Shabbat 103: Forbidden Partial Labours of Gathering Plants, Writing One Letter on Shabbat

Our daf begins by solving a question asked at the end of yesterday's daf.  One who performs a prohibited labour and one's labour endures on Shabbat is liable.  This it includes cases of even small actions.

A new Mishna teaches that one who plows is liable for plowing any amount of land on Shabbat.  Weeding, removing grass, removing dry branches, or pruning are liable actions.  Gathering wood to enhance a tree or the land is liable for any amount.  If this is done for fuel, one is liable for collecting what is needed to cook an egg.  Gathering plants to enhance the land creates liability at any amount.  If this is done to feed an animal, one is liable for collecting a measure equivalent to a goat's mouthful

A second new Mishna teaches that one who writes two letters on Shabbat, written with the left or right hand, using one or two types of ink, in any language is liable.  Rabbi Yosei says that we are liable for writing two letters due to marking, for they would write symbols on adjacent beams of the Tabernacle.  Rabbi Yehuda says that we found that one is liable for writing even if one write only part of a small name or for writing initials to symbolize a name.  Rav Yehuda uses the phrase from Leviticus (4:2) where we learn about an action from one of (an unintentional sin).  "From one" might mean even a single letter or a single thread.  Because the verse states "one" it implies one complete labour.  

The rabbis discuss writing at all, writing different letters, and the actions involved in writing each letter.  Letters that are similar to each other or letters that are open or closed or similar to other letters are discussed at some length.