Bava Batra 12

בבירה גדולה משתמש בזיזיה ובכתליה עד ד' אמות ובעובי הכותל במקום שנהגו אבל בתרבץ אפדני לא ורב נחמן דידיה אמר אפילו בתרבץ אפדני אבל רחבה שאחורי הבתים לא ורבא אמר אפילו רחבה שאחורי הבתים

in a large residence,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With a single long wall bordering a number of rooms which are let off separately. ');">¹</span> the latter is at liberty to use the projecting beams<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Used for resting articles on or hanging them out. ');">²</span>

אמר רבינא האי כשורא דמטללתא עד תלתין יומין לא הוי חזקה בתר תלתין יומין הוי חזקה ואי סוכה דמצוה היא עד שבעה יומין לא הוי חזקה בתר שבעה יומין הוי חזקה ואי חבריה בטינא לאלתר הוי חזקה

and the cavities in the walls<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Used for placing articles in, ');">³</span> up to a distance of four cubits [from his room], and also the thickness of the wall,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the room is on the top storey. ');">⁴</span>

אמר אביי שני בתים בשני צדי רשות הרבים זה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו וזה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו זה שלא כנגד זה ומעדיף

if this is the local custom, but not [the part of the wall facing] the front garden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An ornamental garden at the main entrance of the residence. ');">⁵</span> R. Nahman, however, speaking for himself said that he may use even the side facing the front garden, but not the yard at the back of the house. Raba, however, said that he may use the yard at the back also.

מאי איריא ברשות הרבים אפילו רשות היחיד נמי רשות הרבים איצטריכא ליה מהו דתימא נימא ליה סוף סוף הא בעית לאצטנועי מבני רשות הרבים

Rabina said: [If a man is allowed by his neighbour to support] the beam of his hut [on his wall] for thirty days, this does not constitute prescriptive right,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 22 n. 9. ');">⁶</span> but after thirty days it does constitute prescriptive right. If the hut, however, is for religious purposes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., for the Feast of Tabernacles. ');">⁷</span>

קמ"ל דא"ל רבים ביממא חזו לי בליליא לא חזו לי את בין ביממא בין בליליא חזית לי אי נמי רבים כי קאימנא חזו לי כי יתיבנא לא חזו לי את חזית לי בין כי קאימנא בין כי יתיבנא רבים כי מעיינו חזו לי כי לא מעיינו לא חזו לי את ממילא נמי חזית לי

[should no objection be raised] within seven days, this does not constitute prescriptive right, but [if objection is raised only] after seven days, it does.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because he does not require it again for the same purpose till the next Feast of Tabernacles, and therefore if the owner of the house allows him to keep it there beyond the seven days, he in a way recognises his right to keep it there permanently. ');">⁸</span> If, however, he attaches it with clay [and still the neighbour does not object], he acquires prescriptive right immediately.

אמר מר זה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו וזה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו זה שלא כנגד זה ומעדיף פשיטא

Abaye said: If there are two houses on opposite sides of a public thoroughfare, the owner of the one should make a parapet for half his roof, and the other a parapet for half his roof, in such a way that the parapets do not face one another,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if one builds on the north side, the other should build on the south. ');">⁹</span> though each should extend [his parapet a little beyond the middle].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To avoid the possibility of 'overlooking'. ');">¹⁰</span>

לא צריכא דקדים חד מנייהו ועבד מהו דתימא נימא ליה אידך שקול אוזינקא ועבדיה את כוליה קמ"ל דא"ל את מ"ט לא עבדת משום דמיתרע אשיתך אנא נמי מיתרע ליה אשיתאי

Why [does Abaye] state [this rule in connection with] a public thoroughfare, [seeing that] it could apply equally to private ground? It was more necessary to state it in connection with a public thoroughfare. For you might think that in this case one might [refuse to build], Saying to the other: When all is said and done you have to guard your privacy against the public;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the steps which you take to protect yourself against them will suffice to protect you against me. ');">¹¹</span> therefore we are told here that this is not so, since the other can retort: The public can only see me by day but not by night, whereas you can see me both by day and night; or again, the public can see me when I am standing but not when I am sitting, but you can see me whether I am standing or sitting; the public can see me when they look directly at me, but not otherwise, but you see me even without looking.

אמר ר"נ אמר שמואל גג הסמוך לחצר חבירו עושה לו מעקה גבוה ד' אמות אבל בין גג לגג לא ור"נ דידיה אמר אינו זקוק לארבע אמות אבל זקוק למחיצת עשרה

The Master has just said: 'The one should make a parapet for half his roof and the other should make a parapet for half his roof, In such a way that the parapets do not face one another, though each should extend [his parapet a little beyond the middle].' Surely this rule is obvious? — We require it for the case where one of the owners builds a parapet first [without consulting the other]. You might think that in that case the other is' entitled to say to him: Complete the parapet and I will reimburse you.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'take the expense.' [Heb. uzinka, a Persian word meaning 'cost', v. Krauss, TA. I, 20.] ');">¹²</span> We, are therefore told [that he cannot insist upon this], since the other can say to him: Why don't you want to build? Because it might weaken your wall. I too [don't want] my wall to be weakened.

למאי אי להיזק ראיה ארבע אמות בעינן אי לנתפס עליו כגנב במסיפס בעלמא סגיא אי לגדיים וטלאים בכדי שלא יזדקר בבת ראש סגי לעולם לנתפס עליו כגנב במסיפס מצי משתמיט ליה [אמר ממצורי קממצירנא] במחיצת עשרה לא מצי משתמיט ליה

R. Nahman said in the name of Samuel: If a man's roof adjoins another man's courtyard,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the side of a hill. ');">¹³</span> he must make a parapet four cubits high, but between one roof and another this is not necessary. To this R. Nahman added in his own name that a wall of four cubits is not required, but a partition of ten handbreadths is required. For what purpose [is such a partition required]? If to prevent 'overlooking' we require four cubits? If for the purpose of convicting his neighbour of felonious entry,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for his being caught there like a thief.' ');">¹⁴</span>

מיתיבי אם היה חצרו למעלה מגגו של חבירו אין נזקקין לו מאי לאו אין נזקקין לו כלל לא אין נזקקין לד' אמות אבל נזקקין למחיצת עשרה

a mere fence of sticks would suffice? If to prevent kids and lambs from jumping over, a partition too high for them to jump over at a headlong run would suffice? — The actual reason is that he may be able to convict his neighbour of felonious entry. If there is only a fence of sticks, the latter can find an excuse,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., that something of his fell on to the other's roof and he stepped over to get it. ');">¹⁵</span> but if there is a partition of ten handbreadths he can find no excuse.

איתמר שתי חצרות זו למעלה מזו אמר רב הונא תחתון בונה מכנגדו ועולה ועליון בונה מכנגדו ועולה ורב חסדא אמר עליון מסייע מלמטה ובונה

An objection was brought [against this ruling of R. Nahman] from the following: If the other's courtyard is higher than his roof, there is no need for it. Does not this mean that there is no need for a partition at all? — No; it means that there is no need for a wall of four cubits, but a partition of ten handbreadths is required. It has been stated: If two courtyards adjoin and one is higher than the other, R. Huna says that the owner of the lower one has to build [the party wall] up from his level, and the owner of the higher one starts building from his level.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he has not to contribute to the cost of the wall until it reaches the level of his courtyard. ');">¹⁶</span>

תניא כוותיה דרב חסדא שתי חצרות זו למעלה מזו לא יאמר העליון הריני בונה מכנגדי ועולה אלא מסייע מלמטה ובונה ואם היתה חצרו למעלה מגגו של חבירו אינו זקוק לו

'Ulla and R. Hisda, however, say that the owner of the higher one has to assist<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., by contributing to the cost. ');">¹⁷</span> the owner of the lower in building from his level. It has been taught in agreement with R. Hisda: If there are two adjoining courtyards of which one is higher than the other, the owner of the higher one must not say to the other, I will start building [the party wall] from my level, but he must assist the other to build from his level.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., by contributing to the cost. ');">¹⁷</span>

הנהו בי תרי דהוו דיירי חד הוה דייר עילאי וחד הוה דייר תתאי איתבר תתאי א"ל תתאי לעילאי תא ונבנייה אמר ליה אנא שפיר קא דאירנא

If, however, his courtyard is higher than his neighbour's roof, he has no liability. Two men were living [in the same house], one in the upper room and one in the lower. The lower, room began to sink into the ground, so the owner of the lower room said to the one above: 'Let us rebuild the house.' The other replied: 'l am quite comfortable.'