#218: Outdoors and Indoors

1. We mentioned last week that leveling the ground outdoors constitutes the melachah of choresh, plowing, since it potentially prepares the soil for planting. Leveling or smoothing out a dirt floor indoors constitutes the melachah of boneh (building) because it improves the physical structure of the house (Tractate Shabbat 73b).

2. It is also forbidden to sweep a dirt floor indoors due to concern that one may smooth it out. Some hold that one may not even sweep a tiled floor due to concern that one may come to sweep an untiled floor (Shulchan Aruch & Rema, O.C. 337:2). We will discuss the practical halacha tomorrow.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.