rashi says, since there is more wall than space we cannot say the space on either side makes the walls void rather we say the spaces are considered doorways.
question: In this case we are talking about spaces that are less than 4 tefachim, and rashi on Daf 5a DH Orko Yeser states that a Pesach cannot be less than 4 tefachim, so how can rashi say in our case that the spaces are considered Pesachim?
shimshy berger, United States
1)It seems to me that we should notice what Rashi writes at the bottom of 5a, that "in this entire Masechta we say that there is no Pesach less than 4 tefachim". I argue that when Rashi writes "in this Masechta" he is referring to matters of Eruvin. It is only in Eruvin that we say that a doorway cannot be less than 4, whilst for other areas of the Torah, Rashi implies that a Pesach can be less than 4.
2) Now we must note that the Beraisa cited on 16a is not referring to Eruvin; it is referring to Kilayim. In fact the source is Tosefta Kilayim chapter 4. The Gemara there cites it to decide about the dispute when Parutz is equivalent to Omed. The matter of Peaschim is a side issue there. In connection with the Halachos of Kilayim a Pesach can be less than 4.
3) So when Rashi writes that in this Masechta a Pesach cannot be less than 4, he refers to issues mentioned in Maseches Eruvin which relate to Eruvin, not to issues mentioned in Masechta Eruvin which relate to Kilayim.
4) At any rate, this is certainly a very good question and requires further thought.
Kesivah vaChasimah Tovah
Dovid Bloom
Follow-up reply:
I would like to attempt to support the above answer.
1) Firstly I point out that when Rashi 5a writes that in the entire Masechta we say that there is no Pesach less than 4 tefachim, this is referring to what is mentioned explicitly in the Gemara. On 16a it is does not say in the Gemara that there is a Pesach of less than 4. That is Rashi's addition. I argue that what Rashi writes on 5a does not commit himself never to say in his commentary on Masechta Eruvin that there is a Pesach less than 4. It is merely a statement that we will never find that the Gemara Eruvin itself states that there is a Pesach of less than 4.
2) In addition I claim that there is a source that a Pesach for Kilayim can be less than 4 tefachim. This is from the 4th Mishnah in the 4th chapter of Masechta Kilayim, which states that if there is less than 3 tefachim between the reeds of a reed mechitzah then this is considered a mechitzah (because of lavud). The Mishnah continues and states that if a fence was broken down, up to 10 amos this is considered to be a Pesach.
Up to 10 amos it is not a mechitzah but it is a Pesach.
I argue that there are only 2 possibilities mentioned in the Mishnah. Either there is a gap of less than 3 tefachim, or there is a breakage of up to 10 amos. That implies that everything between 3 tefachim and 10 amos is considered to be a Pesach. The Mishnah makes no mention of 4 tefachim. I claim that this teaches us that 3 tefachim is considered a Pesach for Kilayim even though it is not a Pesach for Eruvin.
KOL TUV
Dovid Bloom