On The Sabbath
Removals—Work to be Avoided—Discussion Between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel as to What Constitutes Work—Work Allowed—Lighting—Eve of the Sabbath—Cooking and Hot Water—Retention of Heat—Burdens—Ornaments—Principal and Secondary Work.
Chapter I
1. Removals[91] on the Sabbath are two. Of these removals four are inside a place. And there are two other removals, of which four are outside a place. “How?” “A beggar stands without, and the master of the house within. The beggar reached his hand within, and gave something into the hand of the master of the house, or took something from it and brought it out?” “The beggar is guilty,[92] and the master of the house is free.” “The master of the house reached his hand outside and gave something into the hand of the beggar, or took something from it and brought it in?” “The master of the house is guilty, but the beggar is free.” “The beggar reached his hand within, and the master of the house took something from it, or gave something into it, and the beggar brought it out?” “Both are free.” “The master of the house reached his hand without, and the beggar took something from it, or gave something into it, and the master brought it in?” “Both are free.”
2. A man must not sit before the barber near to evening prayer,[93] until he has prayed. He must not enter a bath, nor a tannery, nor eat, nor judge. “But if they began?” “They need not cease.” They may cease to read the “Hear,”[94] etc., but they must not cease to pray.
3. A tailor must not go out with his needle near dusk,[95] lest he forget and go (afterward). Nor a scribe go out with his [pg 076] pen. Nor may one search his garments. Nor shall one read at the light of the lamp. In truth they said, “the teacher may overlook when children are reading, but he himself shall not read.” Similar to him, one with an issue shall not eat with her who has an issue, because of the custom of transgression.
4. And these following are from the decisions which they mentioned of the upper chamber of Hananiah, the son of Hezekiah, the son of Gorion, when the Sages went up to visit him. The school of Shammai was counted, and was more numerous than the school of Hillel. And eighteen matters were determined on that day.