43 Eiruvin 4/5-8

(ה) מי שישן בדרך ולא ידע שחשכה, יש לו אלפים אמה לכל רוח, דברי רבי יוחנן בן נורי. וחכמים אומרים: אין לו אלא ארבע אמות. רבי אליעזר אומר: והוא באמצען. רבי יהודה אומר: לאיזה רוח שירצה ילך. ומודה רבי יהודה שאם ברר לו, שאינו יכול לחזור בו.

(ו) היו שנים, מקצת אמותיו של זה בתוך אמותיו של זה, מביאין ואוכלין באמצע, ובלבד שלא יוציא זה מתוך שלו לתוך של חברו. היו שלשה, והאמצעי מבלע ביניהן, הוא מתר עמהן והן מתרין עמו, ושנים החיצונים אסורין זה עם זה. אמר רבי שמעון: למה הדבר דומה, לשלש חצרות הפתוחות זו לזו ופתוחות לרשות הרבים, ערבו שתיהן עם האמצעית - היא מתרת עמהן והן מתרות עמה, ושתים החיצונות אסורות זו עם זו.

(ז) מי שבא בדרך וחשכה לו, והיה מכיר אילן או גדר, ואמר: שביתתי תחתיו - לא אמר כלום. שביתתי בעקרו, מהלך ממקום רגליו ועד עקרו אלפים אמה ומעקרו ועד ביתו אלפים אמה. נמצא מהלך משחשכה ארבעת אלפים אמה.

(ח) אם אינו מכיר, או שאינו בקי בהלכה, ואמר: שביתתי במקומי - זכה לו מקומו אלפים אמה לכל רוח. עגלות - דברי רבי חנינא בן אנטיגנוס. וחכמים אומרים: מרבעות, כטבלא מרבעת, כדי שיהא נשכר לזויות.

(5) He who fell asleep on the road [towards dusk on the Shabbat-eve], and did not know that it had become dark [night had set in], has [the right to move] two thousand amot in any direction. - so says Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri. The Sages say, "He only has [the right to move within] four amot." Rabbi Eliezer says, "And he is in [forms] the center [of these four amot]." Rabbi Yehuda says, "He can go [four amot] in whichever direction he pleases." But Rabbi Yehuda conceded, that if he [that person] chose [a direction] for himself, he may not [afterwards] go back upon it [and change his mind].

(6) If there were two [people situated in such a way] that part of the four amot [permitted] to each are within the limits of the other, they may take and eat their meal in the middle [within their joint space]; but only if neither of them take out [his food] from his [limits] and into those of his fellow. If there were three [people so situated], and [the four amot belonging to] the middle one is subsumed by them [forms part of the limits belonging to each of the two outer ones], he is permitted [to bring food to a common space and eat] with them, and they are permitted [to bring food to a common space and eat] with him; but the two outer ones are forbidden [to bring food together to a common space and eat] with each other. Rabbi Shimon says, "What is this like? [It is like] three courtyards that open into each other and [also] open into the public domain; if the two [outer] ones have made an eruv [halachic merging of separate domains by means of setting aside an amount of food in a designated place] with the middle one, [the middle courtyard] is permissible to [carry to and from] them, and them [from and into] it; but the two outer ones are forbidden one to the other."

(7) He who came upon the road, and it was becoming dark [on the Shabbat eve], if he recognized [singled out] a tree or hedge, and said, "Under it [I will take] my Shabbat rest," [it is as if] he did not say anything. [But if he said], "At its trunk [I will take] my Shabbat rest," he may go from the spot of his feet [where he is standing] to its trunk, [up to] two thousand amot, and from its trunk to his home two thousand amot [more]; it comes out that, after it got dark, he may go four thousand amot.

(8) If he did not recognize [single out a tree or a hedge], or is not conversant with the halacha, and says, "[I will take] my Sabbath rest on my place [where I stand]," the place [where he stands] obtains for him two thousand amot in every direction; in a circle - so says Rabbi Hanina ben Antigonus. But the Sages say, "[Those two thousand amot are] squared [off] like a square table, in order that he gains the angles [the corners].