Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 337

Siman 337

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין מִתְכַּוֵּן, מֻתָּר, וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא פָּסִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ. הִלְכָּךְ גּוֹרֵר אָדָם מִטָּה, כִּסֵא וְסַפְסָל, בֵּין גְּדוֹלִים בֵּין קְטַנִּים, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְכַּוֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת חָרִיץ. וּמֻתָּר לְרַבֵּץ הַבַּיִת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַשְׁווֹת גּוּמוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה הָאָבָק.
1 The Laws of Sweeping the House and Something Done Unintentionally, 4 Seifim: Something that one didn't intend to happen is allowed as long as it is not a definite consequence of the specific action (psik reisha). Therefore, a person may drag a bed, chair, or bench, whether it is big or small, provided that he doesn't intend to make a rut. One is permitted to sprinkle the floor because he does not intend to level the depressions [of the earth floor], rather he just doesn't want the dust to rise.
ב אָסוּר לְכַבֵּד הַבַּיִת, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הַקַּרְקַע מְרֻצָּף. וְיֵשׁ מַתִּירִין אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ מְרֻצָּף. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ מַחְמִירִין אֲפִלּוּ בִּמְרֻצָּף (טוּר בְּשֵׁם ר"י, וּמָרְדְּכַי רֵישׁ פֶּרֶק כָּל הַכֵּלִים, וְרַ' יְרוּחָם חי"ג וּסְמַ"ג וְסֵפֶר הַתְּרוּמָה), וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין וְאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת. מִיהוּ, עַל יְדֵי עַכּוּ"ם מֻתָּר (רַבֵּנוּ יְרוּחָם חי"ג), וְכֵן עַל יְדֵי בֶּגֶד אוֹ מַטְלִית אוֹ כְּנַף אַוָּז הַקַּלִּים וְאֵינוֹ מַשְׁוֶה גּוּמוֹת (אָגוּר). וְאָסוּר לְכַבֵּד הַבְּגָדִים עַל יְדֵי מְכַבְּדוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיִים מִקֵּסָמִים, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ קִסְמֵיהֶם (הַגָּהוֹת אַלְפָסִי פֶּרֶק הַזּוֹרֵק ועי' הגמ' דַּף קכ"ד).
2 It is forbidden to sweep the house unless the floor is stone. There are those who permit this even if it is not made of stone. Rema: There are some who are stringent even when it is stone (the Tur in the name of the R"i and Mordechai at the beginning of Perek Kol Kelim and Rabbeinu Yerucham Part 13 and the Sma"g and Sefer haTrumah). This is the practice, and one should not act differently. However, it is permitted to have a non-Jew do such (Rabbeinu Yerucham Part 13), or to sweep using clothing or a garment or a soft bird feather, because they do not fill in the crevices (the Agur). It is forbidden to brush clothing off using brooms made of woodchips, because the chips will break (Hagahot Alfasi Perek Hazorek).
ג אֵין סָכִין אֶת הַקַּרְקַע, וְלֹא מְדִיחִים אוֹתוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא מְרֻצָּף.
3 One may not put oil on the floor, nor may one wash the floor, even if it is made of stone.
ד אָסוּר לְצַדֵּד חָבִית עַל הָאָרֶץ, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהִיא כְּבֵדָה יָבֹא לְהַשְׁווֹת גּוּמוֹת וַדַּאי וְהָוֵי פָּסִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ.
4 One should not turn a barrel on the ground upright, because it is heavy and he will definitely fill in crevices in the ground in the process. This is a definite consequence of the given action (psik reisha).