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    Chapter 6 · Carrying and techumin

    The four Shabbat domains

    Lesson 43 of 55 22 min

    Carrying rests on a domain map. The Mishnah and Gemara (Shabbat ו ע״א (6a)) list four: private, public, karmelit and exempt space.

    Lesson goals
    • 01Define each of the four domains
    • 02Understand karmelit as a rabbinic category
    • 03Know the 600,000 test for a public domain
    01

    The map

    רשות היחיד
    An area enclosed by 10-tefach walls, at least 4×4 tefachim.
    רשות הרבים
    A street or market 16 amot wide, and per Rashi - traversed by 600,000 people.
    כרמלית
    An area neither private nor public (field, sea) - carrying rabbinically forbidden.
    מקום פטור
    An area under 4×4 tefachim, raised 3 tefachim - no prohibition.
    02

    Implications

    Two questions follow: from where to where one may carry, and what an eruv can fix. An eruv fixes karmelit, but per many cannot fix a true public domain.

    Practice

    Sketch your street and mark the domains.

    Lesson wrap-up

    A clear domain map - carrying without doubt.

    Check your understanding

    Test yourself before marking the lesson complete.

    Question 1 of 3

    An open field is -

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