DAAT · LEVEL 3 — MAGISTERIAL SYNTHESIS
Siman שפ״ד
סימן שפ״ד · עכו״ם אכסנאי אם מעכב
Recap & mnemonics for review
📑 Synthesis plan
- The central axiom of the siman
- The condensed key concepts
- Structure of the siman — from the temporary lodger to the men of the king's army
- Decision tree — does the non-Jew lodging in the courtyard forbid?
- Where the commentators differ — the debt, the soldiers, the objects, the house rented on a settled basis
- Mnemonic — one word per seif
- Pitfalls to avoid
- Practical cases
- Final synthesis table
- The practical commandments
The seif numbers on this page are those of the Shulchan Aruch of the Mechaber (2 seifim, with no gloss of the Rema). The Shulchan Aruch HaRav, studied in Level 4, writes this siman in a single seif (384:1), which corresponds to both seifim of the Mechaber: when it is cited, its name is given next to the number.
1. The central axiom
Siman שפ״ד in one sentence.
Does a non-Jew who enters to lodge temporarily forbid carrying to the Jews of the courtyard? Seif א answers according to the permission to enter and the habit of coming: « עכו״ם הנכנס לשם אכסנאות אם נכנס שלא ברשות אינו אוסר לעולם ואם נכנס ברשות אם הוא רגיל לבא אוסר מיד ואם אינו רגיל אינו אוסר עד לאחר שלשים יום » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א). Seif ב deals with the men of the king's army: « אנשי חיל המלך שנכנסו בבתי היהודים בין בחזקה בין ברצון אם יש לבעלי בתים באותם מקומות שנכנסו העכו״ם כלים שאסור לטלטלם בשבת אינם אוסרים עליהם » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב). On several points of these two seifim, the commentators differ (section 5).
Does a non-Jew who enters to lodge temporarily forbid carrying to the Jews of the courtyard? Seif א answers according to the permission to enter and the habit of coming: « עכו״ם הנכנס לשם אכסנאות אם נכנס שלא ברשות אינו אוסר לעולם ואם נכנס ברשות אם הוא רגיל לבא אוסר מיד ואם אינו רגיל אינו אוסר עד לאחר שלשים יום » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א). Seif ב deals with the men of the king's army: « אנשי חיל המלך שנכנסו בבתי היהודים בין בחזקה בין ברצון אם יש לבעלי בתים באותם מקומות שנכנסו העכו״ם כלים שאסור לטלטלם בשבת אינם אוסרים עליהם » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב). On several points of these two seifim, the commentators differ (section 5).
2. The condensed key concepts
| Concept | Definition | In the seif |
|---|---|---|
| לשם אכסנאות | To lodge temporarily: « ר״ל שלא נכנס לשם לקבוע שם דירתו אלא לפי שעה להתאכסן שם » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק א) — he did not enter to fix his dwelling there, but for a time | Seif א: this is the case of the whole seif |
| שלא ברשות | Without permission: « לאו דוקא אלא ר״ל שלא נכנס ברשות » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — not to be taken literally: he did not enter with permission | Seif א: he never forbids |
| נכנס ברשות | Entered with permission: « ר״ל שהשאילו או השכירו חדר מיוחד להתאכסן שם » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ג) — a room set aside for lodging was lent or rented to him. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav: « וְאִם נִכְנַס בִּרְשׁוּת, שֶׁהִשְׂכִּירוּ אוֹ הִשְׁאִילוּ לוֹ חֶדֶר מְיֻחָד לַאֲכִילָה » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) — a room set aside for eating | Seif א: he forbids, immediately or after thirty days. On the non-Jew who has a debt on the house, the commentators differ (section 5) |
| רגיל לבא | Accustomed to come: « היינו שרגיל לבוא תמיד להתאכסן שם ועי״ז חשוב כקבוע וצריך לשכור ממנו הרשות » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ד) — he always comes to lodge there; he is thereby counted as settled, and one must rent his right from him | Seif א: he forbids immediately |
| שלשים יום | Thirty days: « דעד זמן זה חשוב כאורח ואינו אוסר » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ה) — until then, he counts as a guest and does not forbid; the Mishnah Berurah refers to the end of siman 370 | Seif א: if he is not accustomed to come, he forbids only after thirty days |
| כלים שאסור לטלטלם | Objects that it is forbidden to move: « דתו הו״ל האי עכו״ם אצלו רק כאורח לפי שעה » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ח) — this non-Jew is then for him only a guest for a time. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav writes « כֵּלִים שֶׁאֵינָם נִטָּלִים בְּשַׁבָּת » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) | Seif ב: the men of the king's army do not forbid. On the kind of objects required, and on the case where there are none, see section 5 |
3. Structure of the siman — from the temporary lodger to the men of the king's army
Seif א — entered without permission: the non-Jew who enters to lodge temporarily never forbids.
↓
Seif א — entered with permission, accustomed to come: he forbids immediately.
↓
Seif א — entered with permission, not accustomed: he forbids only after thirty days.
↓
Seif ב — the men of the king's army: having entered the houses of the Jews, by force or willingly, they do not forbid if the householders have, in those places, objects that it is forbidden to move on Shabbos.
The Shulchan Aruch HaRav writes the two seifim as one (384:1). It adds, in parentheses, that all this concerns temporary lodgers, and it writes a different rule for one who rents his house to a non-Jew on a settled basis (Level 4, point ג; section 5).
4. Decision tree — does the non-Jew lodging in the courtyard forbid?
Q1: Did the non-Jew who lodges temporarily enter with permission? (seif א)
↓ NO → he never forbids (seif א); one merely received as a guest, without a loan or rental, never forbids, according to the Biur Halachah (Level 1, section 6). YES — a room set aside for lodging was lent or rented to him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ג) → Q2. On the non-Jew who has a debt on the house, the commentators differ (section 5).
Q2: Is he accustomed to come? (seif א)
↓ YES → he forbids immediately; one must then rent his right from him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ד). NO → he forbids only after thirty days; until then, he counts as a guest (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ה).
Q3: Is this about the men of the king's army who entered the houses of the Jews? (seif ב)
↓ If the householders have, in those places, objects that it is forbidden to move on Shabbos → they do not forbid, whether they entered by force or willingly (seif ב). On those who entered by force, on the case where there are no such objects, and on the kind of objects, the commentators differ (section 5).
→ At the slightest doubt: consult your Rav.
5. Where the commentators differ — the debt, the soldiers, the objects, the house rented on a settled basis
summary: the table condenses, point by point, what Levels 1 and 4 carry; Level 2 gives each view in its own words. This page does not decide.
| Point | The Mechaber | The commentators | The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Level 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The non-Jew who has a debt on the house (seif א) | The seif does not name this case; it writes « ואם נכנס ברשות » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א) without saying what it is | The Magen Avraham proposes (נ״ל) that he counts as having entered with permission: « נ״ל דעכו״ם שיש לו חוב על הבית מקרי ברשות » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק א). The Mishnah Berurah reports him, and adds that some are lenient: « כתב מג״א דעכו״ם שיש לו חוב על הבית ונכנס שלא ברשות בעד חובו מיקרי ברשות ואוסר ויש מקילין בזה » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ג) | It writes, in the body of the law and without reservation, that the non-Jew who has a debt on the house is called "entered with permission" (384:1) |
| The men of the king's army who entered by force, and the case where there are no objects (seif ב) | « בין בחזקה בין ברצון » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב); the seif sets out only the case where the householders have, in those places, « כלים שאסור לטלטלם בשבת » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב) | The Magen Avraham: « צ״ע דבס״א כ׳ דשלא ברשות אינו אוסר » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — this needs examination, since in seif א one who enters without permission does not forbid; « ואפשר דס״ל דחיל המלך כברשות דמי דדינא דמלכותא דינא » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — it is possible [that the Mechaber] holds the king's army to be like one who entered with permission, since the law of the kingdom is the law; « אבל ברשב״א משמע דחיל המלך שוה לשאר עכו״ם עבב״י וצ״ע » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — but from the Rashba it seems that it is like other non-Jews, and this needs examination; and « ועכ״פ אינן אוסרים פחות מל׳ יום אם אין רגילין לבוא » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — in any case, they do not forbid before thirty days if they are not accustomed to come. The Taz, who writes that this seif comes from a responsum of the Rashba, objects to it from the rule the Maggid Mishneh writes in the name of the Rashba: « דאם השאיל לו או השכיר ביתו לעכו״ם אינו אוסר דלא השאיל לו אדעתא דליאסר עליו א״כ הכא אמאי יאסרו אנשי חיל עליו כל שאין לבעלי בתים כלים שם וצ״ע רב » (ט״ז או״ח שפ״ד ס״ק א) — if one lent or rented one's house to a non-Jew, he does not forbid; why then would the men of the army forbid when the householders have no objects there? This needs much examination. The Mishnah Berurah reports the commentators' answer: it speaks of lodging under the law of the kingdom, and then he forbids even without the householder's consent, since the officer holds this right from the kingdom, and it is like entering with permission; if the officer departs from the law the king gave and acts by force, he is like other non-Jews and does not forbid (ס״ק ו); then « ובספר משכנות יעקב סי׳ קי״ב חולק לגמרי על פסק המחבר ודעתו דלגבי אנשי חיל תמיד ברשות בעלים קיימא ושמן עליו ובכל גווני אינו אוסר » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ו) — the Mishkenos Yaakov entirely disputes the Mechaber's ruling: in his view, the men of the army do not forbid in any case. Without tefisas yad, the commentators diverge: Level 2, section 6 | With such objects: « וְאַנְשֵׁי חֵיל הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בְּבָתֵּי הַיְּהוּדִים, מֵהֶם בְּחָזְקָה וּמֵהֶם בְּרָצוֹן, אִם יֵשׁ לְבַעֲלֵי בָתִּים בְּאוֹתָם חֲדָרִים שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָּהֶם הַנָּכְרִים כֵּלִים שֶׁאֵינָם נִטָּלִים בְּשַׁבָּת — אֵינָם אוֹסְרִים עֲלֵיהֶם בְּכָל עִנְיָן » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) — they do not forbid in any case. Otherwise: « וְאִם לָאו — אוֹסְרִים בַּחֲצֵרוֹת שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָּהֶן בִּרְשׁוּת לְאַחַר ל׳ יוֹם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָם רְגִילִים לָבֹא שָׁם. אֲבָל הַנִּכְנָסִים בְּחָזְקָה אֵינָם אוֹסְרִים לְעוֹלָם » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) — those who entered with permission forbid after thirty days, even if they are not accustomed to come; those who enter by force never forbid |
| The kind of objects (seif ב) | « כלים שאסור לטלטלם בשבת » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב) | The Magen Avraham: « ואם יש לישראל רשות להניח כלים בחדרם אין אוסרים » (מגן אברהם שפ״ד ס״ק ב) — if the Jew has the right to place objects in their room, they do not forbid. According to the Biur Halachah, the Chayei Adam understands this sentence as a leniency on the kind of objects; he himself limits it to the case of soldiers who entered by force: « וע״כ נלפענ״ד דדברי המגן אברהם קאי רק אדלעיל כשנכנס בחזקה » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד) — it seems to me that the words of the Magen Avraham refer only to what precedes, when he entered by force (Level 2, section 6). The Biur Halachah reports the poskim who require objects that it is forbidden to move, among them the Alter Rebbe, « וגם הגר״ז העתיק כהשו״ע » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד), and those who lean toward leniency (Level 2, section 6); he concludes: « וא״כ אפשר דיש להקל בשעת הדחק » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד) — it is therefore possible to be lenient in a pressing need | « כֵּלִים שֶׁאֵינָם נִטָּלִים בְּשַׁבָּת » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) — objects that are not taken on Shabbos |
| The house rented to a non-Jew on a settled basis | His two seifim do not make this distinction; the rule of a Jew who rents or lends his house to a non-Jew is in the Rema's gloss on siman 382, seif א (Level 4, point ג) | The Taz already objects from this rule to the men of the king's army (previous row). The Biur Halachah, on seif א, reports the question of the Acharonim: « והקשו האחרונים דהא לעיל בריש סי׳ שפ״ב מבואר בהג״ה דישראל שהשכיר או השאיל ביתו לעכו״ם אינו אוסר עליו » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד); among the answers he reports, that of the Alter Rebbe: « והגר״ז תי׳ דלא מקילינן גבי עכו״ם אלא בשהיה השאלה או השכירות לזמן מרובה דאין סברא שיאסור עליו זמן רב חצירו בשביל העכו״ם משא״כ הכא דאינו אלא אכסנאי לחודש ימים או מעט יותר בזה לא מקילינן כלל גבי עכו״ם טפי מבאורח ישראל » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד) — one is lenient for a non-Jew only if the loan or rental is for a long time, not for a lodger of a month or a little more; then « אבל דעת הגר״א בסי׳ שפ״ב דלא מקילינן כלל בנכרי טפי מבישראל » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד) — according to the Vilna Gaon, one is not more lenient for a non-Jew than for a Jew; and he concludes « ומ״מ לדינא צ״ע אם יש להקל בלא יכול לסלוקי » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד) — for the halachah, it remains to be examined whether to be lenient when one cannot send him away | « וְכָל זֶה בְּאַכְסְנָאִים, שֶׁאֵינָם קְבוּעִים שָׁם » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א); « אֲבָל הַמַּשְׂכִּיר בֵּיתוֹ לְנָכְרִי לָדוּר בּוֹ בִּקְבִיעוּת שָׁנָה אוֹ שְׁנָתַיִם — אֵינוֹ אוֹסֵר בְּכָל עִנְיָן, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי לֹא הִשְׂכִּיר לוֹ בֵּיתוֹ עַל דַּעַת שֶׁיֶּאֱסֹר עָלָיו בִּקְבִיעוּת כָּל הַשָּׁנָה כֻלָּהּ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן שפ״ב » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א) — all this concerns temporary lodgers; when one rents one's house to a non-Jew to live in it on a settled basis, a year or two, [the non-Jew] does not forbid in any case |
This page does not decide these points: consult your Rav.
6. Mnemonic — one word per seif
Two seifim, two words taken from their text, in order:
א — לשם אכסנאות: the non-Jew who enters to lodge temporarily — without permission, he never forbids; with permission, immediately if he is accustomed to come, after thirty days if not.
ב — חיל המלך: the men of the king's army do not forbid if the householders have, in those places, objects that it is forbidden to move on Shabbos; the rest is debated (section 5).
7. Pitfalls to avoid
Pitfall 1: Thinking that every non-Jew lodging in the courtyard forbids. Seif א: « אם נכנס שלא ברשות אינו אוסר לעולם » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א); and the Mishnah Berurah: « לאו דוקא אלא ר״ל שלא נכנס ברשות » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ב). One merely received as a guest, according to the Biur Halachah: « דאם נתארח אצלו בעלמא מבלי שאלה או שכירות בודאי אינו אוסר לעולם מדיכול לסלוקי בכל עת ובכל שעה » (ביאור הלכה שפ״ד).
Pitfall 2: Thinking that one who entered with permission always forbids immediately. Only if he is accustomed to come: « ואם נכנס ברשות אם הוא רגיל לבא אוסר מיד » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א); otherwise, « ואם אינו רגיל אינו אוסר עד לאחר שלשים יום » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:א); and the Mishnah Berurah explains: « דעד זמן זה חשוב כאורח ואינו אוסר » (משנה ברורה שפ״ד ס״ק ה).
Pitfall 3: Thinking that seif ב settles every case of the men of the king's army. It sets out only the case where the householders have, in those places, « כלים שאסור לטלטלם בשבת » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב): then they do not forbid, « בין בחזקה בין ברצון » (שו״ע או״ח שפ״ד:ב). On those who entered by force, on the case where there are no such objects, and on the kind of objects, the commentators differ: see section 5.
Pitfall 4: Applying this siman to a non-Jew to whom one rents one's house to live in it on a settled basis. Seif א speaks of one who enters לשם אכסנאות, to lodge temporarily; the Shulchan Aruch HaRav specifies « וְכָל זֶה בְּאַכְסְנָאִים, שֶׁאֵינָם קְבוּעִים שָׁם » (שו״ע הרב שפ״ד:א), and writes a different rule for the house rented on a settled basis; on that rule, the Acharonim differ: see section 5.
Pitfall 5: Mixing the two numberings. Levels 1 to 3 follow the Shulchan Aruch of the Mechaber, which writes this siman in 2 seifim; Level 4 follows the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, which writes it in a single seif (384:1), corresponding to both seifim of the Mechaber.
8. Practical cases
| Situation | Analysis | Conduct |
|---|---|---|
| A non-Jew lodges a few nights with one of the Jews of the courtyard | The site's application, seif א: entered without permission, he never forbids; entered with permission — a room set aside for lodging was lent or rented to him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ג) — and not accustomed to come, he forbids only after thirty days; one merely received as a guest, without a loan or rental, does not forbid, according to the Biur Halachah | Consult your Rav |
| The same non-Jew comes to lodge each time he passes through | The site's application, seif א: entered with permission and accustomed to come, he forbids immediately; one must then rent his right from him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ד) | Rent his right from him; consult your Rav |
| A Jew of the courtyard rents his house to a non-Jew to live in it on a settled basis, a year or two | The Shulchan Aruch HaRav writes that [the non-Jew] does not forbid [the landlord] in any case, since he certainly did not rent him his house so that he would impose a prohibition on him on a fixed basis, the whole year, and that the rules of the temporary lodger concern those who are not settled there (384:1); the Acharonim differ on this distinction (section 5) | Consult your Rav |
9. Final synthesis table
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject of the siman | The non-Jew lodging temporarily, whether he hinders (עכו״ם אכסנאי אם מעכב); and the men of the king's army who entered the houses of the Jews |
| Place | In Sefaria's index, the section הלכות עירובין of the Shulchan Aruch begins at siman 345. Siman שפ״ד follows siman 383 and precedes siman 385 |
| Number of seifim | 2 seifim (Mechaber) — 1 seif in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav |
| Mishnah Berurah | 9 ס״ק on this siman: א to ה on seif א, ו to ט on seif ב |
| Glosses of the Rema | None, in the text Sefaria serves (Maginei Eretz edition) |
| Kuntres Acharon | Sefaria gives no Kuntres Acharon entry for this siman (Level 4) |
| Cross-references | The Mishnah Berurah refers to siman 370 (ס״ק ה and ח); the Shulchan Aruch HaRav refers to simanim 370 and 382 |
| Gemara sources and Rishonim | See Level 2 |
| Golden rule | The non-Jew who entered to lodge temporarily forbids only if he entered with permission — immediately if he is accustomed to come, after thirty days if not (seif א); the men of the king's army do not forbid when the householders have, in those places, objects that it is forbidden to move on Shabbos (seif ב) |
| Practical ruling | For each case, the rule of its seif; on the points of section 5, the commentators differ; consult your Rav |
10. The practical commandments of Siman שפ״ד
For daily conduct
- The non-Jew who entered without permission to lodge temporarily never forbids (seif א).
- Entered with permission: if he is accustomed to come, he forbids immediately, and one must rent his right from him (Mishnah Berurah, ס״ק ד); if not, he forbids only after thirty days (seif א). On the non-Jew who has a debt on the house, the commentators differ (section 5).
- The men of the king's army, entered by force or willingly, do not forbid if the householders have, in those places, objects that it is forbidden to move on Shabbos (seif ב); on those who entered by force, on the case where there are no such objects, and on the kind of objects, the commentators differ (section 5).
- The house rented to a non-Jew on a settled basis, a year or two: the Shulchan Aruch HaRav writes that [the non-Jew] does not forbid [the landlord] in any case, since he certainly did not rent him his house so that he would impose a prohibition on him on a fixed basis, the whole year (384:1); the Acharonim differ on this distinction (section 5).
- In case of doubt — consult your Rav. In-depth pilpul — Level 2; Chabad shitah — Level 4.
📚 Recap of the study path
You have studied Siman שפ״ד in 3 levels:
You have studied Siman שפ״ד in 3 levels:
- 🌱 Level 1 — Foundations: the text of the Mechaber seif by seif, with no gloss of the Rema, English translation, halakhic concepts
- ⚡ Level 2 — Lamdan: Gemara sources, shittos of the Rishonim, machlokesim, nafka minos
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: axiom, mnemonic, decision tree, practical commandments