Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Responsa for Eruvin 176:8

ומאי דוחקיה דר' זירא לאוקמה למתני' כר"א בן יעקב אמר רבא מתניתין קשיתיה מאי איריא דתני חצר שהיא פחותה ליתני חצר שאין בה ד' אמות על ד' אמות

whereas our Mishnah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which forbade the pouring of water only where the area WAS LESS THAN FOUR CUBITS and, inferentially, permitted it where it was four cubits or bigger irrespective of the relative lengths of its sides.');"><sup>18</sup></span> is that of R'Eliezer B'Jacob.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who, in his ruling on the drain in our Mishnah, recognizes the principle of capacity for absorption.');"><sup>19</sup></span> What, however, was it that urged R'Zera to attribute our Mishnah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is anonymous and presumably represents the view of a majority.');"><sup>20</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.
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