The Laws of Building On Shabbos -- Part 3

To: mistake.  Thanks for correction. glad you are listening so closely.

To Joseph
Good Question.
You may have noticed that the shiur discussed folding tables, which i said could be set up normally. The same applies to high-risers...
Actually all of Shabbos is about lifting "high -risers", but more of that in the next shiur iy"H

You have raised an important issue. Because it is basic, and it bothered several questtioners, I have addressed it in the shiur. (Shiur 2 of makeh b'patish). Thank you.

To Yossel
Interesting take; I never thought of it that way.
But if that's what he meant, why mention D.H.'s name, instead of just "a yid's shtivel"?
Reb D.H. has einiklach who are among us, thank G-d. If any of them have heard the vort and an accompanying explanation, would you be so kind as to tell us what you heard from elder Chassidim.
But Yossel, you are quite right about helping one's fellow being yichuda ila'ah, as is evident from the Alter Rebbe's  saying to his sons about the difference between a maskil and an oved - if you're unfamiliar with it, write me, and i'll write it bl'n.
On the other hand, even the anshei Yericho who would go straight from Shema to Ve'ahavta (see Likutei Torah tzav 14c) didn't intend that the mitzvos be performed during Shma.
(If this last part is not familiar to you, write me)

To: Berel
If you are referring to a "leaf" of a table which has pegs sticking out, and that is the only way in which the boards can  connect, , - which is the usual situation-(so there is no gezerah shema yitka)

it's ok.

If there's any way of tightening them together (with screws for example,( uncommon for indoor furniture)) , I would need you to describe it more fully in order to answer.

It seems to me that it is a halachik problem, since the objective is clearly to play and enjoy the space below the blanket. This would be a "ohel arai," a temporary roof, which will come down in a few minutes or in a few hours, but it is clearly being made and designated as an "ohel" for the time being, though it is only for play.

This is unlike a tablecloth which suspends down till the floor, where the objective is not to create a "protected space" beneath the table, plus there is no space between the tablecloth and the table (Mishna Berurah Orach Chaim 315:31). In this case, 1) the objective is the space below the blanket; 2) there is a "tefach" between the roof and the ground.

Nor can one rely on the "heter" of first holding up the blanket and then putting in the chairs under the blanket, the method employed for beds (Shlachan Aruch Orach Chaim 315:3; Shlachan Aruch HaRav ibid. 315:9), where you hold up the plank of the bed first and then you place the legs beneath it, since there his main objective is not to use the space beneath the bed, though he may use the space under the bed for shoes etc. and hence there is need for this change [Which is why in a case where you completely don't need the space beneath the "ohel," you can go ahead and spread out a roof without any change, see Shlchan Aruch ibid. 315:7, and Shlchan Aruch HaRav ibid. 315:12 explaining the difference between placing a book over two books vs. a matrace over standing walls).

In this case however, your objective is to create a space to play and hide under the roof.

Yet when the children are small, there may not an obligation to stop them from playing this game.

I am not in the position of giving a verdict on this manner. Rabbi Wineberg, would you please give us the verdict?