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3 ‎[1] It is permissible to begin the performance of a [forbidden] labor on Friday, even though the labor is completed on its own accord on the Sabbath itself, for the prohibition against work applies only on the Sabbath itself. Moreover, when a task is carried out on its own accord on the Sabbath, we are permitted to derive benefit from what was completed on the Sabbath. ‎[2] What is implied? We may open an irrigation channel to a garden on Friday, causing it to continue to fill throughout [the Sabbath] day. We may place [burning] incense under garments, causing them to continue to be made fragrant throughout the entire Sabbath. We may apply salve to an eye or a bandage to a wound, causing them to continue to heal throughout the Sabbath.
We may mix ink with herbs before night and let the mixture soak throughout the entire Sabbath. We may place wool into a vat or strands of flax into an oven so that their [color] continues to change throughout the entire Sabbath.
We may lay out snares for wild beasts, birds, and fish at nightfall so that they continue being captured throughout the entire Sabbath. We may load the beams of an olive press or the round stones of a grape press at nightfall so that the liquids will continue to flow throughout the entire Sabbath. Similarly, we may light a candle or a fire [before] evening so that it continues to burn throughout the entire Sabbath. ‎[3] A pot may be placed over a fire, or meat may be placed in an oven or over coals [on Friday], so that they continue to cook throughout the Sabbath [with the intent] that they be eaten on the Sabbath. With regard to this matter, however, there are certain restrictions that were enacted lest one stir the coals on the Sabbath. ‎[4] What is implied? When food has not been cooked to the extent that it is ready to serve, water has not been boiled, or food has been cooked to the extent that it is ready to serve, but the longer it cooks the better it tastes, it may not be left over a fire on the Sabbath even though it was placed there before the commencement of the Sabbath, lest one stir the coals to complete the cooking process or to cause it to cook more thoroughly.
Accordingly, it is permissible to leave [food cooking] if one removed the coals one covered the coals in the range with ash or with thin chips from the combing of flax, the coals burned low, for then they are covered with ash, or the fuel used was straw, stubble, or the feces of a small animal, for then no coals will remain.
[In these instances, it is obvious that] the person has diverted his intention from this food. Hence, a decree was not [enacted forbidding food to be left on the fire] lest he stir the coals. ‎[5] When does the above apply? With regard to a range whose heat is minimal. With regard to an oven, in contrast, even if one removed the coals, covered them with ash, or used straw or stubble as fuel, we are not allowed to leave food in it or on it. Similarly, one should not put food close to it.
[This applies to] food that was not cooked to completion or was completely cooked, but will benefit from continued cooking. Since [an oven] is very hot, a person will not divert his attention [from the fire]. Hence, we suspect that he will stir the small fire that remains, even if it is straw or stubble, or even if it is covered. ‎[6] Why did [the Sages] forbid leaving food in the oven even if the fire was removed? Because a person can remove only the majority of the coals and their most intense [heat]. It is impossible to remove the entire fire so that not even a spark remains. Since [an oven's] heat is very warm, we suspect that he will stir [the fire] so that the sparks that remain in the oven will burn more. ‎[7] A *kopach* is warmer than a range and not as warm as an oven. Therefore, if wood or *gefet* is used as fuel, it is considered equivalent to an oven, and we are not permitted to leave food within it, upon it, or next to it if it was not completely cooked, or even if it was completely cooked, but will benefit from continued cooking. This applies even if the fire was removed or covered with ash.
If straw or stubble was used as fuel, it is bound by the same rules as a range that was fueled with straw or stubble, and [food] may be left [cooking] on it. What is a range and what is a *kopach*? A range is a place with an opening for two pots. A *kopach* is a place with an opening for a single pot. ‎[8] When food has not been cooked at all or has been cooked to completion, but will be impaired by further cooking, it is permitted to leave it cooking whether on a range, a *kopach*, or an oven. Similarly, even when food has been cooked, but has not been cooked to completion, or when it has been cooked to completion, but will benefit from further cooking, it may be left on the fire if one placed an uncooked piece of meat in it shortly before nightfall, for the whole dish is considered to be entirely uncooked. [This applies] although one has not removed or covered the coals, for he has diverted his attention [from this food] and will not stir the coals. ‎[9] [The following rules apply] whenever a person left food [on a fire] in a situation where he was prohibited against doing so: If he transgressed and left [the food cooking intentionally], he is prohibited to eat it until Saturday night, and must wait until enough time passes for it to have cooked. If he forgot [to remove it from the fire on Friday, greater leniency is allowed.] If the food was not completely cooked [before the commencement of the Sabbath], it is forbidden to eat it until Saturday night. If it was completely cooked, but further cooking will benefit it, it is permitted to be eaten immediately on the Sabbath. ‎[10] Whenever [food] is permitted to be left on a fire, if it was taken from [the fire] on the Sabbath, it is forbidden to return it to its place. [Food[ may be returned only to a range from which the coals have been removed or covered or to a range or a* kopach* that was heated with straw or with stubble.
[This leniency is granted] provided the food was not placed on the ground. If it was placed on the ground, it may not be returned even to a range whose coals were removed or covered. Similarly, [food] may not be returned to an oven or to a *kopach* that was heated with* gefet* or wood, despite the fact that one has removed or covered the coals, for they are very hot.
Whenever food should not be returned [to a cooking surface], it should also not be placed next to it [to warm]. ‎[11] It is forbidden to insert a ladle into a pot to remove [food] while it is on a fire on the Sabbath, because while doing so, one stirs it. [Stirring] is one of the activities necessary for cooking, and thus one will be cooking on the Sabbath.
It is permissible to shift a pot from one range to another, even when the heat of the first range is not as great as the heat of the second range. One may not, however, take food that was on a range and cover it to maintain its heat, or take food that was covered to maintain its heat and place it on a range. ‎[12] A person should not fill a pot with peas or beans or a jug with water and place them in an oven on Friday before nightfall and leave them [to cook]. Even when the above and other foods like them were not cooked at all, they are considered to be food that was not completely cooked, because they do not require a substantial [amount of time to] cook. Therefore, the person will continue to pay attention to them, for he intends to partake of them immediately. Accordingly, it is forbidden to leave them in an oven [unless they are completely cooked].
If one transgressed and left them in an oven, it is forbidden to partake of them until Saturday night. [Even then,] one must also wait the amount of time necessary for them to cook. ‎[13] [The following rules apply when] meat was placed in an oven before nightfall and left [to roast] on the Sabbath: If the meat is from a kid or it is other [tender] flesh, it is permitted. [Such meat] requires only the warmth of the fire itself, and if one stirs the coals the meat will char. If the meat is from a goat or an ox, it is forbidden, lest he stir the coals to cause it to cook [faster].
If, however, one sealed the opening of the oven closed with clay, [roasting even the latter meats] is permitted, for if one opens the oven to stir [the coals], the wind will enter and cause the meat to harden and spoil. The oven will cool [suddenly] and the meat will spoil. ‎[14] Similarly, whenever something would be spoiled by the wind, we do not decree [against its being heated], because someone might open [the oven] and stir [coals]. For this reason, we may place strands of flax into an oven [to bleach] before nightfall, for if one opens the oven, they will spoil. ‎[15] If one placed an entire kid into an oven, [the situation] is governed by the laws applying to meat from a goat or an ox, and it is forbidden, lest one stir the coals, unless one seals the oven [closed].
[If the fourteenth of Nisan falls on Friday,] it is, however, permitted to hang the Paschal lamb into an oven directly before nightfall, even though it is not sealed closed. The members of the company [gathered to eat the sacrifice] are careful. ‎[16] Meat, onions, or eggs should not be roasted over an [open] fire, unless they can be roasted before nightfall to the point where they are fit to be eaten. [If they are roasted to this extent before the commencement of the Sabbath], it is permissible to leave them on the fire on the Sabbath to be roasted further.
[The rationale is] that [increased heat] will impair their taste. Since they are being cooked over a fire, if one stirs [the coals] they will char.
For this reason, we are allowed to leave incense under clothes before nightfall [to perfume them]. For if one stirs the coals, the incense will burn and the clothes will be [damaged by] the smoke. ‎[17] From the above, we can conclude that all the prohibitions mentioned in this context were not enacted because [the cooking] was completed on the Sabbath. Instead, they are Rabbinic decrees [enacted] lest one stir the coals. Accordingly, wool should not be placed into a vat [to dye] unless it was removed from the fire, lest one stir the coals. Similarly, the vat should be sealed close with clay, lest one stir [the dye] after nightfall. ‎[18] We should not place bread in an oven [directly] before nightfall, nor should we place a cake on coals unless [there is time] for the surface attached to the oven or [the side of the cake] facing the fire to crust. [Should this be done,] it is permissible to leave it to continue baking afterwards, for if one stirs [the coals], one will spoil the bread.
[The following rules apply when one places bread in an oven] before nightfall and there is not sufficient time for its surface to crust before nightfall. If one did so with a deliberate intent to violate [the above ruling], it is forbidden to partake of the bread until Saturday night, after sufficient time for it to bake has passed.If one did so unknowingly, it is permitted to remove bread for the three Sabbath meals. When one removes the bread, one should not remove it using a baker's peel as one does during the week. Instead, one should use a knife or other similar utensil. ‎[19] A person may make a fire from any substance he desires, regardless of whether] he kindles it on the ground or in a torch holder. When he lights it before nightfall, he may use its light, or warm himself from it on the Sabbath.
He must, however, kindle the majority of the fire before nightfall to the extent that the flame rises up on its own accord. If he did not kindle the majority of the fire, it is forbidden for him to benefit from it on the Sabbath, lest he stir or move the wood so the flame rises up. If he [desires to] burn a single piece of wood, he must kindle the majority of its thickness and the majority of its circumference before nightfall. ‎[20] When does the above apply? Outside the Temple premises; but in the Temple, it is permissible to light a fire in the Chamber of the Hearth directly before nightfall. We do not suspect that anyone will stir the coals, for the priests are careful. ‎[21] If a fire was made of reeds or of seeds, it is not necessary for the majority of it to be kindled before the Sabbath. Instead, since it caught fire before [the commencement] of the Sabbath, its use is permitted, for the fire will spread quickly through [these substances], and there is no necessity for one to stir it.
Therefore, if the reeds were bound together or the seeds were placed in palm baskets, the same laws applying to wood apply, and the flames must be powerful enough to rise up on their own accord before [the commencement] of the Sabbath. ‎[22] When a fire is fueled with tar, sulfur, oily substances, wax, straw, or stubble, it is not required that the majority be kindled before the commencement of the Sabbath, because these substances catch fire quickly.
Version: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001020101/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC