Commentary for Eruvin 8:9

חָצֵר שֶׁהִיא פְחוּתָה מֵאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, אֵין שׁוֹפְכִין בְּתוֹכָהּ מַיִם בְּשַׁבָּת, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן עָשׂוּ לָהּ עוּקָה מַחֲזֶקֶת סָאתַיִם מִן הַנֶּקֶב וּלְמַטָּה, בֵּין מִבַּחוּץ בֵּין מִבִּפְנִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּבַּחוּץ צָרִיךְ לִקְמוֹר, מִבִּפְנִים אֵין צָרִיךְ לִקְמוֹר:

A courtyard smaller than four cubits — water is not to be spilled into it on Shabbath, [for in four cubits (or more), the water that one is wont to use every day is absorbed in its place and does not go out into the public domain. In less than four cubits, it is not absorbed in its place and does go out into the public domain], unless one makes a hole for it which can contain two sa'ah, [this being the amount of water sufficient for a day's use], from the conduit down, [i.e., the cavity of the hole must contain two sa'ah before the water reaches the conduit on its edge through which it flows into the public domain], both inside or outside, [i.e., whether he made the hole in the courtyard or in the public domain.] It is just that if he made it outside, he must vault it, [i.e., he must make a kind of dome-covering for it, so that it be distinct from the public domain]; but if he made it inside, he need not vault it.

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