meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt_done/Mishnah/Seder Moed/Mishnah Eruvin/English/Open Mishnah.txt"}
text: Mishnah Eruvin
  משנה עירובין
  Open Mishnah
  
  
  Mishnah Eruvin
  
  
  
  
  
  If a <i>mavoy</i> [an alleyway onto which courtyards open] - that [has an entrance with an opening that] is higher than twenty <i>amot</i> [a specific unit of length], one must lower [it in order to separate the <i>mavoy</i> from the public domain]. Rabbi Yehuda says it is not necessary. And if it is wider than ten <i>amot</i>, one must narrow [it in order to separate the <i>mavoy</i> from the public domain]. If there is a <i>tsurat hapetach</i> [two uprights and a crossbar, however slight, halachically effecting a doorway], even though [the entrance] is wider than ten <i>amot</i>, it is not necessary to narrow it.
  The required preparation of a <i>mavoy</i> [to consider its fourth side as separated from the public domain]: Beit Shammai says, "A <i>lechi</i> [A vertical strip at the side of an entrance to a <i>mavoy</i> which permits carrying on Shabbat in the <i>mavoy</i>] and a beam [on top of the entrance]." Beit Hillel says, "A <i>lechi</i> or a beam." Rabbi Eliezer says, "Two <i>lechi</i>." In the name of Rabbi Yishmael, said one student in front of Rabbi Akiva, "Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel did not disagree about [an entrance of] a <i>mavoy</i> that is narrower than four <i>amot</i>, that it is [adequately separated] with either a <i>lechi</i> or a beam. About what did they disagree? About [an entrance of a <i>mavoy</i>] that is from four to ten <i>amot</i>; Beit Shammai says, '[It needs] a <i>lechi</i> and a beam,' but Beit Hillel says, 'Either a <i>lechi</i> or a beam.'" Rabbi Akiva says, "They disagreed about this and that."
  The beam that they spoke [about, must be] wide enough to hold an <i>ariach</i>, and an <i>ariach</i> is half a brick [with a whole brick having the width] of three <i>tefachim</i> [a specific unit of length]. It is enough for the beam to be a <i>tefach</i> wide so that it can hold an <i>ariach</i> sideways.
  [The beam must be] wide enough to hold an <i>ariach</i> and strong enough to hold an <i>ariach</i>. Rabbi Yehuda says, "[It  must only be] wide [enough], even though it is not strong [enough to hold an <i>ariach</i>]."
  If [the beam] is [made of] stubble or reeds, we view it as if it were [made out of] metal. [If it is] bent, we view it as if it were straight. [If it is] rounded, we view it as if it were squared off. Anything [round] that has a circumference of three <i>tefachim</i> has a width of one <i>tefach</i>.
  The <i>lechayayin</i> that they spoke [about], their height [must be] ten <i>tefachim</i>, and their width and thickness can be anything. Rabbi Yose says, "Their width must be three <i>tefachim</i>."
  We can make a <i>lechi</i> from anything - even out of a living thing but Rabbi Yose forbids [doing that]. And [a living thing that is used as a grave cover] imparts impurity according to [the laws of] a grave cover, but Rabbi Meir renders it pure. We [can] write a bill of divorce on [a living animal] but Rabbi Yose Haglili disqualifies [such a bill of divorce].
  If a caravan is camped in a valley and they encircled [the camp] with animal tack; we can carry within [that perimeter], but only if the fence [made from the tack] is ten <i>tefachim</i>  high and the gaps aren't more than the walls. Any gap that is [up to] ten <i>amot</i> is permitted because it is like an opening [doorway]; larger than that is forbidden.
  We may surround [an area] with three ropes, one on top of the other, but only if there is not [a gap of] three <i>tefachim</i>  between one rope and another. The required size of the ropes and their width must be more than a <i>tefach</i>, so that the whole thing be ten <i>tefachim</i>.
  We surround an area with reeds, but only if there is not [a gap of] three <i>tefachim</i>  between one reed and another. They spoke [about allowing these leniencies specifically] concerning a caravan - so says Rabbi Yehuda. The Sages say, "They were only talking about a caravan in the present case [as an example]." Any <i>mechitza</i> [legal partition] which is not [made of] vertical and horizontal [parts] is not a <i>mechitza</i> - so says Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Yehuda. The Sages say, "[Only] one of [those] two things [is required]." [The Rabbis] gave dispensation for four things in an army camp: We can take wood from any place, we are exempt from hand-washing; from [the prohibition to eat] <i>demai</i> [produce from which it is uncertain whether tithes were already taken]; and from the requirement to make an <i>eruv</i> [halachic merging of separate domains by means of setting aside an amount of food in a designated place][in order to carry within the camp].