4. Placing a door by an opening without placing it on hinges:

A. Openings that are only sporadically used for entering and exiting from:

-By Doors with hinges:[1] All openings which are not made to be constantly entered and exited from but rather only sporadically, such as for example ones backyard which one does not constantly enter and exit, then if one made for its opening a door that does not spin on a hinge (the definition of a hinge is a piece of sharp wood which protrudes from the door to be inserted into the hole in the sill[2] in order so that the door move back and forth) and rather when one wants to close [the opening] with [this door], one stands [the door] upright over the opening of the doorway in order to close it, then whether this door is made of beams or whether it’s made of mats of bamboo which one hung and placed upright [to be used] as a door, or [another example of the above type of door, if one had] a break [in ones fence of his] garden or courtyard which one closed up with thorns in a way similar to a door, and at times one sporadically opens this door and enters and exits through its break [in the fence] and then goes back and locks it, then [in all the above cases], if there are hinges on these doors or even if currently there aren’t hinges on them but in the past it had hinges which were broken off it and it is still recognizable [that there once were hinges on it], then one is allowed to close them on Shabbos. [The reason for this is] because through the detection of the hinges it is recognizable that they were doors made for opening and closing and it [thus] does not appear like [one is] building [by placing these doors by the doorway].[3] However, one must beware that if they have hinges that one not return the hinge to their sockets as was explained above in Halacha 1.[4]

Tying the door to the opening:[5] Even when [the doors] have hinges, [the Sages] only permitted to close them if they were tied and hung [by that opening] from before Shabbos in order to lock with. In such a case [the Sages] allow one to lock with it, even if when [the door] is opened it drags on the ground and when it is closed one lifts it up and stands it upright on the doorstep, as since they are tied and attached to there from before Shabbos [closing them] does not appear like building on Shabbos.

-By Doors that have no remnant of having had hinges:[6] However, if [these doors] do not have any remnant of having had hinges in the past, then it is forbidden to close them on Shabbos[7], as since they are only meant to be opened sporadically, they thus appear when being used to close [up an opening] like building a permanent wall so long as they are not recognizable as doors.[8]

If the door was strongly tied then it is allowed to be closed it even if it never had hinges:[9] If one tied and established [the door] there in a way that even when they are opened they do not drag on the ground, then even if they are only elevated from the ground a threads worth, they are allowed to be closed even if they do not have the remnant of a hinge. [The reason for this is] because it does not appear like building through closing it being that even when they are opened they are well attached and established there [to the point that they] do not drag on the ground [when opened or closed].[10]

-In all cases, the above allowance does not apply by doors without a threshold or by single plank doors-See below C-D!

 

B. Openings that are constantly used for entering and exiting:[11]

An opening which is made for constant entrance and exit is permitted to be closed even with a door that does not have remnant of a hinge and drags on the ground when opened[12], or even if it is completely removed [from the opening] when one comes to open it due to it not being tied to there at all.[13]

The reason for this is:[14]  because since [this opening] is made to be constantly opened up, it therefore by closing it one is not making a permanent wall but rather a temporary [one], and there is no prohibition in making a temporary wall on Shabbos unless made in ways to be explained in “The Laws of Making an Ohel.”

Regarding if this allowance applies even if the door does not have a threshold and even if it is made of a single plank-See below C-D.

C. Inserting doors into openings that do not have a threshold:[15]

All the above refers to a door[way] that has a lower threshold that one stands [the door] on, as this threshold shows that the door is made for locking purposes and not for building [a wall]. However, if it does not have a threshold and when one locks with it one places it down on the earth and when one opens it one removes and uproots it[16], then since [this opening] does not have the form of a doorway, one is not allowed to close it even if [the door] has a hinge, so long as [the door is not inserted in its socket and thus] does not spin around on its hinge. This applies even if [one tied the door in a way that] it is elevated off the ground, and even if the opening is meant for constant entering and exiting.[17]

Other Opinions:[18] [However,] there are opinions which permit [placing a door] by an [opening that does not have a threshold if the] opening is made for constant entering and exiting.

The Final Ruling:[19] One may be lenient in a [dispute over a] Rabbinical command, [and thus may place a door by even an opening that lacks a threshold if the opening is made for constant entering and exiting].

 

D. Placing a door made of a single plank of wood into a doorway:[20]

The same law [that one may not place the door on Shabbos] applies for a door that is made of a single board [of wood and the like] which when opened one removes [the entire board] and uproots it [from the doorway], as since it is not similar to other doors one is not allowed to close it even if it has a hinge, so long as it does not revolve on its hinge. [This applies] even if [the door is tied in a way that it is completely] elevated from the ground, and even if its [opening] has a threshold, and even if it is made for constant entering and exiting.[21]

The reason for this is: because [placing such a door by the opening] appears like one is building and placing a beam into the wall [so it become an extension of the wall].

Other Opinions:[22] [However,] there are opinions which permit [placing this door] by an opening that is made for constant entering and exiting.

The Final Ruling:[23] One may be lenient in a [dispute over a] Rabbinical prohibition, [and thus may place this type of door by an opening made for constant entering and exiting].

The law by a door made of many beams:[24] However, a door which is made from many beams and [its opening has] a threshold is permitted to be closed according to all opinions if the opening is made for constant entering and exiting, even if upon opening [this door] one completely removes it and uproots it, being that it is not tied at all to the opening[25], and even if it does not have any remnant of a hinge as explained above.

Using many individual beams to close the opening:[26] The same law applies in a case that one closes up [an opening] using many individual beams by inserting the beams into an engraved [line worth of space] by the top and bottom [of the doorframe], as since the door is closed using many beams, they are all considered like a single door which is made of many beams, and it is [thus] permitted to close with even if one completely removes it upon opening it, and even if it has no remnant of any hinges, as long as its opening is made for constant entrance and exit.

Summary of when it is permitted to place a door on Shabbos into an entrance Note: The following laws only relate to placing a door by an entrance without placing it into its hinges.  It is never allowed to place a door into its hinges on Shabbos as will be discussed in the next set of laws.   An opening that is made for sporadic entering and exiting: A door that does not revolve on its hinges may only be placed into an entrance or removed from an entrance if: 1. The door was tied to the entrance from before Shabbos. If the door has hinges, or a remnant of hinges which had broken off it suffices even if it is loosely tied to the entrance, and thus when one opens the door it drags on the ground. However, if the door does not have any remnant of hinges then it must be tied strong enough to the entrance that when opened and closed it remains completely above the ground.[27] And 2. The doorway has a threshold. If it does not have a threshold then the door may never be lifted off or placed there on Shabbos.[28] And 3. The door is made of more than one board.[29] An opening that is made for constant entering and exiting: It is always allowed to place a door into such an entrance or remove it from there, even if the door had not been tied to the entrance from before Shabbos, and even if it does not have any remnant of hinges[30], and may be lenient even if its entrance does not have a threshold[31], and even if the door is made of a single plank of wood.[32] A door that was placed on its hinges from before Shabbos: May be revolved on its hinges [opened and closed but not removed] under all circumstances.[33] Question: [Sunday, 4th Marcheshvan, 5782] We have a side door of our home of which the door came out of its hinges on Friday night. What am I supposed to do? Can I replace it back onto its hinges, or at the very least, may I reinsert the door into the door frame? We use this door regularly to enter and exit our home. Answer: The door may not be replaced onto its hinge on Shabbos, although if the door is used for constant exiting and entering then you may enter it into the doorframe with an irregularity [i.e. without using the palm of your hands or fingers] without entering it into its hinges. Explanation: The replacement of a door back into its area touches upon two prohibitions, one being that of building, and the second being that of Muktzah. Now, regarding the laws of building, it is a clear prohibition to ever insert a door into its hinges on Shabbos, so this option is certainly not available. The only other option that remains is to enter the door into the frame of the doorpost without placing it into the hinges. Now, this too is under restriction due to the building prohibition and is only allowed to be done without the fulfillment of further conditions if the door is meant for constant exiting and entering. Thus, in the above case, if the side door is meant for constant entering and exiting, which is usually the case, then it would be permitted to at least enter it back into the doorframe without placing into the hinges. This however only covers the prohibition of building. Another prohibition that becomes relevant when a door comes off its hinges is the prohibition of Muktzah, and indeed the clear ruling is that a door which came off its hinges whether on or before Shabbos is considered Muktzah, and therefore may only be replaced into the doorpost with an irregularity which is by using the back of the hands or elbows and feet and other parts of the body, which may prove quite difficult. Sources: See regarding the prohibition to place it into hinges: Admur 313:8; 17; 314:19; See regarding the prohibition of removing and replacing a door that is not on hinges: Admur 313:8-10; Michaber 313:3 See regarding the Muktzah prohibition that is relevant to a door: Admur 308:35; Shabbos 122b; M”A 308:38; M”B 308:35; Vetzaruch Iyun why no mention of this issue of Muktzah was made in 313 ibid!

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[1] Admur 313:8; Michaber 313:3; Mishneh Eruvin 101a

^[2] Seemingly this refers to the bottom panel of the door frame, and not the doorpost as is done by most modern doors today.

[3] Admur ibid; Michaber ibid; M”B 313:26 in name of Admur

[4] Admur ibid; Rama 313:3

[5] Admur 313:9; Michaber 313:3

[6] Admur 313:8; Michaber 313:2

^[7] However, see next Halacha regarding their law if they are tied strongly to the opening.

[8] Admur ibid; Rashi Gemara ibid; M”B 313:23

[9] Admur 313:9; Michaber 313:3; Mishneh ibid

[10] Admur ibid; M”B 313:27

[11] Admur 313:10; Michaber 313:3

[12] Admur ibid; implication of Michaber ibid as explains Gr”a and M”B 313:29 and 33

[13] Admur ibid, based on Rama 313:4, as explained in Gra ibid and M”B ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that according to the Michaber ibid it is forbidden to be closed or opened if it is not tied, even if it is meant for constant opening and closing, due to a building prohibition. [Gra ibid; M”B ibid] seemingly this is because in such a case it is considered actual Boneh, or Michzi Keboneh. [see next footnote] The M”B himself rules one may be lenient.

[14] Admur ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim write the reason is because a door meant for contents opening and closing does not appear like one is building. [M”B 313:28 in name of Levush and so wrote Admur in 313:8-9 in explanation of why a Tzir and tying is required] Seemingly this explanation only suffices for the opinion the Michaber ibid, which implies that the door must nevertheless be tied for this to be allowed, and hence there is never a question of Boneh involved and rather it is Maaras Ayin of Boneh, which is not relevant when the door is meant for constant opening and closing. However, according to the ruling of Admur ibid, based on Rama ibid, that even if the door is not tied, and does not contain any hinges, it is allowed to be opened if it is meant for constant opening, more than just explaining why it does not appear like building one must also explain why it is not essentially a prohibition of building, irrelevant of what it looks like. [See Rashi on Mishneh 101a which explicitly implies as above that there are two prohibitions involved, one of Boneh if the door is not attached, and one of Michzi Keboneh when it is attached.]    

[15] 313:11; Michaber 313:4

[16] This seems to imply like the Girsa of the Rif in the Gemara ibid which writes “Ein Nigreres”, which implies, as explained in Gr”a and M”B 313:32, Shaar Hatziyon 313:23, that if it is attached then it does not need to fulfill these conditions of a threshold, and being made of more than one board. However, from later in Admur where he says “is above the ground” it implies that even if it is tied very hard it applies. Veztaruch Iyun as to how truly Admur is ruling according to the Rif. In any event, either way this Heter of being tied only applies by a door mmade for constant opening, of which we are anywayts lenient even if it is not tied at all, as explained in Admur below.

[17] First opinion in Admur ibid; ruling of Michaber ibid as explained in Beis Yosef ; M”B 313:30

[18] Second opinion in Admur ibid; M”A 313:8 in name of Bach

[19] Admur ibid; based on his understanding of M”A ibid; Tosafus brought in machatzis Hashekel ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one may only be lenient by a door made for constant opening, if the door does not have a threshold, if the door is made of one plank, as explained next. If, however, it also is made up of a single plank, one may not be lenient. [Rambam, brought in M”A ibid; and so rules M”B in his understanding of M”A ibid; and so explains Levushei Serud and Machatzis Hashekel in M”A ibid]

[20] 313:12; Michaber 313:4

[21] First opinion in Admur ibid; ruling of Michaber ibid as explained in Beis Yosef ; M”B 313:30

[22] Second opinion in Admur ibid; M”A 313:8 in name of Bach

[23] Admur ibid; based on his understanding of M”A ibid; Tosafus brought in Machatzis Hashekel ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one may only be lenient by a door made for constant opening, if the door does is made of one plank, if the door also has a threshold, as explained next. If, however, it also does not have a threshold, one may not be lenient. [Rambam, brought in M”A ibid; and so rules M”B in his understanding of M”A ibid; and so explains Levushei Serud and Machatzis Hashekel in M”A ibid]

[24] Admur 313:13; Rama 313:4

[25] Admur ibid; Rama ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that according to the Michaber ibid it is forbidden to be closed or opened if it is not tied, even if it is meant for constant opening and closing, due to a building prohibition. [Gra ibid; M”B ibid] Seemingly this is because in such a case it is considered actual Boneh, or Michzi Keboneh. [see next footnote] The M”B himself rules one may be lenient.

[26] Admur 313:13

^[27] Admur 313:8-9

^[28] Admur 313:11

^[29] Admur 313:12

^[30] Admur 313:10

^[31] Admur 313:11

^[32] Admur 313:12

^[33] Admur 313:8, 11, and 12

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