You Shall Kindle No Fire and the Schools That Read It

"You shall kindle no fire" (Exodus 35:3). Why is this said? Because it says "In plowing and in harvest you shall rest" (Exodus 34:21) - rest from plowing in harvest time and rest from harvesting in plowing time. I have only that he rests from the eve of the seventh year into the seventh year; from the eve of the Sabbath into the Sabbath, from where? It is a logical inference: since the seventh year is for the sake of the Name and the Sabbath is for the sake of the Name, if I have learned that one rests from the eve of the seventh year into the seventh year, then one also rests from the eve of the Sabbath into the Sabbath. And a further inference: if the seventh year, for which the court does not impose death, is such that one rests from its eve into it, then the Sabbath, for which the court does impose death, all the more should one rest from its eve into it. One might think he is not permitted even to light his lamp, prepare his fire, or set his hot food to keep warm while it is still day; therefore Scripture teaches "You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the Sabbath day" - on the Sabbath day you may not kindle, but you may kindle from the eve of the Sabbath into the Sabbath. Another interpretation: "You shall kindle no fire." Why is this said? Because it says "A continual fire shall be kept burning on the altar; it shall not go out" (Leviticus 6:6). I might hear this applies whether on a weekday or on the Sabbath. Therefore Scripture teaches "You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings" - in your dwellings you may not kindle, but you may kindle in the Temple. A certain student of the students of Rabbi Ishmael said: "You shall kindle no fire." Why is this said? Because it says "And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death" (Deuteronomy 21:22). I might hear this applies whether on a weekday or on the Sabbath. Therefore Scripture teaches "You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings" - this refers to the seat of the court. Burning was included in the general rule; why was it singled out? To draw an analogy: just as burning is one of the four court-imposed deaths and does not override the Sabbath, so the other court-imposed deaths do not override the Sabbath. From here we learn that the court does not carry out punishments on the Sabbath. Rabbi Jonathan says: "You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings." Why is this said? Because it says "And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel and said to them, These are the things" (Exodus 35:1) - I might hear he is not liable until he transgresses all thirty-nine principal labors; therefore Scripture teaches "In plowing and in harvest you shall rest." Or one might think he is liable only when he transgresses two; therefore Scripture teaches "You shall kindle no fire." Kindling was included in the general rule; why was it singled out? To draw an analogy: just as kindling is one of the thirty-nine principal labors and one is liable for it on its own, so for each of the other thirty-eight principal labors one is liable for each one on its own. And Rabbi Nathan says: "You shall kindle no fire." Why is this said? Because it says "Only that which every person must eat, that alone may be prepared for you" (Exodus 12:16). I might hear he is not permitted to light his lamp, prepare his fire, or set his hot food to keep warm; therefore Scripture teaches "You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the Sabbath day" - on the Sabbath day you may not kindle, but you may kindle on a festival.