Eruvin 83b — the Talmud in English

They separated ḥalla

in order to establish

the measure of

your doughs.

And how much

is the measure of

your doughs? —

The measure

of

the dough of the wilderness.

And how much

is the measure of

the dough of the wilderness? —

For it is written: “And the omer is a tenth of an eifa.”

In an eifa there are three se'a, which are 18 kav, and in them there are 72 log [a log is one quarter of a kav].

Accordingly, a tenth of an eifa is 7.2 log [seven quarters of a kav plus one fifth]. [

A fifth of a log is one egg and a fifth].

From here they said:

a dough in which there are

seven quarters [

log] of wilderness

flour and additionally

an egg and a fifth —

is obligated in ḥalla.

Which are six

quarters

of the Jerusalem measure.

For if we subtract one sixth [1.2 log] from seven and a fifth log, we obtain six log. 1.2 = 7.2 / 6 6 = 7.2 - 1.2

Which are five of the Tzippori measure.

For if we subtract one sixth from six, we obtain five.

From here they said: One who eats this measure is healthy

because he eats all that he needs,

and blessed

in that he does not eat excessively [see Rashi].

More than this —

a glutton.

Less than this —

disordered in his intestines.

Mishna:

A courtyard from which one ascends by a ladder to a gallery, and onto the gallery open upper chambers, and the residents of the upper chambers ascend by means of steps [a ladder], and pass through the gallery to their chambers.

Although the residents of the upper chambers tread [go out and enter] through the courtyard to the public domain, we do not say that the residents of the gallery prohibit the residents of the courtyard, as in two courtyards, one within the other, where the inner one prohibits the outer one [if they did not make an eruv between them, as brought above, page 75a]. [

See illustration]

Since we say: because the gallery is higher than the courtyard by ten handbreadths, the ladder of steps by which one ascends to it has the status of a “partition”; and since this is so, they do not prohibit one another [the Ritba in his understanding of Rashi; see there. And see Gaon Yaakov, who explained it in another manner].

However, although on the one hand we assign the ladder of steps the status of a partition, on the other hand it has the status of an “opening,” for the ladder is always treated leniently.

Therefore: if the residents of the gallery and the residents of the courtyard wished to make an eruv between them, they make an eruv as do other courtyards that have an opening between them; they are not like courtyards that have a partition without an opening between them, which cannot make an eruv together.

The residents of a courtyard and the residents of a gallery who forgot and did not make an eruv

between them, and these made an eruv for themselves and those made an eruv for themselves —

every

mound or pillar found in the courtyard

that is ten handbreadths high

and whose use is not convenient for the residents of the courtyard — they give it

to

the residents of the

gallery.

That is to say: the domain of the gallery “controls” it, and only the residents of the gallery use it, whereas the residents of the courtyard are prohibited from carrying from their domain into it.

But one that is

less than this in height,

whose use is convenient for the residents of the courtyard — they give it

to the courtyard! [

See illustration]

And the reason will be explained in the Gemara.

The surrounding mound of the pit [

earth that was removed when digging the pit, with which they surrounded the mouth of the pit],

and

likewise

the rock:

if

they are ten handbreadths high,

and it follows that, in order to draw water from the pit, the residents of the courtyard must leap a height of ten handbreadths, or that, in order to use the rock, they must throw to a height of ten handbreadths — they give them

to the gallery.

Less than this —

they give it

to the courtyard.

And the reason will be explained in the Gemara.

In what case are these words said? In

a case where the surrounding mound was

adjacent

to the gallery, so that its use was convenient for the residents of the gallery.

But when it is distant

from it, then

even if

the rock or the surrounding mound is

ten handbreadths high —

they give them

to the courtyard.

And the reason will be explained in the Gemara.

And which is adjacent

to the gallery?

Any place that is not distant

from it

by four handbreadths.

Gemara:

The following discussion is explained according to the Ritba. See what the Ritba, Tosafot of Rabbi Asher, and Gaon Yaakov questioned concerning Rashi’s interpretation.

It is obvious

to us, and there is not even a need to explain and teach this law because of its great obviousness, that when there are two courtyards that did not make an eruv between them, and there is one domain — four by four, the measure of a domain — adjacent to both courtyards and used by them,

if the use of that domain is equally convenient for both domains,

for example,

for this one [for one courtyard]

by an opening,

that this domain was lower than ten handbreadths on the side of the one courtyard, and consequently the use of the residents of the courtyard in that domain adjacent to them is convenient use, like an opening, through which it is convenient to enter,

and

also

for this one

by an opening,

for that domain was also lower than ten handbreadths on its other side,

then the law of this domain is that it “belongs” to both courtyards, and both are prohibited from carrying from the house to the domain, and from it to the house in each courtyard.

And the proof that this law is obvious and there is no need to explain it is that

this is

the Mishna above, in which we learned:

A window between two courtyards —

they make two eruvin, and if they wish, they make one eruv.

And the tanna did not trouble to make known to us the law of the place of the window itself, if they did not make one eruv together, to whom it belongs, just as he made known to us the law of use of the wall between two courtyards, in the Mishna after it!

As we learned there: A wall between two courtyards, ten high and four wide — they make two eruvin and do not make one.

If there were fruits on top of it [the wall], these ascend from here and eat, and those ascend from there and eat, provided that they do not lower them below, because it is a domain belonging to both of them, and both are prohibited from carrying to it and from it, since they did not make an eruv between them.

And inevitably, the reason the tanna did not make known to us the law of the window itself with regard to use is that it is obvious that it belongs to both courtyards and that carrying from it and to it is prohibited, since they did not make an eruv between them.

This is not so with regard to the wall between two courtyards, which appears to divide off a domain for itself; therefore the tanna had to make known to us that its law too is like that of a window, belonging to both domains, and that carrying to it and from it is prohibited.

And it is likewise obvious [though it is necessary to explain it] that if that domain between them was used

for this one by throwing

to a height of ten handbreadths,

and for this one by throwing [

if it was ten high on both its sides] — both courtyards are prohibited in that domain, since it belongs to both of them!

For

this is

the Mishna that we brought above:

A wall between two courtyards,

ten high and four wide, and provided that they do not lower them below! And it is likewise obvious to us, and there is no need to explain it, that if the domain was used

for this one by lowering

to a depth of ten,

and for this one by lowering

to a depth of ten, both are prohibited in it!

For

this is

the Mishna above:

A ditch between two courtyards,

ten deep and four wide — they make two eruvin and do not make one. And the tanna did not trouble to make known to us that they are prohibited in it [as with the wall], because of its obviousness [according to Gaon Yaakov].

And this law of the domain is likewise obvious to us if it was used

for this one by an opening and for this one by throwing.

For

this is

the matter

that

was stated above by

Rabba bar Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Naḥman:

A wall between two courtyards, one of whose sides is ten handbreadths high and whose other side is level with the ground [less than ten] — they give it to the one whose side is level with the ground. For it is: for this one its use is easy [by an opening], and for this one its use is difficult [since he uses it by throwing]. [See illustration]

And every place that is used easily for this one and with difficulty for that one — they give it to the one whose use is easy!

And this law of the domain is likewise obvious to us if it was used

for this one by an opening, and for this one by lowering

ten.

For

this is

the matter

that

was stated above by

Rav Shizbi said in the name of Rav Naḥman:

A ditch between two courtyards, one of whose sides is ten handbreadths deep and whose other side is level with the ground [the ground was lower on this side of the ditch, and the ditch was less than ten handbreadths deep from it] — they give it to the one whose side is level with the ground, because it is: for this one its use is easy [by an opening], and for this one its use is difficult. For he uses it by lowering].

But this was a question for us:

If the domain was used

for this one by lowering [

one courtyard was ten handbreadths higher than it],

and for this one by throwing [

the second courtyard was ten handbreadths lower than the domain] —

what? [

See illustration 1]

Rav said: Both are prohibited,

since for both of them it is used with difficulty.

And Shmuel said: They give it to the one by lowering.

For for this one its use is easy,

since lowering, in relation to throwing, is easy use, and

for this one its use is difficult.

And every thing whose use is easy for this one and difficult for that one —

they give it to the one whose use is easy.

We learned

in our Mishna:

The residents of a courtyard and the residents of a gallery who forgot and did not make an eruv, anything that is ten handbreadths high —

to the gallery.

Less than this —

to the courtyard.

It entered your mind

of the residents of the academy:

What is

“gallery” —