Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day - Daily Torah Study

1Impurity does not enter a shelter, nor does it depart from it if there is an opening less than a handbreadth by a handbreadth.אאֵין טֻמְאָה נִכְנֶסֶת לְאֹהֶל וְלֹא יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּפָחוֹת מִטֶּפַח עַל טֶפַח.

What is implied? When there is a window between one house and another or between a house and a loft, if it is a square1 handbreadth2 by a handbreadth and there was impurity in one of the structures, the other structure is also impure.3 If the window does not comprise a handbreadth by a handbreadth, impurity does not depart from it, nor does it enter the second structure.כֵּיצַד? חַלּוֹן שֶׁבֵּין בַּיִת לְבַיִת, אוֹ שֶׁבֵּין בַּיִת לַעֲלִיָּה: אִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ טֶפַח עַל טֶפַח מְרֻבָּע, וְהָיְתָה טֻמְאָה בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶן, הַבַּיִת הַשֵּׁנִי טָמֵא; אֵין בַּחַלּוֹן פּוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח - אֵין הַטֻּמְאָה יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלֹא נִכְנֶסֶת לָאֹהֶל הַשֵּׁנִי.

When does the above apply? With regard to a window made by a person4 for functional purposes.5בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּחַלּוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם לְתַשְׁמִישׁ.

When, by contrast, a window was made by man for illumination, that light should enter, its measure is the size of pundiyon.6 Then ritual impurity departs through it.אֲבָל חַלּוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם לְאוֹרָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס מִמֶּנּוּ הָאוֹר - שִׁעוּרוֹ כְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן, וְהַטֻּמְאָה יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ.

What is implied? There was impurity in a house. A person came and stood on the outside, near this window for light or placed a k’li there, or there was a covering on the other side of the wall, the person, the k’li, and everything under the covering to which the impurity passes through becomes impure.כֵּיצַד? הָיְתָה טֻמְאָה בַּבַּיִת, וּבָא אָדָם וְנִסְמַךְ לְחַלּוֹן זֶה שֶׁל מָאוֹר, אוֹ שֶׁהִנִּיחַ בּוֹ כְּלִי, אוֹ שֶׁהֶאֱהִיל עָלָיו אֹהֶל בְּצַד הַכֹּתֶל - נִטְמָא כָּל שֶׁבָּאֹהֶל, שֶׁהַטֻּמְאָה יוֹצְאָה לוֹ.

A window made for light is one that is not covered by a roof, but instead, is open to the sun.וְחַלּוֹן הֶעָשׂוּי לְאוֹרָה, הוּא שֶׁאֵין עָלָיו תִּקְרָה אֶלָּא גָּלוּי הוּא לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ.

2When an aperture was not made through intentional human activity, e.g., it was hollowed out by water or crawling animals, the earth itself cratered, a window had been shuttered close and the shutter was removed, or it had been covered by glass and the glass broke, the minimum measure7 is the full span of a shingle8 which is the size of the head of an ordinary man.בחַלּוֹן הַנַּעֲשָׂה שֶׁלֹּא בִּידֵי אָדָם, כְּגוֹן שֶׁחֲרָרוּהוּ מַיִם אוֹ שְׁרָצִים, אוֹ שֶׁאֲכָלַתּוּ מְלַחַת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה חַלּוֹן פָּקוּק וְנִטַּל הַפְּקָק, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה בּוֹ זְכוּכִית וְנִשְׁבְּרָה - שִׁעוּרוֹ מְלֹא אֶגְרוֹף, וְהוּא כְּרֹאשׁ גָּדוֹל שֶׁל אָדָם.

The above applies provided that the owner did not think of using that aperture for functional purposes. If, however, he thought of using it, the minimum measure is an opening of a handbreadth by a handbreadth. If he thought to use it for light, its measure is the size of a pundiyon. The rationale is that, in these instances, thought is considered equivalent to deed.9וְהוּא, שֶׁלֹּא חָשַׁב עָלָיו לְתַשְׁמִישׁ. אֲבָל אִם חָשַׁב עָלָיו לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, שִׁעוּרוֹ בְּפוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח. חָשַׁב עָלָיו לְמָאוֹר, שִׁעוּרוֹ בְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן; שֶׁהַמַּחְשָׁבָה כַּאן כְּמַעֲשֶׂה.

3The following rules apply when a person began closing a window opened for light and did not complete the task because he did not have sufficient cement or a colleague called him, night fell initiating the Sabbath,10 and there remained a small amount11 open. If a portion the height of two fingerbreadths and the width of a thumbbreadth remain,12 it conveys ritual impurity.13 If it is less than that, it is as if it was closed.גמָאוֹר שֶׁהִתְחִיל לְסָתְמוֹ, וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לְגָמְרוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ טִיט, אוֹ שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁחָשְׁכָה לֵילֵי שַׁבָּת, וְנִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ מְעַט: אִם נִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ רוּם אֶצְבָּעַיִם עַל רֹחַב הַגּוּדָל, מֵבִיא אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה; פָּחוֹת מִכַּאן, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּסָתוּם.

4The following rules apply when there was a large window made for light covered by a lattice or the like.14 If there was one place where there is a hole as large as a pundiyon, it conveys ritual impurity and allows ritual impurity to depart.דחַלּוֹן גָּדוֹל הֶעָשׂוּי לְאוֹרָה, וְהָיָה בָהּ שְׂבָכָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהּ, אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד מִמֶּנָּה כְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן, מֵבִיא אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה וּמוֹצִיא אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה.

If the holes of the lattice are small and not one of them is the size of a pundiyon, it is considered as closed.הָיוּ נִקְבֵי הַשְּׂבָכָה דַּקִּים, וְאֵין בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶן כְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן - הֲרֵי זוֹ כִּסְתוּמָה.

Similarly, when there was a large window made for functional purposes and it was covered by thatchwork coverings15 or shades, if there was empty space a handbreadth by a handbreadth square,16 it conveys ritual impurity and allows ritual impurity to depart. Otherwise, it is considered as closed.וְכֵן חַלּוֹן הָעֲשׂוּיָה לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וּבָהּ (סככות) [סְבָכוֹת] וּרְפָפוֹת: אִם יֵשׁ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד טֶפַח עַל טֶפַח מְרֻבָּע, מֵבִיא וּמוֹצִיא; וְאִם לָאו, הֲרֵי הִיא כִּסְתוּמָה.

5When a window is exposed to the open air, its minimum measure is the size of a pundiyon, because it is made solely for the purpose of light, as we explained.17החַלּוֹן שֶׁהִיא גְלוּיָה לָאֲוִיר, שִׁעוּרָהּ כְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָהּ עֲשׂוּיָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ.

If one builds a house outside this window and thus the window is now under a roof, it is considered as if it is between two structures and its measure is a handbreadth by a handbreadth of empty space.בָּנָה בַּיִת חוּצָה לָהּ, וְנַעֲשֵׂית חַלּוֹן זוֹ תַּחַת תִּקְרָה, וַהֲרֵי הִיא בֵּין שְׁנֵי בָתִּים - שִׁעוּרָהּ בְּפוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח.

If the roof was built in the middle of the window, the measure for the lower portion that is below the roof is a handbreadth by a handbreadth of empty space. The measure of the upper portion that is above the roof is the size of a pundiyon, because it is exposed to the open air.נָתַן אֶת הַתִּקְרָה בְּאֶמְצַע הַחַלּוֹן - הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁתַּחַת הַתִּקְרָה, שִׁעוּרוֹ בְּפוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח; וְהָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִן הַתִּקְרָה, שִׁעוּרוֹ בְּפֻנְדְּיוֹן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא גָּלוּי לָאֲוִיר.

6The following rules apply in the situations to be described: There is a hole in a door,18 a carpenter left an empty place above or below or hung two swinging doors and did not complete adjusting them and thus there was empty space between the two doors,19 or he closed the door and it was blown open by the wind. In all these situations, if the opening was the size of a shingle,20 the impurity leaves through this opening and enters through it. If the opening is less than the size of a shingle, it is considered as closed.והַחוֹר שֶׁבַּדֶּלֶת, אוֹ שֶׁשִּׁיֵּר בָּהּ הֶחָרָשׁ מָקוֹם פָּתוּחַ מִלְמַעְלָה אוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה, אוֹ שֶׁהֵגִיף אֶת הַדֶּלֶת וְלֹא גָמַר לְהַדְּקָהּ, וְנִשְׁאַר אֲוִיר בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַדְּלָתוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁסָּגַר הַדֶּלֶת וּפְתָחוֹ הָרוּחַ, בְּכָל אֵלּוּ: אִם הָיָה הַפּוֹתֵחַ כְּאֶגְרוֹף, הַטֻּמְאָה יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִכְנֶסֶת לָהּ בְּמָקוֹם פָּתוּחַ זֶה; וְאִם הָיָה פָּחוֹת מִכְּאֶגְרוֹף, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּסָתוּם.

7When a person makes a hole in a wall in order to place a rod or a large nail21 there, to see those who pass by, or to speak to his colleague, it is considered as a window made for functional purposes and its minimum measure is a space a handbreadth by a handbreadth.זהָעוֹשֶׂה חוֹר בַּכֹּתֶל, כְּדֵי לְהַנִּיחַ בּוֹ קָנֶה אוֹ מַסְמֵר גָּדוֹל, אוֹ לִרְאוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ הָעוֹבְרִים וְהַשָּׁבִים, אוֹ לְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ - הֲרֵי זֶה כְּחַלּוֹן הָעֲשׂוּיָה לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְשִׁעוּרָהּ בְּפוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח.

Footnotes

As mentioned in the notes to Chapter 12, Halachah 1, the term “square” is added to emphasize that both the width and the length must be at least a handbreadth. If the opening is only half a handbreadth wide, it is not considered as an opening even if it is several handbreadths long.

A Talmudic measure equal to 8 cm according to Shiurei Torah and 9.6 cm according to Chazon Ish.

I.e., the impurity spreads from one structure to the other through the window.

In contrast to a naturally made aperture, as described in the following halachah.

I.e., to pass articles through or the like.

An Italian coin used in the Talmudic period. It was worth one twelth of a dinar (Hilchot Shekalim 1:3) and equal in weight to eight barley corns [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 17:12)]. Ohalot 13:1 identifies it with “the size of a drill bit.”

For ritual impurity to pass through it.

Our translation is based on Rav Kappach’s translation of the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim, loc. cit.) who interprets “this refers to the shingles of ben Avatiach,” as referring to a well known shingle maker in the Talmudic era. Others interpret egrof as meaning “fist” and ben Avtiach (or ben Batiach) as a renowned giant.

Since the aperture was already made, the owner’s intent is sufficient to determine its status.

10.

When it is forbidden to complete the task.

11.

I.e., there remained more than the size of pundiyon of open space. Nevertheless, since the person began closing the window, there is room for some leniency.

12.

The Rambam’s wording has attracted the notice of the commentaries, because in Hilchot Nesiat Kapayim 15:4 and Hilchot Shabbat 17:36, the Rambam speaks of a measure of two fingerbreadths and identifies a fingerbreadth as a thumbreadth. Why then does he use two different terms here? Although he is quoting Ohalot 13:1, either the wording there should raise questions about his general approach or he would have to explain that this is an exception. Indeed, Tifferet Yisrael and other commentaries to the Mishnah maintain that here, the term fingerbreadth refers to the width of the finger next to the thumb.

13.

I.e., if ritual impurity is found in an adjoining house, it can enter through this aperture [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Ohalot 13:2)].

14.

In contemporary terms, a screen.

15.

Our translation is based on the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit.).

16.

See note 1 of this chapter.

17.

Halachah 1.

18.

This is not considered as a hole that provides light, because it was not made for that purpose [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Ohalot 13:4)]. From the comments of the Nekudot HaKessef (Yoreh De’ah 371), it would appear that if the hole was made for a specific purpose, it is governed by the rules applying to holes made for that purpose.

19.

The same principle applies if there is empty space between the door and the door post.

20.

Le, the size of an ordinary person’s head, as stated in Halachah 2.

21.

For a lock to the door [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Ohalot 13:5)]. The Ra’avad questions the Rambam’s interpretation of the terminology used by the Mishnah, but, according to either interpretation, we are speaking about a hole made for storage.

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