה אדעתא דהכי הוה ליה שני בתים ולא מהני אע״פ שיש לאחד מהם תפיסת יד בבית חבירו (מהרי״ק שורש מ״א):
Translation: A householder who has many houses in the courtyard and lent them or rented them to others, and he has in each of them things that are not taken on Shabbos, because of their weight or because of a prohibition, which are things that may not be moved even for the sake of their place [whether these last words also bear on weight, the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ח) and the Magen Avraham (ס״ק ג) do not read alike: see section 7, first case]: those who live in them do not forbid him, since they have all become like guests with him; therefore they too are permitted to carry out from their houses to the courtyard, even though they did not give [their share in] the eruv. And if the houses are not his, neither bought nor rented, even though he has in them things that may not be moved, they forbid one another. Gloss of the Rema: and some say that all this applies when there are no residents in the courtyard other than them; but when there are other residents and the eruv is brought to them [according to the Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ג: when the eruv is placed not in this householder's house but in the houses of the other residents], each one must take part in the eruv [the Rema's references, as printed: הר״ר יהונתן פרק כיצד משתתפין]. One who rented a house [bayis; it is the birah, a large building, spoken of next] from a non-Jew and rented one [room] of the birah to his fellow [one of the birah means one room of the birah — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ד]: if at the outset he did not rent it with this in mind, it is as if the whole birah were his and he rented one of the houses to his fellow; but if at the outset he rented it with this in mind [to rent also on behalf of his fellow — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט״ז], they are two houses, and it does not help, even though one of them has a hold [tefisas yad] in his fellow's house [the Rema's references, as printed: מהרי״ק שורש מ״א].
What this seif says:

Seif ג

חמש חבורות ששבתו בטרקלין וחלקוהו במחיצות אם עוברים כולם זה על זה שאין פתח לחצר אלא החיצון וכולם עוברים דרך עליו אין צריכים ליתן בעירוב אלא שנים הפנימיים וכל האחרים חשובים כבית שער להם ואם היה לכל א' פתח פתוח לחצר: הגה או שאין עוברים זה על זה רק כל אחד יש לו פתח פתוח לבית שער שלפניהם והבית שער פתוח לחצר (ב״י) אם המחיצות מגיעות לתקרה בתוך ג״ט דהוי כל א' חדר בפני עצמו אפילו הן של יריעות אם בני החצר נותנים העירוב בא' משאר בתי החצר צריך כל אחת ואחת מחבורות שבטרקלין ליתן עירוב אבל אם נתנו העירוב בזה הטרקלין אין צריכין ליתן עירוב כלל שכולם דרים בבית זה ובית שמניחים בו העירוב אין צריך ליתן עירוב וכן אם אין דיורין אחרים בחצר אינם צריכים עירוב חלקוהו במחיצות שאין נוגעות לתקר' (אפי') אם בני החצר נותנים עירובן בא' משאר בתי החצר די בעירוב א' לכל החמש חבורות: הגה אם מקצתן עשו מחיצות ומקצתן לא עשו אותן שעשו הם מחולקים ואותם שלא עשו הם כמשותפין. (המגיד פרק ד') ואם היו דיורין בעליות ממש אפילו נתנו בני החצר העירוב בטרקלין צריכה כל חבורה וחבורה לתת עירוב אבל מי שיש לו מלמד או סופר בביתו וכן תלמידים הלומדים בפני הרב ודרים בביתו כל א' בחדרו אפילו יש לכל א' פתח פתוח לחצר ואוכל וישן בחדרו אינם אוסרים:
Translation: Five groups who stayed in a hall [traklin; that is, whose dwelling is in the hall — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ח] and divided it with partitions: if they all pass through one another — there is no opening to the courtyard except [that of] the outermost, and all pass through it —, only the two innermost need to give for the eruv, and all the others are considered a gatehouse for them. And if each one had an opening open to the courtyard — gloss of the Rema: or they do not pass through one another, but each one has an opening open to the gatehouse in front of them, and the gatehouse is open to the courtyard [the Rema's reference: ב״י] —: if the partitions reach the ceiling, within three tefachim, so that each one is a room by itself, even if they are of curtains [provided, writes the Mishnah Berurah, that they are tied well at the bottom so that the wind does not move them — ס״ק כ״ג], [then] if the residents of the courtyard place the eruv in one of the other houses of the courtyard, each and every one of the groups in the hall must give eruv; but if they placed the eruv in this hall itself, they need not give eruv at all, since they all live in this house, and the house in which the eruv is placed need not give eruv; and likewise, if there are no other residents in the courtyard, they need no eruv. [If] they divided it with partitions that do not touch the ceiling [parenthesis as printed: (אפי׳), even], if the residents of the courtyard place their eruv in one of the other houses of the courtyard, one eruv suffices for all five groups. Gloss of the Rema: if some of them made partitions and some did not, those who made them are separate, and those who did not are like partners [the Rema's reference: המגיד פרק ד׳]. And if they [the groups themselves] were residents of actual upper rooms [aliyos mamash; the Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״א, includes groups divided by fixed partitions that reach the ceiling], even if the residents of the courtyard placed the eruv in the hall, each group must give eruv [except, writes the Biur Halachah, the group with whom the eruv is placed]. But one who has a teacher or a scribe in his house, and likewise students who study before the Rav and live in his house, each in his room, even if each one has an opening open to the courtyard and eats and sleeps in his room, they do not forbid.
What this seif says:

Seif ד

אנשי חצר שהיו כולם אוכלים על שלחן אחד אע״פ שכל א' יש לו בית בפני עצמו אינם צריכים עירוב מפני שהם כאנשי בית א' ואם הוצרכו לעשות עירוב עם אנשי חצר אחרת עירוב אחד (לכולן) ופת אחד בלבד מוליכין לאותו מקום שמערבין עמו ואם היה עירוב בא אצלם אינם צריכים לתת עירוב כדין בית שמניחים בו עירוב שכל אלו הבתים כבית אחת הם חשובים: הגה וכן אם הרבה בעלי בתים אוכלים בחדר אחד כל אחד על שלחנו אע״פ שכל א' ישן בחדר בפני עצמו עירוב א' לכולם הואיל ואין מחיצה מפסקת בין מקום אכילתן הוי כחמשה ששבתו בטרקלין וכו' ואע״פ שפורסין לפעמים וילון לפניהם לצניעות לא מיקרי מחיצה הואיל ולא הוי שם בקביעות (ר' ירוחם חט״ו):
Translation: The residents of a courtyard who were all eating at one table, even though each one has a house of his own, do not need an eruv, since they are like the members of one household. And if they needed to make an eruv with the residents of another courtyard, they bring one eruv [parenthesis as printed: (לכולן), for all of them] and one bread only to the place with which they make the eruv; and if the eruv comes to them, they need not give eruv, according to the law of the house in which the eruv is placed, since all these houses are considered one house. Gloss of the Rema: and likewise, if many householders eat in one room, each at his own table, even though each one sleeps in a room by himself, one eruv [suffices] for all of them, since no partition separates the place where they eat: it is like five who stayed in a hall, etc.; and even though a curtain is sometimes spread before them for modesty, it is not called a partition, since it is not there permanently [the Rema's references, as printed: ר׳ ירוחם חט״ו].
What this seif says:

Seif ה

מי שאוכל במקום א' וישן במקום אחר מקום אכילתו הוא העיקר ושם הוא אוסר הילכך האחים שאוכלים בבית אביהם וישנים בבתיהם אינם אוסרים ואם נותן להם פרס ואוכלים בבתיהם אוסרים והני מילי כשנותנים בני שאר החצר עירובן במקום אח' אבל אם היו בני שאר החצר נותנים העירוב בא' מבתים אלו או שאין עמהם דיורים בחצר אינם צריכים לערב:
Translation: One who eats in one place and sleeps in another place [in another courtyard — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק מ״ב]: his place of eating is what counts, and there he forbids. Therefore brothers who eat at their father's house and sleep in their own houses do not forbid; and if he gives them a portion [peras] and they eat in their houses, they forbid. And this [according to the Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק מ״ו: that receiving a portion does not help] applies when the residents of the rest of the courtyard place their eruv in another place; but if the residents of the rest of the courtyard were placing the eruv in one of these houses, or there are no residents with them in the courtyard, they need not make an eruv.
What this seif says:

Seif ו

מי שיש לו חמשה נשים וחמש' עבדים מקבלים ממנו פרס וכל א' אוכל בביתו וכן תלמיד המקבל פרס מרבו ואוכל בביתו אינם אוסרים זה על זה אם אין עמהם דיורין בחצר או אם העירוב בא אצלם:
Translation: One who has five wives and five slaves who receive a portion from him, and each eats in his own house, and likewise a student who receives a portion from his teacher and eats in his own house: they do not forbid one another, if there are no residents with them in the courtyard, or if the eruv comes to them.
What this seif says:

Seif ז

עשרה בתים זה לפנים מזה וכולם עוברים זה לזה ויוצאים דרך החיצון לחצר שנים הפנימיים לבד צריכים ליתן בעירוב והשאר פטורים שחשובים כולם כבית שער:
Translation: Ten houses one inside the other, all passing from one to the other and going out through the outermost to the courtyard: only the two innermost need to give for the eruv, and the rest are exempt, since they are all considered a gatehouse.
What this seif says:

Seif ח

המתארח בחצר אפי' נתארח בבית בפני עצמו אם לא נתארח דרך קבע אלא לשלשים יום או פחות אינו אוסר על בני החצר והוא והם מותרים בין בביתו בין בביתם: הגה ואפילו אם האורחים רבים ובעל הבית א' ודוקא בדאיכא בעל הבית א' קבוע דאז האורחים בטלים לגביה אבל אורחים ביחד אוסרים זע״ז מיד [תה״ד סי' ע״ו מגמ' סוף דף ע'] ועיין לקמן ס״ס שצ״א: [ועכו״ם המתארח ע״ל סי' שפ״ד]:
Translation: One who lodges as a guest in a courtyard, even if he lodges in a house by himself, if he does not lodge in a fixed way, but for thirty days or less, does not forbid the residents of the courtyard, and he and they are permitted, both in his house and in theirs. Gloss of the Rema: and even if the guests are many and the householder is one; and only when there is one fixed householder, since then the guests are nullified relative to him; but guests together [i.e. when there are only guests in the courtyard, and each has a room of his own for eating — Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק נ״ח] forbid one another at once [in square brackets in the printed edition on Sefaria (Maginei Eretz): תה״ד סי׳ ע״ו מגמ׳ סוף דף ע׳]; and see further, at the end of siman שצ״א; [in square brackets in the same edition: and for a non-Jew lodging as a guest, see further, siman שפ״ד].
What this seif says:

2. General context

What does this siman discuss?

The title of siman ש״ע is « דיני שתוף בערוב » (שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:א). It asks who must give his share to the eruv. A resident who has not given his share forbids the other residents of the courtyard — so the Mishnah Berurah explains on the word אוסר in seif א: « עד שיתן חלקו בעירוב » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק ו) —, and seif ב says of those who, like guests, do not forbid: « מותרים להוציא מבתיהם לחצר » (שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:ב). The siman examines, seif after seif, residents who, for different reasons, do not forbid or need not give their share.

The fundamental question: who counts as a resident of the courtyard for the eruv? The siman does not answer with a single rule, but with several reasons, each in its own seif, among them: the place is not a dwelling (seif א); those who live in the houses have become « כאורחים אצלו » (שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:ב); in a divided hall whose groups all pass through one another, and in houses one passes through, all but the two innermost count « כבית שער » (שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:ג; likewise in seif ז); those who eat together are « כאנשי בית א׳ » (שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:ד); the place of eating is what counts (seif ה); those whom their portion attaches to the householder, on their conditions (seifim ה and ו); a temporary guest does not forbid (seif ח). On seif א, regarding the straw-house, the wood-house, the cattle-house and the storehouses, the Mishnah Berurah refers to seif ה to say that if one eats there, it is a dwelling even if one does not sleep there: « דאם אוכל שם אע״פ שאינו ישן ושוכב שם מקרי דירה דמקום פיתא גורם » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק ה).

Place in Hilchos Eruvin

Siman ש״ע follows siman שס״ט, which states in what way the eruv is acquired (heading of the siman: « באיזה אופן מקנין העירוב », שו״ע או״ח שס״ט:א). It itself refers to other simanim: the Rema's gloss in seif ח refers to the end of siman שצ״א; then comes, in square brackets in the edition printed on Sefaria (Maginei Eretz), a reference to siman שפ״ד for a non-Jew lodging as a guest (« ועכו״ם המתארח ע״ל סי׳ שפ״ד », שו״ע או״ח ש״ע:ח); the Mishnah Berurah refers, among others, ahead to siman שע״ה for the meaning of the mirpeses (ס״ק ב), back to siman שס״ב seif א for the curtains of seif ג (ס״ק כ״ג), and, on seif ח, back to siman שס״ו seif ט (ס״ק נ״ה) and ahead to siman שפ״ד seif א (ס״ק נ״ו).

3. Key halachic concepts

A few notions structure this siman:

The essential notions of siman ש״ע:

4. Detail of the seifim — one by one

SeifContent
אOne who lives in a gatehouse, a portico or a gallery of the courtyard does not forbid, these are not dwellings; one who lives in the straw-house, the wood-house, the cattle-house or the storehouses forbids.
בA householder who lent or rented his houses in the courtyard, and keeps in each of them things not taken on Shabbos (because of their weight or of a prohibition, which are things that may not be moved even for the sake of their place): those who live there do not forbid him, they are like his guests, and they too may carry out to the courtyard without having given to the eruv. If the houses are not his, neither bought nor rented, they forbid one another. Rema: according to one view, this applies only when there are no other residents in the courtyard — if there are, and the eruv is brought to those other residents, each must take part; and a birah rented from a non-Jew, one room of which is rented to one's fellow: if it was not rented with this in mind, it is as if the whole birah were his; if it was, they are two houses, and the tefisas yad does not help.
גFive groups in a hall divided by partitions: if they pass through one another, only the two innermost give. If each has its opening to the courtyard (Rema: or to a gatehouse open to the courtyard), with partitions that reach the ceiling within three tefachim, even of curtains: each group gives if the eruv is placed in another house, none gives if it is placed in the hall or if there are no other residents — according to the Mishnah Berurah, with temporary partitions only (ס״ק כ״ה). Partitions that do not touch the ceiling, the eruv being placed in another house: one eruv for all five. Rema: those who made partitions are separate, the others are like partners. Actual upper rooms, or fixed partitions that reach the ceiling (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״א): each group gives, even if the eruv is in the hall and even if there are no other residents (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק כ״ה, ס״ק ל״ב). The teacher or the scribe living in a householder's house, and the students living with the Rav, each in his room, do not forbid.
דThe residents of a courtyard who all eat at one table need no eruv, they are like one household; with another courtyard, they bring one eruv and one bread, and if the eruv comes to them, they do not give. Rema: likewise many householders who eat in one room, each at his own table; a curtain sometimes spread for modesty is not a partition.
הOne who eats in one place and sleeps in another: the place of eating is what counts, there he forbids. Brothers who eat at their father's house do not forbid; if he gives them a portion and they eat at home, they forbid — when the eruv of the rest of the courtyard is placed elsewhere; if it is placed in one of these houses, or there are no other residents with them, they need not make an eruv.
וThe wives and slaves who receive a portion from the householder and each eat in his own house, and the student who receives a portion from his teacher: they do not forbid one another, if there are no other residents in the courtyard or if the eruv comes to them.
זTen houses one inside the other, going out through the outermost: only the two innermost give; the others are like a gatehouse.
חA guest who lodges not in a fixed way, for thirty days or less, even in a house by himself, does not forbid. Rema: even many guests, when there is a fixed householder; guests by themselves forbid one another at once, according to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק נ״ח) when each has a room of his own for eating.
Heart of the siman: who must give his share to the eruv? One who lives in a dwelling forbids until he gives his share (seif א; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ו). The siman then states, seif by seif, who need not give it: those who are like the householder's guests (seif ב); the groups of a divided hall, according to the layout of the openings and partitions (seif ג); those who all eat at one table (seif ד); those whom their meals or their portion attach to the householder, on their conditions (seifim ה and ו); the houses one passes through, which count as a gatehouse, except the two innermost (seif ז); and the temporary guest (seif ח). The place where the eruv is placed exempts from giving, for instance in seifim ג, ד, ה and ו.

5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries

The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) contains 61 entries on this siman. Here are the first ones — to better understand the meaning of seif א:

משנה ברורה (א) — (א) הדר בבית שער וכו' - לא שנא של רבים ולא שנא של יחיד ואע״פ שיש לו להבית שער ארבע מחיצות וגם הוא מקורה אפ״ה כיון שעוברים דרך שם אינו חשוב דירה ועיין לקמן בס״ז:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) ומרפסת - פירושה מבואר לקמן בסימן שע״ה:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) אינו אוסר וכו' - אם לא נתן חלק בעירוב:
משנה ברורה (ד) — (ד) שאינם חשובים דירה - וה״ה סוכת החג בחג ג״כ לא חשיבה דירה לאסור. בית שאין בו ד״א על ד״א אינו אוסר דלא חשיבא דירה:
משנה ברורה (ה) — (ה) אבל הדר וכו' - דחשובים דירה ואע״פ שעשוים מקנים וכיו״ב ומבואר לקמן בס״ה דאם אוכל שם אע״פ שאינו ישן ושוכב שם מקרי דירה דמקום פיתא גורם:
משנה ברורה (ו) — (ו) אוסר - עד שיתן חלקו בעירוב:

For the complete text of all 61 entries, consult Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 370.

6. Position of the Rema

In this siman, the glosses of the Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, הגה) are in seifim ב, ג (two glosses), ד and ח.

The Rema's glosses:

7. Modern practical cases

The situations below are applications of the site: the seif does not name them, and each is tied to the seif it involves.

SituationQuick analysis
An owner rents out apartments in his courtyard and leaves belongings of his in themApplication of the site, seif ב: if he keeps in each of them things not taken on Shabbos, because of their weight or of a prohibition, which are things that may not be moved even for the sake of their place, those who live there are like his guests and do not forbid him; his belongings must actually be placed there (ס״ק י) and he must have the right to place them there (ס״ק י״א). For things that only their weight prevents from being taken, such as heavy furniture, the Mishnah Berurah explains the law of weight: « אף שאין נעשה מוקצה ע״י הכובד מ״מ כיון שיש טורח לפנותן אין דרך ליטלן בשבת » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק ח); but the Magen Avraham asks what limit there is to such a weight, then writes « ומ״מ כ׳ דוקא דברים המוקצים ע״ש ויש להחמיר » (מגן אברהם ש״ע ס״ק ג), and the Shulchan Aruch HaRav brings weight as an opinion, writing « וְיֵשׁ לְהַחֲמִיר בְּזֶה » (שו״ע הרב ש״ע:ב), at level 4. And according to the view the Rema reports, this applies only when there are no other residents in the courtyard, or when the eruv is not brought to the other residents (seif ב) — that is, the Mishnah Berurah specifies, when it is placed with this householder or in one of the lent houses (ס״ק י״ג). Consult your Rav.
Several tenants each occupy their own rooms in one house, and go out through a shared roomApplication of the site, seif ג and the Rema's gloss. The Mishnah Berurah draws from it the rule for the houses of its time: « ולפ״ז בבתים שלנו שדרים כמה שכנים בבית וכ״א בחדרים מיוחדים אע״פ שעוברים לחוץ דרך הבית שלפניהם שהוא להם כבית שער מ״מ חייבים כולם בעירוב » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק כ״א), and its consequence: « ולפיכך אם נתקלקל העירוב של עיר אסורים לטלטל כ״א מחדרו לחדר חבירו » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק כ״א) — unless, it adds at once, the householder has a tefisas yad in their rooms, as in seif ב. Consult your Rav.
A student lodging with his Rav, in a room of his own open to the courtyardApplication of the site, end of seif ג: students who study before the Rav and live in his house do not forbid, even if they eat and sleep in their room. The Mishnah Berurah gives two reasons — they all use what belongs to the householder for baking, cooking and everything; « ועוד דאין משאיל להם רשותו לאסור עליו » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק ל״ג) — and their limit: the two reasons must be combined, « אבל אם היה מקום החדרים קנוי או מושכר להם או אפילו בשאול רק שמשתמשין כל אחד בפ״ע בחדרו אוסרין דדוקא בצירוף שני הטעמים ביחד מקילינן. וכ״ז בשלא היה לבעה״ב אצלם תפיסת יד דאל״ה מותר בכל גווני » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק ל״ג) — the tefisas yad refers back to seif ב. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (seif 5 in its numbering) gives as a reason only the second, with Tosafos' clause that he can remove them at any time: « לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַשְׁאִיל לָהֶם רְשׁוּתוֹ לֶאֱסוֹר עָלָיו וְלֹא לֶאֱסוֹר זֶה עַל זֶה, וַהֲרֵי יָכוֹל לְסַלְּקָם בְּכָל עֵת » (שו״ע הרב ש״ע:ה); of baking and cooking in the large house, it writes that this is of no use when the rooms belong to them, are rented to them, or are lent to them so that he cannot remove them before the term: « וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵם מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בַּאֲפִיָּה וּבִשּׁוּל בְּבַיִת גָּדוֹל שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת — אֵין זֶה מוֹעִיל כְּלוּם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאוֹכְלִים בְּחַדְרֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן תַּלְמִידִים הַמְקַבְּלִים פְּרָס מֵרַבָּן כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר » (שו״ע הרב ש״ע:ה). The Biur Halachah reads him as making everything depend on whether they can be removed; for its own part it limits the requirement of the two reasons to a loan for a period during which they cannot be removed, and reports, after the Chayei Adam, that where the householder can remove them at any time they do not forbid even if each cooks separately, adding « וכן משמע מהגר״ז » (ביאור הלכה ש״ע) — a distinction the Mishnah Berurah, as it is written, does not make (level 4). Consult your Rav.
Guests stay for a few Shabbosos in a separate apartment in the courtyardApplication of the site, seif ח: a guest who lodges not in a fixed way, for thirty days or less, does not forbid, even in a house by himself; according to the Rema, when there is a fixed householder. Beyond that, the Mishnah Berurah: « וביותר משלשים אפילו אם היה רק בשאילה לבד תו מקרי קבע ויצא מכלל אורח ואוסר » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק נ״ה), and adds: « ומסתברא דאם קבע עצמו לכתחלה יותר משלשים אוסר מיד » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק נ״ה); the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, for its part, writes that after thirty days the guest forbids « אִם הוּא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְסַלְּקוֹ תּוֹךְ מֶשֶׁךְ זְמַן שְׂכִירוּתוֹ אוֹ שְׁאֵלָתוֹ » (שו״ע הרב ש״ע:י) — a condition the Mishnah Berurah does not write — and: « וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אֲפִלּוּ אִם קוֹבֵעַ לְיוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, אֵינוֹ אוֹסֵר עַד לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, אֲבָל לֹא תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים » (שו״ע הרב ש״ע:י): for a guest who settles from the outset for more than thirty days, the two texts do not write the same thing (level 4). The Mishnah Berurah also reports, in the name of the Taz, that where there is a community that makes the eruv of courtyards on Erev Pesach, as was the practice in its time (כדרכנו), he is exempt even then, « כי לב ב״ד מתנה על כל הדיורים שיתוספו » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק נ״ה), and adds that it is good, where there are fairs (yeridim) to which visitors usually come and stay more than thirty days, for the community to stipulate explicitly, when making the eruv, that it is for anyone who will be added in the town (ס״ק נ״ה). And for one who comes often: « י״א שאפילו רגיל לבוא שם כמה פעמים להתארח ויש מי שמחמיר בזה » (משנה ברורה ש״ע ס״ק נ״ו). Consult your Rav.
For precise practical cases: the ruling depends on how the houses and partitions are laid out, on who owns the premises, on who eats where, and on where the eruv is placed. For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.

8. Practical synthesis of the Siman

The teachings of Siman ש״ע:
  1. A place that is not a dwelling: one who lives in a gatehouse, a portico or a gallery does not forbid; the straw-house, wood-house, cattle-house and storehouses are a dwelling (seif א).
  2. The householder's guests: one who lives in a house lent or rented by the householder, who keeps in each of them things not taken on Shabbos, because of their weight or of a prohibition, which are things that may not be moved even for the sake of their place, does not forbid him; if the houses are not his, they forbid one another (seif ב). According to a view the Rema reports, the exemption applies only when there are no other residents in the courtyard, or when the eruv is not brought to the other residents (seif ב) — that is, the Mishnah Berurah explains, when it is placed with this householder or in one of the lent houses (ס״ק י״ג).
  3. The divided hall: groups that pass through one another — only the two innermost give; each with its opening to the courtyard and partitions that reach the ceiling, even of curtains — each gives if the eruv is placed in another house, and none if it is placed in the hall — according to the Mishnah Berurah, with temporary partitions only (ס״ק כ״ה); partitions that do not touch the ceiling — one eruv, the eruv being placed in another house; actual upper rooms, or fixed partitions that reach the ceiling (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״א) — each group gives (seif ג). The teacher or the scribe living in a householder's house, and the students living with the Rav, do not forbid (seif ג); on its conditions, the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ל״ג) and the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (level 4) do not write the same thing.
  4. One table: those who all eat together are one household; according to the Rema, also each at his own table in one room (seif ד).
  5. The place of eating is what counts: brothers who eat at their father's house do not forbid; with a portion eaten at home, they forbid, unless the eruv of the rest of the courtyard is placed in one of these houses or there are no other residents with them (seif ה).
  6. Wives, slaves and a student who receive a portion: they do not forbid, if there are no other residents in the courtyard or if the eruv comes to them (seif ו).
  7. Houses one inside the other: only the two innermost give (seif ז).
  8. The guest for thirty days or less does not forbid; according to the Rema, when there is a fixed householder (seif ח).
  9. For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.

9. Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why does one who lives in a gatehouse not forbid, while one who lives in a straw-house forbids (seif א; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק א)?
  2. What makes those who live in lent or rented houses like guests of the householder, and when are they not (seif ב)?
  3. In the divided hall, why do only the two innermost groups give their share when all pass through one another (seif ג; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק י״ט)?
  4. What difference does seif ג make between partitions that reach the ceiling and partitions that do not?
  5. Why do brothers who eat at their father's house not forbid, and when does the portion he gives them not exempt them (seif ה)?
  6. On what conditions does a guest not forbid, according to seif ח and the Rema's gloss?

To go further

If you want to go deeper into this siman:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן ש״ע · Level 1 — Introduction
♥ Support DAAT
📖Join the chavrusa