Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 375

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 375 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1What things present in a courtyard do not restrict. Containing 4 sections A balcony that serves as a passageway to upper stories opening onto it, standing in the courtyard, accessed by a ladder, with the upper story residents descending from it to the courtyard and passing through to the public domain — they do not restrict the courtyard residents, since a ladder has the status of an opening, making it like two courtyards with an opening between them, where if they wish they may make a joint eruv and if they wish each may make their own eruv — provided all the balcony residents make their own eruv among themselves so that the permitted foot remains in its place.
2. 2If they did not make a joint eruv and there is a mound or pillar in the courtyard shared between the two — if they are not ten handbreadths high, they are considered shared between the courtyard and the balcony and both are forbidden to carry there vessels from the houses. If they are ten handbreadths above the courtyard floor and within ten handbreadths of the balcony and within four handbreadths of the balcony — the balcony residents are permitted since using it is more convenient for them than for the courtyard residents. But if they are four handbreadths or more away from the balcony, even though they are ten handbreadths high from the courtyard and within ten handbreadths of the balcony — they are considered shared between the courtyard and the balcony since both can use them by throwing. Therefore both are forbidden to carry there vessels that rested in the houses until they make an eruv.
3. 3If there was a platform four handbreadths wide in front of the balcony, the balcony does not restrict the courtyard residents since it is thereby separated from them.
4. 4Projections extending from the walls — anything below ten handbreadths is considered part of the courtyard and the courtyard residents may use it. Anything within the upper ten handbreadths adjacent to the upper story — the upper story residents may use it. What remains between the lower ten and the beginning of the upper ten handbreadths — both are forbidden to use it, and neither may use it with vessels that rested in the houses unless they made an eruv.

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