Nie można otwierać okien na dziedziniec współdzielony [i, rzecz jasna, na dziedziniec sąsiada, z powodu „uszkodzenia wzroku”]. Jeśli jeden z partnerów dziedzińca kupił dom w innym dziedziniec [blisko pierwszego], nie może go otwierać [tj. nie może otwierać w nim wejścia] na dziedziniec wspólny, [gdyż w ten sposób zwiększa dostęp do niego mieszkańców tego domu]. na piętrze swojego domu, nie może otwierać go na wspólny dziedziniec. Ale jeśli zechce, może zbudować pokój w swoim domu [w tym przypadku nic nie dodaje, ale po prostu dzieli swój dom na dwie części. (Bo nawet bez tego może zapełnić swój dom mieszkańcami, jeśli zechce)] i może zbudować wyższe piętro na swoim domu i otworzyć je na swój dom. Nie można otwierać na wspólny dziedziniec drzwi naprzeciwko drzwi lub okna naprzeciwko okna [jest napisane (Lb 24: 2): „I Bilam otworzył oczy i ujrzał Izraela mieszkającego według jego pokoleń”. Co on zobaczył? Widział, że ich otwory (namiotowe) nie znajdowały się naprzeciw siebie]. Gdyby były małe, nie mógłby ich zrobić. [Bo drugi może powiedzieć: „Mały otwór mógłbym się przed tobą ukryć, a duży nie”]. Gdyby był jeden, nie mógłby zrobić z niego dwóch. [Drugi zaś może powiedzieć: „Jednym otworem mogę się ukryć; przy dwóch nie mogę”]] Ale drzwi można otworzyć naprzeciwko drzwi, a okno naprzeciwko okna, do domeny publicznej. Jeśli to (otwór) był mały, może uczynić go dużym. Gdyby to był jeden, może uczynić go dwoma. [Albowiem może powiedzieć drugiemu: „W każdym razie musisz się ukrywać przed osobami z domeny publicznej”].
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
לחצר השותפים – into a courtyard which has joint ownership of it, and all the more so, to the courtyard of his fellow because of the damage of sightlines.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Introduction
Mishnayoth seven discusses things a person builds on his property that might damage other people’s property in an indirect manner. Specifically it deals with a person building a window or door which would allow him to see into another’s property. This and the following mishnah are not related to the subject of the chapter. Rather they relate to the subject of the second chapter.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
לקח בית מחצר אחרת – that is next to his this courtyard which has joint ownership, he should not open for himself a door to that courtyard, for there is a great deal of foot traffic from those who dwell in that house.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
In order to understand our mishnah we must remember that in the times of the Mishnah houses were built around a common courtyard. A person would have joint ownership of that courtyard with the other house owners whose homes also opened into the courtyard (see the diagram below).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
בונה חדר לפנים מביתו – which does not add anything, but divides his home into t, for without this, he could fill his house with inhabitants/tenants if he wanted.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
One may not make a window to open into a jointly held courtyard. A person should not open a window in his home which would look into the jointly held courtyard. The mishnah wishes to prevent the situation where other people could see into a person’s home.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
פתח כנגד פתח – as it states in the Biblical verse (Numbers 24:2): “As Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe.” What did he saw? He saw that their openings [of the tents] were not directed one opposite the other (allowing people to see inside each other’s tent).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
If he bought a house in another [and adjoining] courtyard he may not open it into a jointly held courtyard. If Reuven owned a house and held joint ownership over courtyard a and then bought a house that opened to courtyard b but was also adjacent to courtyard a, Reuven may not open the new house to courtyard a. The problem is that by opening a new house to the courtyard he will increase the number of people participating in that courtyard. In such a case the neighbors who share courtyard a may protest. Neighbors Courtyard a Reuven’s current house Reuven’s new house Neighbors Courtyard b Neighbors Courtyard a courtyard a potential opening Neighbors Courtyard b courtyard b Neighbors Courtyard a Neighbors Courtyard a Neighbors Courtyard b Neighbors Courtyard b
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
קטן לא יעשנו גדול – for he said to him: “with a small opening, I can be private (i.e., protect myself) from your gaze; with a large opening, I cannot be private (i.e., protect myself) from your gaze (see Talmud Bava Batra 24aa and 60a).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
If he built an upper room over his house he may not make it open into the jointly held courtyard; But, if he wishes, he may build another room within his house or build an upper room over his house and make it open into his own house. For similar reasons to those mentioned in section two, a person may not make a second floor in his home and make it open into the courtyard. If he were to rent this second floor to another family he would increase the number of people participating in the courtyard. He may, however, divide his house and add a room or build a second floor and have it open into his own house. Although this too will increase the number of residents, since a person could in theory rent out his house to as many residents as he wishes he can also add more rooms to his house, so long as he doesn’t make a new opening to the courtyard.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
אחד לא יעשנו שנים – for he said to him; with one opening I can be private (i.e., protect myself); with two, I cannot be private (i.e., protect myself).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
In a jointly held courtyard a man may not build a door directly opposite another’s door, or a window directly opposite another’s window. If the window was small he may not make it larger; if it was a single window he may not make it into two. Here we learn that a person may not build a door or window opening into a jointly held courtyard, if that window or door will allow people to look from one house into the other through the courtyard. He also may not expand the window by making it larger or by turning one window into two.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
אבל פותח הוא לרשות הרבים – for he said to him, that finally, you are able to be private from the members of the public domain.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
But in the public domain he may open a door opposite another’s door, or a window opposite another’s window. If the window was small he may make it larger; if it was a single window he may make it into two. A person may however make a window in his home that is opposite a window in a house on the other side of the public domain. Since the other person in any case had to be careful from people in the public domain peeping in, a window from a private home does not create further damage.
