Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 255:3-257:4

Sugya Map

• Issue: What determines one's techum Shabbos – the physical location of the person (shevitas gufo) or the location of their primary residence/vessels (shevitas keilim) at the onset of Shabbos?
• Nafka Mina: If one is en route on Erev Shabbos and night falls, from where is their techum measured? Does their intent to return home matter?
• Primary Sources: Eruvin 43a, Arukh HaShulchan Orach Chaim 255:3, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 397:1.

Text Snapshot

The Arukh HaShulchan, in his inimitable style of synthesizing Gemara and psak, states: "בגמרא איתא מחלוקת דרבי יוחנן וריש לקיש, דרבי יוחנן סבר שביתת כלים, וריש לקיש סבר שביתת גופו. והלכה כרבי יוחנן דשביתת כלים. ולכן אם היה בדרך וחשכה לו, אם דעתו לחזור לביתו, דאף שהגוף אינו בביתו מכל מקום כלים בבית, מכל מקום הוא נחשב כאילו הוא בביתו, והולך מביתו אלפים אמה."[^1] Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The parallel phrasing "שביתת כלים" and "שביתת גופו" in the Gemara highlights the core conceptual dispute: is the "resting" of Shabbos primarily a physical cessation of travel for the individual, or a spatial anchoring defined by one's established domain? The Aruch HaShulchan's immediate application to the "בדרך וחשכה לו" case underscores the practical urgency of this theoretical divide.

Readings

1. Rashi, Eruvin 43a s.v. "שביתת כלים": Explains R. Yochanan's position that techumin are determined by the location of one's vessels (i.e., home), even if the person is physically elsewhere at sunset. The techum is measured from the home.
2. Rambam, Hilchot Eruvin 7:1-2: Adopts the opposing view, that techumin are derived from shevitas gufo. He rules that if one is on the road at sunset, their techum is measured from their current physical location, regardless of their home's placement. This aligns with Reish Lakish's opinion.

Friction

• Kushya: How does the Arukh HaShulchan rule כרבי יוחנן דשביתת כלים[^2] when a towering Rishon like the Rambam explicitly holds shevitas gufo[^3]? Is this a straightforward machlokes Rishonim where the Arukh HaShulchan simply chose a side, or is there a deeper principle at play?
• Terutz: The Arukh HaShulchan, as a mechaber of halacha l'maaseh, generally follows the Shulchan Aruch. The Shulchan Aruch rules in OC 397:1 that "אם היה בדרך... ודעתו לחזור לביתו... נמדד לו אלפים אמה מביתו."[^4] This is a clear adoption of R. Yochanan's shevitas keilim. The Rambam's view, though significant, represents a minority opinion among the later poskim on this particular sugya.

Intertext

Devarim 23:11 (or 23:12): "וְיָד תִּהְיֶה לְךָ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְיָצָאתָ שָׁמָּה חוּץ." While referring to ritual purity, this verse is often cited by Chazal as an allusion to spatial restriction, providing a conceptual backdrop for the idea of a defined "camp" or "domain" (techum) beyond which one may not venture. This meta-concept of a delineated space underlies the entire sugya of techumin.

Psak/Practice

The halacha follows the Arukh HaShulchan (and Shulchan Aruch) that one's techum is determined by shevitas keilim[^5]. If a person is traveling on Erev Shabbos and intends to return home, their techum is calculated from their home. If, however, they have no intent to return, their techum is measured from their location at sunset, effectively establishing a new temporary "home" for Shabbos. This is crucial for travelers, as intent can drastically alter their permissible range of movement.

Takeaway

The machlokes of shevitas gufo vs. shevitas keilim isn't merely academic; it highlights that techumin are not solely physical boundaries, but are conceptually intertwined with one's intent and connection to a "home" for Shabbos.

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[^1]: Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 255:3. [^2]: Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 255:3. [^3]: Rambam, Hilchot Eruvin 7:1. [^4]: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 397:1. [^5]: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 397:1; Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 255:3.