סימן פ סעיף עו

מְחִצָּה אֲפִלּוּ הִיא עֲרָאִית, אִם נַעֲשֵׂית לְהַתִּיר אֵיזֶה דָּבָר, אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ בְּשַׁבָּת וּבְיוֹם טוֹב. וְלָכֵן אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת מְחִצָּה עַל יְדֵי וִילוֹן, וְכַדּוֹמֶה בִּפְנֵי אוֹר הַנֵּר, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ. וְכֵן לִפְנֵי סְפָרִים, כְּדֵי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת צְרָכָיו (עַיֵן לְקַמָּן סִימָן ק"ג סָעִיף ו'). דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁמְּחִצָּה מַתֶּרֶת, הִיא, חוֹלֶקֶת שָׁם רְשׁוּת בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, וַהֲרֵי זֶה כְּעוֹשֶׂה אֹהֶל. אֲבָל מֻתָּר לְכַסּוֹת הַסְּפָרִים בִּשְׁנֵי כִּסּוּיִין זֶה עַל גַּב זֶה, שֶׁאֵין בָּזֶה מִשּׁוּם אֹהֶל. וְאִם הַוִּילוֹן הַתָּלוּי לִפְנֵי הַמִּטָּה הָיָה פָּרוּס מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם, בֵּין מִן הַצַּד בֵּין מִלְּמַעְלָה, מֻתָּר בַּשַׁבָּת לְפָרְסוֹ כֻּלוֹ, מִשּׁוּם דַּהֲוֵי רַק תּוֹסֶפֶת אֹהֶל עֲרָאי. אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁהַוִּילוֹן תָּלוּי תָּמִיד בְּקָצֶה אֶחָד מְקֻפָּל, לֹא מִצְטָרֵף לְטֶפַח, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְשֵׁם אֹהֶל. וְכֵן מְּחִיצָה הַמִּתְקַפֶּלֶת (שֶׁקּוֹרִין שְׁפַּאנִישׁ ווַאנְד), אָסוּר לְפָתְחָהּ, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיְתָה פְּתוּחָה קְצָת מֵעֵרֶב שַׁבָּת. אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת מְקֻפֶּלֶת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַדֹּפֶן רָחָב יוֹתֵר מִטֶּפַח, לֹא מַהֲנֵי. אֲבָל מְחִצָּת עֲרַאי שֶׁאֵינָהּ עֲשׂוּיָה לְהַתִּיר אֵיזֶה דָּבָר, אֶלָּא לְהָגֵן בִּפְנֵי הַחַמָּה, אוֹ בִּפְנֵי הָרוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא יִכַבֶה הַנֵּרוֹת וְכַדּוֹמֶה, מֻתָּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ.

It is forbidden to make even a temporary partition, on Shabbos or Yom Tov¹⁹²Tosafos (Maseches Shabbos 125), Shulchan Aruch (315: 1). if it is for the purpose of permitting something. Therefore it is forbidden to make a partition¹⁹³Ten tefachim high. with a curtain or anything similar to block out the light of a candle in order to permit marital relations,¹⁹⁴It is forbidden only when the partition is ten tefachim high and does not block out the light from above, for then marital relations are permitted only because of the partition which acts as a wall separating them from the light. [Because of the “wall,” the light is considered as coming from another room and in such a case, they must be totally covered when engaging in marital relations. In this case the curtain must be tied down so that it will not blow in the wind for otherwise it is not considered a wall. If, however, the partition completely blocks out the candlelight, it permits marital relations not because it serves as a wall, but rather because it covers the light. Therefore you may make such a partition on Shabbos. The same rule applies to sefarim [Magein Avraham (315) and Shulchan Aruch Harav]. Mishnah Berurah (315: 10) agrees that we may be lenient when it is absolutely necessary since the Rambam permits making a temporary wall for this purpose. or in front of seforim in order to have marital relations or (to permit) moving the bowels; for since the partition legalizes [these activities] it creates a separate domain and it is equivalent to making a tent.¹⁹⁵It is permitted to make a partition between men and women in order for them to listen to a sermon [Mordechai, Mishnah Berurah (315: 5)]. However, it is permitted to cover the seforim with two coverings, one on top of the other for this does not constitute making a tent. If the curtain that hangs in front of the bed was spread out [at least] one tefach¹⁹⁶See Glossary for dimension of tefach. before Shabbos, whether from the side or from the top, it is permitted to spread all of it on Shabbos, because then it is only an addition to a temporary tent. But the ruffled part of the curtain which always hangs at one end [of the bed] is not included in the tefach, because it is not intended to serve as a tent.¹⁹⁷More exactly it is not there to serve as a wall [Chayei Adam, Mishnah Berurah (315: 11)]. Similarly, a partition called a "Spanish wall"¹⁹⁸Folding wall (accordion type wall). is forbidden to be opened unless it was slightly opened from erev Shabbos.¹⁹⁹At least a tefach. But the part that is always folded, even if that part of the wall is more than a tefach, cannot be considered. But a temporary partition that is not made to permit (anything) but rather to serve as a shield from the sun or to prevent wind from blowing out the candle, etc., is permitted.

תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)