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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman שע״א · 6 seifim of the Shulchan Aruch
When one of the residents of the courtyard leaves it or dies — to discover and understand
סימן שע״א
כשאחד מבני חצר נפרד משם או מת
🌱 Beginner Level · מתחילים
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First approach to Siman שע״א: complete Hebrew text of the Mechaber, English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, practical cases and synthesis.
Topic: the resident of the courtyard who leaves it or dies — when does his house forbid carrying to the other residents, according, among other things, to whether he is Jewish or not, the time of his death and the person who inherits his house
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן שע״א (6 seifim in the Shulchan Aruch, with no gloss introduced by הגה; 6 in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav as well, divided differently, studied at Level 4)
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study Plan
1. The Shulchan Aruch text — the 6 seifim of the Mechaber
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 — and the reservations of the commentators
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The Shulchan Aruch text
Siman שע״א contains 6 seifim of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo). No gloss in it is introduced by the word הגה; at the end of seif א there are two notes in square brackets, in small print, without the word הגה (see section 6). Topic of the siman, according to its title: when one of the residents of the courtyard leaves it or dies. The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe also has 6 seifim for this siman, but divided differently — its seif 1 deals, among other things, with the Jew who left, of whom the Mechaber speaks in seifim א and ב: its numbering is that of Level 4, not that of this page.
Seif א
כשאחד מבני חצר נפרד משם או מת. ובו ו סעיפים:
א' מבני חצר שהניח ביתו והלך ושבת בחצר אחר' אפי' היתה סמוכה לחצרו אם הסיח מלבו ואין דעתו לחזור לביתו בשב' הרי זה אינו אוסר עליהם במה דברים אמורים בישראל אבל בעכו״ם אפי' הלך לשבו' בעיר אחר' אוסר עליהם עד שישכרו ממנו מקומו אם היא קרוב מהלך יום א' שהרי אפשר שיבא בשב' אבל אם רחוק יותר אינו אוסר וי״א שגם עכו״ם אם הלך לשבו' בחצר אחר' אינו אוסר [וכן נראה עיקר] [ואם בא העכו״ם בשבת ע״ל סי' שפ״ג]:
Translation: One of the residents of a courtyard who left his house, went and spent Shabbos in another courtyard — even if it was adjacent to his courtyard —, if he put [it] out of his mind and does not intend to return to his house on Shabbos, he does not forbid [carrying] to the others [residents]. When is this said? Of a Jew; but a non-Jew (akum), even if he went to spend Shabbos in another city, forbids [carrying] to them until they rent his place from him — if it is near, within a day's walk, since he may come on Shabbos; but if it is farther, he does not forbid. And some say (yesh omrim) that even a non-Jew, if he went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard, does not forbid. In small print, in square brackets (without the word הגה): [and this appears to be the main view] [and if the non-Jew came on Shabbos, see below, siman 383].
What this seif says:
- A Jew who went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard, even an adjacent one: שהניח ביתו והלך ושבת בחצר אחר׳ אפי׳ היתה סמוכה לחצרו. According to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ב), the case is where he left with his whole household, and while it was still day; some are lenient even if he left on Shabbos, if he did not come back that same day (see section 6).
- If he does not intend to return, he does not forbid: אם הסיח מלבו ואין דעתו לחזור לביתו בשב׳ הרי זה אינו אוסר עליהם.
- A non-Jew forbids, even if he went to another city: אבל בעכו״ם אפי׳ הלך לשבו׳ בעיר אחר׳ אוסר עליהם עד שישכרו ממנו מקומו. And this even if they made an eruv among themselves, explains the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ג).
- If the city is near, within a day's walk: אם היא קרוב מהלך יום א׳ שהרי אפשר שיבא בשב׳; farther away — אבל אם רחוק יותר אינו אוסר.
- A view that a non-Jew who went to another courtyard does not forbid: וי״א שגם עכו״ם אם הלך לשבו׳ בחצר אחר׳ אינו אוסר. The Mishnah Berurah reports from the Taz that, if the non-Jew usually returns home that same day, he forbids according to all (ס״ק ה); and it refers to the Biur Halachah, where it showed, in the name of several poskim, that one is lenient only for another city, and not for another courtyard (ס״ק ו).
- In small print, in square brackets: [וכן נראה עיקר] [ואם בא העכו״ם בשבת ע״ל סי׳ שפ״ג]. The text does not name the author of these notes; the Taz (ס״ק א) attributes the decision to the Rema (section 6).
Seif ב
ישראל בן חצר זו שהלך לשבו' בחצר אחר' ואין דעתו לחזור בשב' ואח״כ נמלך בשב' וחזר אינו אוסר:
Translation: A Jew, a resident of this courtyard, who went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard and does not intend to return on Shabbos, and afterwards changed his mind on Shabbos and returned: he does not forbid.
What this seif says:
- He left without intending to return: ישראל בן חצר זו שהלך לשבו׳ בחצר אחר׳ ואין דעתו לחזור בשב׳.
- If he changes his mind and returns on Shabbos, he does not forbid: ואח״כ נמלך בשב׳ וחזר אינו אוסר. The reason, according to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ח): when he left, he did not intend to return on Shabbos; he had therefore already put his dwelling out of his mind, and a Shabbos that was permitted does not become forbidden again. For a non-Jew, it writes that, if he comes on Shabbos, he forbids. The Biur Halachah concludes that one should be stringent, except in a pressing situation (section 6).
Seif ג
א' מן השוק שהי' לו בית בחצר ומת והניח רשותו לא' מבני החצר אם מת מבעוד יום אין הזוכה אוסר שהעירוב שמערב על ביתו מתיר גם מה שירש ואם מת משחשיכה אוסר אע״פ שעירב הזוכה עמהם אינו מועיל למה שירש אח״כ בשב':
Translation: Someone from the marketplace (min hashuk) [who lives in the marketplace, Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ט] who had a house in the courtyard, died and left his domain (reshus) to one of the residents of the courtyard: if he died while it was still day, the one who acquires it (hazocheh) does not forbid, for the eruv he makes for his house permits also what he inherited; and if he died after nightfall, he forbids — although the one who acquires it made the eruv with them, it does not help for what he inherited afterwards, on Shabbos.
What this seif says:
- The house of someone from outside, left to a resident of the courtyard: א׳ מן השוק שהי׳ לו בית בחצר ומת והניח רשותו לא׳ מבני החצר. According to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ט), he had not made the eruv for that house; and the same applies if he lived in the courtyard without having made the eruv.
- Died while it was still day: the heir does not forbid: אם מת מבעוד יום אין הזוכה אוסר שהעירוב שמערב על ביתו מתיר גם מה שירש. Even if he made the eruv for his house before the death of the one he inherits from, adds the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק י״א), since the essential acquisition of the eruv is at twilight (bein hashmashos), and the house was then already his.
- Died after nightfall: he forbids: ואם מת משחשיכה אוסר אע״פ שעירב הזוכה עמהם אינו מועיל למה שירש אח״כ בשב׳. The reason, according to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק י״ד): at twilight, the time when the eruv is acquired, the house was not his.
Seif ד
א' מן החצר שמת בשב' אם עירב אפי' ירשו א' מבני השוק אינו אוסר ואם לא עירב אם ירשו א' מן השוק כל זמן שאינו בא לדור עמהם אינו אוסר בא לדור בשב' בבית מורישו אוסר ואם יורשו א' מבני החצר אם עירב היורש והיה דר עם המוריש בבי' אינו אוסר אע״פ שלא עירב המוריש ואם לא היה דר עם המוריש אלא בבי' אחר שבחצר אוסר אע״פ שעירב היורש כיון שלא עירב המוריש ואם מבעוד יום מת ויורשו אחד מן השוק הרי זה אוסר והוא שבא היורש בבי' מורישו בשב':
Translation: One of the residents of the courtyard who died on Shabbos: if he had made the eruv, even if someone from the marketplace inherited him, he does not forbid. And if he had not made the eruv: if someone from the marketplace inherited him, as long as he does not come to live with them, he does not forbid; [if] he came to live on Shabbos in the house of the one he inherits from, he forbids. And if his heir is one of the residents of the courtyard: if the heir had made the eruv and lived with the deceased in [his] house, he does not forbid, even though the deceased did not make the eruv; and if he did not live with the deceased but in another house in the courtyard, he forbids, even though the heir made the eruv, since the deceased did not make it. And if he died while it was still day and his heir is someone from the marketplace, he forbids — provided the heir came to the house of the one he inherits from on Shabbos.
What this seif says:
- Died on Shabbos after making the eruv: he does not forbid: א׳ מן החצר שמת בשב׳ אם עירב אפי׳ ירשו א׳ מבני השוק אינו אוסר. According to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ט״ז), he had not left any household members in the house; since twilight was permitted by the eruv of the deceased, it is permitted for the whole Shabbos.
- No eruv, heir from outside: it depends on his coming: ואם לא עירב אם ירשו א׳ מן השוק כל זמן שאינו בא לדור עמהם אינו אוסר בא לדור בשב׳ בבית מורישו אוסר. Here too, the Mishnah Berurah specifies, he had not left any household members in the house (ס״ק י״ז). The Biur Halachah writes that this ruling is not clear-cut (section 6).
- An heir from the courtyard who had made the eruv and lived with the deceased: ואם יורשו א׳ מבני החצר אם עירב היורש והיה דר עם המוריש בבי׳ אינו אוסר אע״פ שלא עירב המוריש. The reason, according to the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק כ׳): the members of a man's household make the eruv for him without his knowledge.
- An heir from the courtyard who lived in another house: ואם לא היה דר עם המוריש אלא בבי׳ אחר שבחצר אוסר אע״פ שעירב היורש כיון שלא עירב המוריש.
- Died while it was still day, heir from outside: ואם מבעוד יום מת ויורשו אחד מן השוק הרי זה אוסר והוא שבא היורש בבי׳ מורישו בשב׳. Here, writes the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק כ״ג), the seif does not distinguish between one who made the eruv and one who did not: having died while it was still day, his eruv is void.
Seif ה
ישראל וגר שהיו דרים בחצר ומת הגר מבעוד יום והחזיק ישראל אחר בנכסיו אפי' לא החזיק עד שחשיכה אוסר עד שיבטל רשותו כשאר יורש מת משחשיכה אין המחזיק אוסר שבהיתר הראשון עומד:
Translation: A Jew and a convert (ger) who lived in a courtyard, and the convert died while it was still day, and another Jew took possession (hechezik) of his property: even if he did not take possession until after nightfall, he forbids, until he renounces his domain (yevatel reshuso), like any other heir. [If the convert] died after nightfall, the one who takes possession does not forbid, for [the courtyard] remains in its original permission.
What this seif says:
- The convert died while it was still day: another Jew who takes possession of his property forbids: ומת הגר מבעוד יום והחזיק ישראל אחר בנכסיו אפי׳ לא החזיק עד שחשיכה אוסר עד שיבטל רשותו כשאר יורש. According to the Mishnah Berurah, they had made the eruv together (ס״ק כ״ו); and if it was the Jew living there who took possession, it is permitted in every case, since he remains alone in his courtyard (ס״ק כ״ז). Although at the start of Shabbos, as long as this other Jew had not entered the convert's house, it was a dwelling without its owner, which did not forbid, we do not say: since it was permitted, it remains permitted; for one could take possession of it while it was still day, and the permission was in suspense (ס״ק כ״ח). Where he took possession only after nightfall, this is the case where he also came to live in the house (ס״ק כ״ט).
- Died after nightfall: he does not forbid: מת משחשיכה אין המחזיק אוסר שבהיתר הראשון עומד. At the start of Shabbos it was permitted by the convert's eruv; even though his eruv is void when he dies, we say: since it was permitted, it remains permitted (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״א).
Seif ו
א' מבני חצר שהיה גוסס אף על פי שאינו יכול לחיות בו ביום אוסר עד שיזכו לו בפת ויערבו עליו וכן קטן אוסר אע״פ שאינו יכול לאכול כזית אבל האורח אינו אוסר כמו שנתבאר בסי' ש״ע:
Translation: One of the residents of the courtyard who was dying (goses) — even though he cannot survive that day — forbids, until bread is conferred on him and the eruv is made for him. Likewise, a minor forbids, even though he cannot eat a kezayis. But the guest does not forbid, as was explained in siman 370.
What this seif says:
- The dying man forbids, until bread is conferred on him and the eruv is made for him: א׳ מבני חצר שהיה גוסס אף על פי שאינו יכול לחיות בו ביום אוסר עד שיזכו לו בפת ויערבו עליו. According to the Mishnah Berurah, as long as he is alive he is like a living person in every respect (ס״ק ל״ב); it reports from the Magen Avraham that, if he dies on Shabbos, he forbids, because the eruv is not fit to last the whole Shabbos, most dying people going on to die, and it specifies the cases (ס״ק ל״ג). The Biur Halachah reports that the Atzei Almogim questions this ruling of the Magen Avraham (section 6).
- A minor as well: וכן קטן אוסר אע״פ שאינו יכול לאכול כזית. Until the eruv is made for him, writes the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ל״ד), in the name of the Rambam.
- But not the guest: אבל האורח אינו אוסר כמו שנתבאר בסי׳ ש״ע.
2. General context
What does this siman discuss?
The mishnah in tractate Eruvin reports a disagreement about one who leaves his house to spend Shabbos elsewhere. Rabbi Meir: « הַמַּנִּיחַ בֵּיתוֹ וְהָלַךְ לִשְׁבּוֹת בְּעִיר אַחֶרֶת, אֶחָד נׇכְרִי וְאֶחָד יִשְׂרָאֵל — הֲרֵי זֶה אוֹסֵר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר » (עירובין פ״ו ע״א). Rabbi Yehudah says he does not forbid; Rabbi Yosei distinguishes: « נׇכְרִי — אוֹסֵר, יִשְׂרָאֵל — אֵינוֹ אוֹסֵר, שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָבֹא בַּשַּׁבָּת » (עירובין פ״ו ע״א). And Rabbi Shimon: « אֲפִילּוּ הִנִּיחַ בֵּיתוֹ וְהָלַךְ לִשְׁבּוֹת אֵצֶל בִּתּוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעִיר — אֵינוֹ אוֹסֵר, שֶׁכְּבָר הִסִּיעַ מִלִּבּוֹ » (עירובין פ״ו ע״א).
In the Gemara there, Rav rules like Rabbi Shimon, and the Gemara at once limits the rule: « אָמַר רַב: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. וְדַוְקָא בִּתּוֹ, אֲבָל בְּנוֹ — לָא » (עירובין פ״ו ע״א). Seif א uses a similar expression — אם הסיח מלבו — and likewise distinguishes the Jew from the non-Jew.
The fundamental question: does the house of a resident of the courtyard who is away, has died or is dying forbid carrying to the other residents? The siman answers, among other things, according to the intention of the one who left (seifim א and ב), according to whether he is Jewish or not (seif א), according to whether the death occurred before or after nightfall (seifim ג, ד and ה), and according to the person who inherits the house (seifim ג and ד).
Place in Hilchos Eruvin
In Sefaria's index, the section הלכות עירובין of the Shulchan Aruch begins at siman 345. Siman שע״א follows siman ש״ע · 370, to which seif ו refers for the guest; seif א refers to siman 383 for the non-Jew who came on Shabbos. On renouncing one's domain, the Mishnah Berurah refers to siman 380: « עד שיבטל רשותו וכדלקמן בסי׳ ש״פ » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק י״ט).
3. Key halachic concepts
A few notions structure this siman:
The essential notions of siman שע״א:
- דירה בלא בעלים — a dwelling without its owner: through it the Mishnah Berurah gives the reason for seif א, « והטעם דדירה בלא בעלים לא שמה דירה ואינה אוסרת בחצר אף שלא נתנה חלק בעירוב » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק א).
- הסיח מלבו — he put [his dwelling] out of his mind: « שחשבינן כאלו אינו דר שם באותו שבת » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק ז); the Mishnah Berurah writes this on the וי״א view, of a non-Jew who went to another courtyard, comparing him to a Jew.
- שבת שהותרה — the Shabbos that was permitted: the Mishnah Berurah makes it the reason for seif ב, « והו״ל שבת שהותרה ושוב לא תאסר » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק ח).
- ביה״ש — twilight, the time when the eruv is acquired: « כיון דבעת ביה״ש שהוא אז זמן קניית העירוב לא היה הבית שלו אין חל העירוב על בית זה » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק י״ד).
- שיבטל רשותו — renouncing one's domain (bittul reshus): in seif ה, the other Jew who takes possession of the convert's property forbids « עד שיבטל רשותו כשאר יורש » (שו״ע או״ח שע״א:ה).
- גוסס — the dying man: « דכל זמן שהוא חי הרי הוא כחי לכל דבריו » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק ל״ב).
4. Detail of the seifim — one by one
| Seif | Content |
|---|---|
| א | A Jew who went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard, even an adjacent one, without intending to return on Shabbos, does not forbid. A non-Jew, even if he went to another city, forbids until his place is rented from him, if it is within a day's walk; farther, he does not forbid. According to some, a non-Jew who went to another courtyard does not forbid; the notes in square brackets adopt this view and refer to siman 383 for the non-Jew who came on Shabbos. |
| ב | A Jew who left without intending to return, and changed his mind and returned on Shabbos, does not forbid. |
| ג | Someone from the marketplace who had a house in the courtyard left it, at his death, to a resident of the courtyard: if he died while it was still day, the heir does not forbid, his eruv also permitting what he inherited; if he died after nightfall, he forbids, even though he made the eruv — the case, according to the Mishnah Berurah, is one where the deceased had not made the eruv for that house (ס״ק ט). |
| ד | A resident who died on Shabbos: if he had made the eruv, he does not forbid, even if his heir is from outside. Without an eruv: an heir from outside forbids if he comes to live in the house on Shabbos (according to the Mishnah Berurah, the deceased had not left any household members in the house, ס״ק י״ז); an heir from the courtyard who had made the eruv does not forbid if he lived with the deceased, and forbids if he lived in another house in the courtyard. If he died while it was still day, an heir from outside forbids, provided he came to the house on Shabbos. |
| ה | A convert who died while it was still day: another Jew who takes possession of his property forbids, even if he took possession only after nightfall (according to the Mishnah Berurah, this is the case where he also came to live in the house, ס״ק כ״ט), until he renounces his domain; if he died after nightfall, he does not forbid — the case, according to the Mishnah Berurah, is one where they had made the eruv together (ס״ק כ״ו). |
| ו | The dying man forbids until bread is conferred on him and the eruv is made for him; likewise the minor — for him, until the eruv is made for him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״ד); but not the guest (siman 370). |
Heart of the siman: does the house of a resident still forbid carrying to the others when he has left, died or is dying? The Mishnah Berurah gives the reason for seif א — a dwelling without its owner is not a dwelling and does not forbid (ס״ק א). The rest depends, among other things, on the twilight at the start of Shabbos, the time when the eruv is acquired: what was permitted at that moment remains permitted when it was clear, at that time, that it would not become forbidden again (Shulchan Aruch HaRav, seif 2 in its numbering). According to the Mishnah Berurah, so it is in seif ב (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ח); in seif ג, what did not then belong to the one who made the eruv is not covered by his eruv: at twilight the house was not his (ס״ק י״ד); in seif ד, so it is for the resident who had made the eruv and dies on Shabbos (ס״ק ט״ז), and a house left without residents does not count to forbid (ס״ק י״ח); in seif ה, it is not so for the convert who died by day (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק כ״ח), the permission being then in suspense, but it is so for the convert who died after nightfall (ס״ק ל״א).
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) contains 34 entries on this siman. Here are the first eight, on seifim א and ב — to better understand the meaning of the text:
משנה ברורה (א) — (א) אחד מבני חצר וכו' - והטעם דדירה בלא בעלים לא שמה דירה ואינה אוסרת בחצר אף שלא נתנה חלק בעירוב:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) שהניח ביתו והלך וכו' - מיירי שהלך עם כל ב״ב משם ומבעוד יום ויש מקילין אפילו כשהלך בשבת אם לא חזר בו ביום:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) אוסר עליהם - אפילו עירבו ביניהם:
משנה ברורה (ד) — (ד) אם רחוק יותר וכו' - ואע״ג דברחוק נמי איכא למיחש שהלך בחול עד סמוך לכאן ויבוא בשבת מ״מ לא חיישינן להכי:
משנה ברורה (ה) — (ה) שגם עכו״ם וכו' - עיין בט״ז שכתב דאם העכו״ם רגיל לחזור לביתו באותו יום אסור לכו״ע וכאן מיירי דהלך לדעת לשבות שם כל היום:
משנה ברורה (ו) — (ו) בחצר אחרת - עיין בה״ל שביארנו בשם כמה פוסקים דאין להקל כ״א בעיר אחרת ולא בחצר אחרת:
משנה ברורה (ז) — (ז) אינו אוסר - כמו בישראל שהלך לשבות במקום אחר והסיח לבו מדירתו שחשבינן כאלו אינו דר שם באותו שבת:
משנה ברורה (ח) — (ח) אינו אוסר - דכיון דבעת שהלך לא היה דעתו לחזור בשבת א״כ כבר הסיח דירתו מלב והו״ל שבת שהותרה ושוב לא תאסר אבל גבי עכו״ם קי״ל דאם בא בשבת אוסר דלא שייך גבי עכו״ם לומר שכבר הסיח דעתו שזה אינו אלא בישראל שבמקום ששובת בכניסת שבת שהוא לו יום מנוחה מסתמא דעתו אז שלא לעקור ומה שבא אח״כ רוח אחרת היתה לו משא״כ גבי עכו״ם כשבא הוכיח סופו על תחלתו ואמרינן שכבר בבין השמשות היה דעתו לבוא ואף אם יאמר שהסיח דעתו מתחלה לא מפיו אנו חיין:
For the full text of the 34 entries, see Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 371.
6. Position of the Rema
In the text served by Sefaria (Maginei Eretz edition), the Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) has no gloss introduced by the word הגה on this siman. At the end of seif א there are two notes in square brackets, in small print, without the word הגה; the Taz attributes the decision they carry to the Rema. The commentators also add reservations to the Mechaber's seifim; here are several of them, seif by seif.
The notes in brackets, and the reservations of the commentators:
- Seif א, leaving on Shabbos — the Biur Halachah concludes: « וע״כ נראה פשוט דאין להקל כשהלך בשבת אם לא בשעת הדחק אפשר דיש לסמוך על דעת המגן אברהם כשהסיח דעתו בהדיא » (ביאור הלכה שע״א).
- Seif א, the other courtyard — the Mishnah Berurah refers to the Biur Halachah: « עיין בה״ל שביארנו בשם כמה פוסקים דאין להקל כ״א בעיר אחרת ולא בחצר אחרת » (משנה ברורה שע״א ס״ק ו).
- Seif א, the brackets — « [וכן נראה עיקר] » (שו״ע או״ח שע״א:א) follows the view that a non-Jew who went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard does not forbid; the second note refers to siman 383 for the non-Jew who came on Shabbos. The Taz proposes to read the dispute about the non-Jew as concerning the doubt, on Erev Shabbos, whether he will come on Shabbos, and names the Rema: « והכריע רמ״א להקל בעכום בספק ובזה פסק דאם בא בשבת העכו״ם אוסר ולא אמרינן בזה שבת שהותרה כו׳ כיון שלא הותר אלא מכח ספק » (ט״ז או״ח שע״א ס״ק א). He continues, for the case where, on Erev Shabbos, it was clear that the non-Jew would not come: « אבל באם היה נרא׳ בבירור בע״ש שלא יבא בשבת והסיח מלבו אלא שאח״כ נמלך ובא בשבת אפי׳ בעכו״ם י״ל שבת שהותרה הותרה דמ״ש משראל » (ט״ז או״ח שע״א ס״ק א); see Level 2, section 5.
- Seif ב — on one who changes his mind and returns, the Biur Halachah reports that the Beis Yosef inclines to leniency and that the Gra appears to rule like the stringent poskim, and concludes: « וע״כ יש להחמיר אם לא בשעת הדחק » (ביאור הלכה שע״א).
- Seif ד — on the heir from outside who does not come to live in the house, the Biur Halachah writes: « והנה המחבר סתם כדעת הרא״ש והתוספות אבל אין דין זה ברור » (ביאור הלכה שע״א), the Rashba disagreeing; and it ends: « ועיין בביאור הגר״א שהעיר ג״כ בזה ומשמע דדעתו נוטה לדעת הרשב״א וע״ע למעשה צ״ע » (ביאור הלכה שע״א).
- Seif ו — on the dying man who dies on Shabbos (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״ג), the Biur Halachah reports that the Atzei Almogim questions the ruling of the Magen Avraham and holds for leniency; the Biur Halachah concludes: « ובשעת הדחק נראה דיש לסמוך ע״ז » (ביאור הלכה שע״א).
- Chabad → Level 4 — Daat HaRav studies this siman in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, siman שע״א, under its own division into 6 seifim.
7. Modern practical cases
Each situation below is tied to a named seif; when the situation is a present-day one, the row says so: application by the site, not the words of the source.
| Situation | Quick analysis |
|---|---|
| Going away for Shabbos, without intending to return | Seif א: a Jew who leaves without intending to return on Shabbos — « הרי זה אינו אוסר עליהם » (שו״ע או״ח שע״א:א). The Mishnah Berurah speaks of one who leaves with his whole household while it is still day (ס״ק ב), and the Biur Halachah is not lenient for one who leaves on Shabbos, except perhaps, in a pressing situation, relying on the Magen Avraham, when he explicitly put his dwelling out of his mind (section 6). Consult your Rav. |
| A non-Jewish resident of the courtyard away for Shabbos | Seif א: according to the first view of the seif, even if he went to another city, he forbids if it is within a day's walk, « עד שישכרו ממנו מקומו » (שו״ע או״ח שע״א:א); farther, he does not forbid. According to the view introduced by וי״א, which the notes in brackets adopt, even if he went to another courtyard he does not forbid. The Mishnah Berurah refers to the Biur Halachah (ס״ק ו), which writes, in the name of several poskim (among them Tosafos, the Rosh and the Tur), that one is lenient for a non-Jew only if he went to another city, not to another courtyard, and that the view permitting even another courtyard, which it finds in the Riaz, is an isolated opinion; and it adds: « ובפרט לדעה קמייתא בעכו״ם בכל גווני אסור » (ביאור הלכה שע״א). Renting his place, and the conduct for another city as for another courtyard: consult your Rav. |
| A resident of the courtyard passes away on Shabbos | Seif ד: if he had made the eruv, he does not forbid — provided, according to the Magen Avraham as the Biur Halachah reads him, that he was not already dying as Shabbos began, a condition the Shulchan Aruch HaRav also sets (seif 3 in its numbering); the Biur Halachah reports that the Atzei Almogim disputes it (Level 4; section 6); otherwise, it depends, among other things, on who inherits and on his coming to the house on Shabbos, and the Biur Halachah writes that part of these rulings is not clear-cut (section 6). Consult your Rav. |
| A guest staying over for Shabbos | Seif ו: « אבל האורח אינו אוסר כמו שנתבאר בסי׳ ש״ע » (שו״ע או״ח שע״א:ו); the details are in siman 370. |
For precise practical cases: the seifim make the prohibition depend, among other things, on the intention of the one who leaves, on the distinction between Jew and non-Jew, on the time of death and on who inherits, and the Biur Halachah adds reservations to them, seif by seif (section 6). For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.
8. Practical synthesis of the Siman
The teachings of Siman שע״א:
- A Jew who went to spend Shabbos in another courtyard, even an adjacent one, without intending to return on Shabbos, does not forbid (seif א) — according to the Mishnah Berurah, having left with his whole household while it was still day (ס״ק ב).
- A non-Jew: according to the first view of the seif, even if he went to another city, he forbids until his place is rented from him, if it is within a day's walk; farther, he does not forbid. According to the view introduced by וי״א, which the brackets adopt, even if he went to another courtyard he does not forbid (seif א). The Mishnah Berurah refers to the Biur Halachah (ס״ק ו), which writes, in the name of several poskim, that one is lenient for a non-Jew only if he went to another city, not to another courtyard, and that the view permitting even another courtyard is an isolated opinion. For another city as for another courtyard, consult your Rav.
- A Jew who changes his mind and returns on Shabbos, having left without intending to return on Shabbos, does not forbid (seif ב; Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ח); according to the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (seif 1 in its numbering; Level 4), this applies to one who left while it was still day: one who left after nightfall forbids when he returns; the Biur Halachah writes that one should be stringent, except in a pressing situation. A non-Jew who comes on Shabbos does forbid, writes the Mishnah Berurah (ס״ק ח).
- A house inherited from someone from the marketplace: if he died while it was still day, the heir from the courtyard does not forbid, the eruv he makes for his house also permitting what he inherited; if he died after nightfall, he forbids, even though he made the eruv (seif ג) — the case, according to the Mishnah Berurah, is one where the deceased had not made the eruv for that house (ס״ק ט), as the Shulchan Aruch HaRav also writes (seif 2 in its numbering; Level 4).
- A resident who died on Shabbos does not forbid if he had made the eruv — provided, according to the Magen Avraham as the Biur Halachah reads him, that he was not already dying as Shabbos began, a condition the Shulchan Aruch HaRav also sets (seif 3 in its numbering); the Biur Halachah reports that the Atzei Almogim disputes it (Level 4; section 6); otherwise, it depends on the heir, on where he lived and on his coming to the house; if he died by day, an heir from the marketplace forbids if he came to the house on Shabbos (seif ד).
- A convert who died while it was still day: another Jew who takes possession of his property forbids (if he took possession only after nightfall: according to the Mishnah Berurah, when he also came to live in the house, ס״ק כ״ט) until he renounces his domain; if he died after nightfall, he does not forbid (seif ה) — the case, according to the Mishnah Berurah, is one where they had made the eruv together (ס״ק כ״ו); the Shulchan Aruch HaRav adds: provided the convert was not dying while it was still day (seif 4 in its numbering; Level 4).
- The dying man forbids until bread is conferred on him and the eruv is made for him; likewise the minor (seif ו) — for him, until the eruv is made for him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ל״ד); the guest does not forbid (seif ו).
- For halacha lemaaseh, consult your Rav.
9. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- Why does the house of one who left without intending to return not forbid (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק א and ז)?
- Why does a non-Jew who went to another city forbid, and up to what distance (seif א)?
- Why does one who changes his mind and returns on Shabbos not forbid (ס״ק ח), and what does the Biur Halachah conclude?
- In seif ג, why does dying before or after nightfall change the ruling (ס״ק י״א and י״ד)?
- In seif ד, why does an heir from the courtyard who had made the eruv and lived with the deceased not forbid (ס״ק כ׳)?
- In seif ה, why does the other Jew who takes possession of the property of a convert who died while it was still day forbid, even if he took possession only after nightfall (ס״ק כ״ח), when he also came to live in the house (ס״ק כ״ט)?
- Why does the dying man forbid (ס״ק ל״ב), and what happens, according to the Magen Avraham quoted by the Mishnah Berurah, if he dies on Shabbos (ס״ק ל״ג)?
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