Responsa for Eruvin 176:7
אמר לך ר' זירא הא מני רבנן היא ומתני' ר"א בן יעקב היא
but, according to R'Zera, does not a difficulty arise?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the capacity of a given area for absorption is not affected by the relative lengths of the sides.');"><sup>15</sup></span> - R'Zera can answer you: This ruling represents the view of<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this is whose?'');"><sup>16</sup></span> the Rabbis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the SAGES who forbade the pouring of water into a drain even when the COURTYARD WAS A HUNDRED CUBITS IN AREA, thus rejecting the principle of capacity for absorption and upholding only that of suitability for spraying.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Q. On the Sabbath, may a Jew use latrines which are built in the city wall and open into a ditch surrounding the wall, so that the feces falling into the ditch are moved (by his force) from one Sabbath domain into another?
A. He should fasten a board beneath the seat (within not more than three tefahim below the latrine walls) so that the feces first fall on the board and then into the ditch. Should the board break on the Sabbath, he would still be permitted to use the latrine on that day.
SOURCES: Cr. 178, 179; Pr. 96; L. 349; Mord. Shabb. 376; Hag. Mord. Shabb. 461; Tashbetz 38; Hag. Maim., Shabbat 15, 4; Kol Bo 31 (p. 34a). Cf. Terumat Hadeshen 66.
A. He should fasten a board beneath the seat (within not more than three tefahim below the latrine walls) so that the feces first fall on the board and then into the ditch. Should the board break on the Sabbath, he would still be permitted to use the latrine on that day.
SOURCES: Cr. 178, 179; Pr. 96; L. 349; Mord. Shabb. 376; Hag. Mord. Shabb. 461; Tashbetz 38; Hag. Maim., Shabbat 15, 4; Kol Bo 31 (p. 34a). Cf. Terumat Hadeshen 66.
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