Shabbat 19: More on What is Permitted and Restricted on Erev Shabbat

In their consideration of what must be restricted from Gentiles on erev Shabbat, the rabbis turn to kutach.  Kutach is made of milk, water, salt and bread crumbs.  It lasted for thirty days and was very pungent, often known as Babylonian kutach for it was not tolerated by many people in Eretz Yisrael.  The rabbis mention that the dog can be given food even if it brings that food from a private courtyard into the public domain.  This permits Gentiles to be given food for their dogs.

The rabbis speak to situations involving monetary matters and Gentiles before Shabbat begins.  Beit Shammai say that one can only give a letter to a Gentile whether or not a price has been set for that delivery if the Gentile can reach home before dark.  Beit Hillel say that it is enough for the Gentile to reach the wall beside the city where the Gentile is going.  Might this have to do with the location of a letter carrier?  

Turning to subjects of setting off to sea, the rabbis discuss when it is permitted to sail before Shabbat begins.  The rabbis agree that it should be alright to set sail several days before Shabbat.  Is it alright to set sail close to Shabbat to perform a mitzvah?  What about a short journey?  Wars should not be waged on other cities shortly before Shabbat, but they can continue fighting through Shabbat if the war has already begun, as proven by Deuteronomy (20:20), where a siege should be sustained "until it falls".  

Regarding laundering, we learn that people brought their clothes out to be laundered and that white garments were more difficult to wash than colours.  This is because it was permitted to bring white clothing to launder no longer than three days before erev Shabbat but coloured clothing could be brought in on that same day.  

We learn about cases where loading beams of the olive press and the circular wine press are decreed by Beit Shammai to be prohibited on erev Shabbat with the punishment of a sin-offering.  On Shabbat, there is no such decree and no liability for sin offerings.  

Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva argue about whether or not it is permitted to finish an action that has been started before Shabbat if it lasts into Shabbat.  Rabbi Elazar says that it is permitted to eat the honey of honeycombs that were crushed on erev Shabbat.

A new Mishna teaches that actions that are permitted to be completed on Shabbat must be mostly complete on erev Shabbat.  One may only roast meat, an onion, or an egg if there is enough time to roast them while it is still day.  One may only put dough to bake into bread in the oven on erev Shabbat or put a cake on the coals if there is enough time for the these items to form crusts while it is still day.  Rabbi Eliezer say that the bottom crust must harden.  Exceptional cases include lowering the Paschal lamb into the oven on erev Shabbat if it is also erev Passover.  Further, on Shabbat it was permitted to light the Beit HaMoked, Chamber of the Hearth, where a large fire and other sections were set aside at the northern wall to keep the priests warm and store the Temple keys. 

Outside of the Temple area, it is prohibited to light a fire on erev Shabbat unless there is enough time for the fire to be strong in most of the bonfire during the day.  Rabbi Yehuda says that it is  permitted to light a fire made of coals in any place even if it spreads on Shabbat.  This is because coals will no go out and no-one needs to tend to them on Shabbat.