Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 519 - The Permissibility of Removing and Returning the Hinges of Doors for the Sake of a Festival

SECTION 519 The Permissibility of Removing and Returning the Hinges of Doors for the Sake of a Festival (1-9)

1 [The following laws apply to] storefronts that are not attached the ground,1 but instead are made like a cabinet or closet of wood. When [the storekeeper] desires to open the storefront, he removes [its] door,2 taking it away from the storefront entirely. [The storekeeper] is permitted to remove the door from the storefront on a festival3 in order to take spices that he needs [to enhance] his festive joy.

After [the storekeeper] takes the spices, he is also permitted to return the door and affix it to the storefront as it was before.³ [This license was granted because] if he was not permitted to return [the door], he would not desire to open [the storefront] out of concern that [its contents] would be stolen.³ [As a result,] he would refrain from rejoicing [appropriately] on the festival.4

When does the above apply? When the storefront is located in a place where there is [a valid] concern [that its contents may] be stolen. If, however, [the storefront] is located in a place where there is no concern about theft, e.g., it is [located] in a protected structure, it is forbidden to return the door to the storefront after it was removed and taken off from [the storefront] entirely. [The rationale is that in this instance] returning [the door] is not necessary to [ensure] one [properly] rejoices on the festival.

2 All the above applies when the door has one hinge projecting [from its side, i.e.,] in the middle of its length,³ and when one returns the door to its place, this hinge is inserted into a hole opposite it in the doorpost of the storefront. [See fig. 4] If, however, [the door] has [two] hinges one on top and one below, it is forbidden to return it after it was removed from the storefront entirely.5 (To explain: In that era, all the hinges [were made in a manner that] a pointed edge would project from the top of the door like a spike and another pointed edge would project opposite it from the bottom of the door. [See fig. 5.] In the lintel [of the storefront], there was a hole into which the upper spike would enter and there was another hole in its sill into which the bottom spike would enter.)6

Fig. 4: The door of a storage unit with a hinge at its midpoint

Fig. 5: A closet door that revolves on two hinges

[This prohibition applies] even if there is concern [that the contents of the storefront] would be stolen. [The rationale is that] this is a [restrictive] decree lest one insert the hinge into its hole with force with a hammer or a hatchet. Thus, one would be fixing a k’li on the festival and [therefore,] be liable for [the melachah of] makeh bepatish (“striking with a hammer”)7 or [for the melachah of] building, as stated in sec. 308[:47],8 sec. 313[:14],9 and sec. 314[:17[.10

3 If [the door] does not have a hinge at all – not at the side, nor above, nor below – even if [the storefront] is not located in a place where there is concern about theft, it is permitted to return [the door].³ The [Sages] only instituted the prohibition when [the door] had a hinge in the middle as a [restrictive] decree, [to serve as a safeguard] lest [the door] have a hinge both above and below,11 [in which instance], there is concern that one might forcefully insert [the door]. Therefore, [the owner] was only permitted to return it in a place where there was concern that his festive rejoicing would be prevented [would he not be able to replace the door]. However, when [the door] does not have a hinge at all, no [restrictive] decree was instituted.

4 All the above applies to a storefront that is not attached to the ground. However, if it is attached to the ground, even if the door has only one hinge in the center, it is forbidden to remove it entirely from its place in the hole of the storefront even for the sake of [enhancing] one’s festive rejoicing.12 Needless to say, it is forbidden to return [the door] to its hole after it was removed entirely. This is a decree, [instituted as a safeguard] lest [the door] have hinges both above and below, [in which instance,] one who removes these hinges from their holes is liable for dismantling,13 and one who returns them is liable for building14 even if he does not forcefully insert them, as explained in sec. 313[:17].15

However, if [the door] does not have a hinge at all, even in its center, [more lenient rules apply]. If it was made to be opened and closed on a frequent basis, i.e., it was not made to remain closed without being opened except on rare occasions, but rather is opened and closed every day, the laws that apply to it are [the same] as if it was not attached to the ground, [i.e.,] it is permitted to remove the door entirely from the storefront, and it is permitted to return it even if it is located in a protected structure, following the guidelines explained in sec. 308[:37], sec. 313[:10],16 and sec. 315[:3]17 with regard to the Shabbos [prohibitions]; consult those sources.

5 Utensils made of detachable parts – e.g., a candelabra [made up] of several pieces, a chair or table [made up] of pieces, or a cup that is made up of several portions – may be put together on a holiday18 provided one does not forcefully insert [the pieces],19 i.e., he does not attach them to each other forcefully, using [extra] strength and [excessive] force, so that he is not liable for [the melachos of] building or makeh bepatish. When, however, he does not forcefully insert [the parts], he is permitted [to assemble them].* Although throughout the year, it is common to forcefully insert [the parts], there is no concern that he will forcefully insert [them] on this day, as we do show such concerns regarding Shabbos, as stated in sec. 313[:21] and sec. 279[:8.20 The rationale for the leniency is that the prohibitions and safeguards regarding melachah on] a festival are less severe than those regarding Shabbos. Therefore, [the Sages] did not impose restrictive decrees to such an extent.

[*Note: The reason the Sages] prohibited returning a door that has hinges on top and on bottom [to a storefront on a festival]21 is because it is very likely that [the person] will firmly insert it because there is a hinge above and below.22 [That concern] does not apply in this instance.[

6 When a non-Jew brings a sealed letter to a Jew on a festival, it is permitted for the Jew to open it himself. [The rationale is that] the prohibition against dismantling does not apply regarding utensils.23 True, on Shabbos, [opening a letter] is forbidden according to Rabbinic Law, as explained in sec. 307[:7].24 Nevertheless, [the Sages] were not that stringent regarding a festival [and permitted the recipient to open it himself].

[The above leniency applies] provided [the seal] does not have an image or letters. Were that to be the case, [removing the seal] is forbidden because of erasing, as stated in sec. 340[:4]. Consult that source.25

7 The laws applying to releasing, undoing the braiding, or cutting seals [found] on utensils and in the ground and breaking the fasteners of utensils on festivals are the same as those that apply on Shabbos, as explained in sec. 314[:17]; consult that source.26

8 The laws applying to snapping straw, a sliver of wood, hay, or fragrant pieces of wood and rubbing fragrant pieces of wood on festivals are the same as those that apply on Shabbos, as explained in sec. 322; consult that source.27