Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/161

Paragraph 1- Residents of a courtyard can force each other to build a door and a gatehouse for the courtyard, as well as any other item that is a pressing need for the courtyard or items that courtyards of the country have the custom to build. They cannot force each other to create other items, however, such as drawings and inscriptions. If one resident created it and the second has indicated that he desires it, we would put the entire item on him and he would have to pay his portion of the expenses.

Paragraph 2- If someone owns a house in the courtyard but does not live with them, he is required to join them in creating the beams of the door and the lock but does not have to join them for other matters.

Paragraph 3- When they collect for these items, they collect proportionately and not based on the proximity of the homes to the item. It is only with respect to a city do we collect based on proximity of the home but not in a courtyard. There are those who say that the rules of a courtyard are the same as those of a city.

Paragraph 4- If one of the residents of the courtyard does not want to pay his share and does not want to rent out his house that is in the courtyard, the courtyard residents can rectify the situation themselves and rent out his house and collect the rent until his share is paid up.

Paragraph 5- If one of the partners in the courtyard wanted to set up an animal or mill to raise chickens, another resident can stop him. The same applies to other matters that is not the practice to place in a courtyard. In all such cases the partners may stop each other with exception of washing clothing because it is not the practice for Jewish girls to embarrass themselves by the river. Thus, in a place where the men wash clothing and this rationale does not apply, the residents may object. Even with respect to women, this ruling only applies where they wash in their own four amos and there is no slope causing the water to go into another’s property. If there is a slope, and certainly if she wants to wash in the four amos of another, they do have the right to object.

Paragraph 6- If five courtyards had their water pour into one ditch, which was ruined, they all must assist the bottom courtyard. The result is that the top courtyard will assist all the others and no one will assist the top. The bottom courtyard will only assist itself.