722. A Reader Who Drops His Scroll

Shabbos 15:20

One who is standing on a ship may not draw water from the sea unless he makes a protrusion, four handbreadths by four handbreadths in size (about 1’x1’), that extends from the side of the ship over the water. This is when the ship’s deck is within ten handbreadths of the water (about 30”). If the deck is higher than this, one may draw water after making even the smallest protrusion. This is permitted because he is drawing water through a makom patur (exempt area) so the protrusion is only necessary to distinguish the domain.

Shabbos 15:21

Let’s say that a person was reading a scroll in a carmelis (the quasi-public domain) and part of it rolled into a public domain but part of it remained in his hand. If the scroll rolled beyond four cubits (about six feet), one should turn it face down and leave it alone. This is a preventive measure enacted out of concern that one might drop the scroll and come to carry it a distance of four cubits. If the scroll rolled less than four cubits, however, one may roll it back to himself. If it rolled into a private domain, one may roll it back to himself. If one was reading in a private domain and his scroll rolled into a public domain, then if it came to rest on the ground, he should turn the scroll face down. If it did not come to rest on the ground, but was suspended in the air over the public domain, he may roll it back.