Study Eruvin folio 101A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מתני׳ הדלת שבמוקצה, וחדקים שבפרצה, ומחצלות — אין נועלין בהן אלא אם כן גבוהים מן הארץ.
Mishnah: With regard to the door to a rear court, i.e., a door that opens from a house to the courtyard situated behind it, which is typically not a proper door but merely a wooden board without hinges that closes off the doorway; and likewise bundles of thorns that seal a breach; and reed mats, one may not close an opening with them on Shabbat. This would be considered building or completing a building, unless they remain above the ground even when they are open.
גמ׳ ורמינהו: דלת הנגררת ומחצלת הנגררת, וקנקן הנגרר, בזמן שקשורין ותלויין — נועלין בהן בשבת, ואין צריך לומר ביום טוב!
Talmud: And the Talmud raises a contradiction from a baraita: With regard to a door, or a mat, or a lattice [kankan] that drag along the ground and are used for closing up openings, when they are tied and suspended in place one may close an opening with them on Shabbat; and needless to say this is permitted on a Festival. According to the baraita, the critical factor is apparently that they must be tied and suspended, not that they have to be held up above the ground.
אמר אביי: בשיש להם ציר, רבא אמר: בשהיה להן ציר.
Abaye said: The baraita is referring to ones that have a hinge. As they are considered proper doors, closing them does not appear like building. Rava said: The baraita is referring even to doors that once had a hinge, even though they no longer have one. These partitions also bear the clear form of a door, and therefore one’s action does not have the appearance of building.
מיתיבי: דלת הנגררת, ומחצלת הנגררת, וקנקן הנגרר, בזמן שקשורין ותלויין וגבוהים מן הארץ אפילו מלא נימא — נועלין בהן, ואם לאו — אין נועלין בהן!
The Talmud raises an objection from another baraita: With regard to a door, or a mat, or a lattice that drag along the ground, when they are tied and suspended in place and they are held above the ground even by as little as a hairbreadth, one may close an opening with them. However, if they are not raised in this manner, one may not close an opening with them. Clearly, these doors must indeed be raised above the ground as well.