Windows-Must one place bars on one’s windows?[1]

From the letter of the law, there is no intrinsic obligation due to the fencing command to place bars around one’s window to prevent people, such as children, from falling off, and so is the widespread custom to not be particular in this matter.[2] Nonetheless, one is strongly advised to do so especially if he does not live on the ground floor and there are children in the home who are used to climbing onto windows, in order to prevent a safety hazard as much as possible.[3]

Windows which reach within ten Tefachim from the ground: Seemingly, if one’s windows reach within ten Tefachim from the ground, and certainly if they are ground windows, then bars are required to be placed around them unless they are not commonly opened.

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[1] See Imreiy Yaakov 10 Biurim “Kol Davar”

[2] So can be seen from the fact that most people do not build bars around windows of a ground floor apartment even though it is higher than 10 Tefachim from the ground, and if such an obligation was applicable, it would be no difference between a ground floor apartment versus an apartment on a higher floor.

The reason: As most windows are built above 10 Tefachim from the floor, and we never require a fence to be built higher than ten Tefachim even though it is possible for one to fall off a fence that is 10 Tefachim tall. Hence, although children commonly bring chairs to a window which hence lessens the 10 Tefach wall of protection which is under the window, nonetheless, the intrinsic obligation of fencing a roof does not take this into account. Meaning, that the same way that the Torah does not obligate making a fence higher than 10 Tefachim by one’s roof even though children can bring a chair to the fence, for this same reason we cannot obligate bars to be made around windows which are above 10 Tefachim from the floor. [Imreiy Yaakov ibid]

[3] See Chazon Ish Likkutim 18:6