The regular case of an alley we have been discussing so far is a dead-end alley, surrounded by courtyards, with each courtyard having a few houses. In order to carry in such alley, a beam across is entrance is required, to remind everyone that carrying in the street is forbidden.
An alley that is completely open on both side is too similar to a street, and it cannot be fixed in the same way; instead, one needs to construct an door-like entrance on one side, even if it is only a few sticks that have the silhouette of a door.
What happens if the alley bends at ninety degrees in the middle? One can say that it is not open, but rather ends in another alley. This is the point of view of Rav, and one can carry in the alley fixed with a beam. Or one can say that it is simply a bent alley, open on both sides, and it is like a street. This is the point of view of Shmuel.
Incidentally, when we spoke of a street, we always implied that if it is wide enough (sixteen amot, about 30 feet), then it is automatically considered a public areas. Not everyone thinks that way; some say that the city needs to have six hundred thousand people living there, and otherwise it is never a public area where the Torah forbade carrying. This last discussion has direct ramifications related to modern-day eruv, which usually permits people carrying in the street – but not according to every opinion.
Art: Rebecca Kerzner - Bent Alley
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