Why Scripture Adds the Word Dwellings to the Sabbath Fire Law

The school of Rabbi Ishmael taught: "You shall kindle no fire in any of your dwellings" -- what does this come to teach? What does it teach? If according to Rabbi Yose, it singles out kindling to be a mere prohibition; if according to Rabbi Natan, it singles it out to divide the labors. For it was taught: kindling was singled out to be a simple negative prohibition -- these are the words of Rabbi Yose. Rabbi Natan says it was singled out to divide the labors, so that one is liable for each separately. Rather, Rava said, what troubled the teacher was the word "dwellings": why does Scripture state "dwellings"? Now, the Sabbath is an obligation upon the person, and an obligation upon the person applies both in the Land and outside the Land. So why did the Merciful One write "dwellings" in connection with the Sabbath? In the name of Rabbi Ishmael a certain disciple said: Since it is stated, "If a man has committed a sin worthy of death," and so on, up to "or does it apply even on the Sabbath?" -- therefore the verse teaches, "You shall kindle no fire in any of your dwellings." And further on Scripture says, "And these shall be for you a statute of judgment throughout your generations in all your dwellings" (Numbers 35:29). Just as "dwellings" stated there refers to the court, so too "dwellings" stated here refers to the court. And the Merciful One said, "You shall kindle no fire in any of your dwellings." Now that you have said an obligation upon the person applies both in the Land and outside the Land, why did the Merciful One write "dwellings" in connection with the Sabbath? It was needed, for it might have entered your mind to say: since the law is written in the section dealing with the appointed festivals, the Sabbath should require sanctification by a court, like the festivals. Therefore it teaches us otherwise.