Monday, November 2, 2020

Who owns the airspace between two courtyards? TB Eruvin 85

We’ve been learning who has access rights of a middle ground between two courtyards. We have established that if both courtyards have equal access to that middle ground and have not made a joint eruv, neither has access rights to it. An example would be a wall that is 10 tefakhim tall and 4 x 4 tefakhim wide separating two courtyards. If both courtyards have equal access to the top of the wall, neither may use it unless they make a joint eruv. Today’s daf TB Eruvin discusses whether this ruling applies to airspace rights.

“If a cistern in a small alleyway between two courtyards is separated by four handbreadths (tefakhim) from the wall of one courtyard and by four handbreadths from the wall of another courtyard, the resident of this courtyard may extend a ledge of minimal size from his window in the direction of the cistern, as a sign that he is not using the domain of the other, and he may subsequently proceed to draw water from the cistern through the window. And the resident of the other courtyard may likewise extend a ledge of minimal size and draw water from the cistern through his widow. And Rav Yehuda himself said: An actual ledge is unnecessary, as it is enough even if one merely extends a simple reed.

“Abaye said to Rav Yosef: This ruling of Rav Yehuda, that some minimal sort of adjustment is required, is in accordance with the opinion of his teacher, Shmuel. Since if he holds in accordance with the opinion of his other teacher, Rav, this would present a difficulty, as didn’t Rav say: One person does not render it prohibited for another person to perform an action by way of the air, if the place he is using is four handbreadths away from him? Consequently, not even a reed is required.” (Sefaria.org translation) Rashi in his commentary adds that this cistern is only accessible to the two courtyards via windows and not by foot because of the enclosing walls surrounding the courtyards.

Both Rav and Shmuel agree that the rights of airspace is awarded to both courtyards because airspace is different from the middle ground below it. One person does not impose restrictions upon another person by way of the air. Shmuel just requires a protrusion whether it is a ledge or a reed as a reminder the airspace is different than the middle ground. Rambam poskins when a cistern is between two courtyards even a greater distance of four tefakhim both may draw water from it. One doesn’t even need a ledge and they don’t prohibit the other from using the cistern. (Migdal Oz on Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Eruvin, 3:23)[1] The Rama on the Shulkkan Arukh[2] adds that the water must be drawn via the windows and some rule if that if the cistern is not separated by four tefakhim, neither courtyard may draw water from it. (Orekh Hayyim, 376:2)



[1] תבה מכח הא דגרסינן בפ' כיצד משתתפין אמר רב יהודה בור שבין שתי רשויות וי"ג חצרות מופלגת מכותל זה ארבעה ומכותל זה ארבעה זה מוציא זיז כל שהוא וממלא וכן זה ורב יהודה דידיה אמר אפילו קניא א"ל אביי לרב יוסף הא דרב יהודה דשמואל היא דאי רב האמר אין אדם אוסר על חבירו דרך אויר. ופירש"י ז"ל ורבותינו בעלי התוספות ז"ל מימרא זו בשהיה מבוי קטן בין השתי חצירות ושם הוא הבור הזה שאם לא כן תהיה מופלגת מכותל לכותל והאריכו בזה הרבה בפירושן והוא השביל שביאר ר"מ ז"ל בזה ופסק כרב ומטעמא דאמר אביי דקיי"ל רב ושמואל הלכה כרב באיסורי ודכוותה אשכחן בפרק הזורק את הספינה וזה נכון ומפורש כלשון הגמרא ממש ואין בזה ספק:

 

[2] באר שבאמצע השביל בין שני כותלי חצירות אע"פ שהיא מופלגת מכותל זה ד"ט ומכותל זה ד"ט שניהם ממלאים ממנה ואינם צריכים זיזים על גבן שאין אדם אוסר על חבירו דרך אויר: הגה ודוקא כשאין חצרות פתוחות בשביל רק בחלונות (טור והמגיד פ"ג מה' עירובין) וי"א דאם אינן מופלגים ארבעה אוסרים אפילו בכה"ג (ב"י בשם רש"י):

  

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