Eruvin 76 – Window

Two courtyards are considered as two separated areas that must each make their own eruv (common food), and then they can carry in each courtyard. What happens if these two courtyards have a common wall, and in addition there is a window in this wall?

In this situation, the window can help both ways. If they want, they can consider the window as connecting the courtyards, making it in fact one courtyard, and then they can make a common eruv for all the residents in both courtyards, so that they can even pass things through that window. Or, if they prefer, they can say that the window does not matter, that the wall between them is a valid partition, dividing them into separate areas, so that each courtyard can make its own eruv.

This is all true, however, only if the window is at least four hand-breadths tall and four hand-breadths wide, and is within ten hand-breadths from the ground. If it is either too small or too high from the ground – they have no choice and must consider the courtyards as two completely separate areas.

Art: In the Courtyard by Wilson Henry Irvine 1869-1936