Eighteen Treatises from the Mishna, by D. A. Sola and M. J. Raphall, [1843], at sacred-texts.com

CHAPTER VII.

§ 1. One great rule they [the sages] laid down respecting the Sabbath. He who has [entirely] forgotten the principle of the Sabbath, and has done many kinds of work on many Sabbath-days, is bound to bring but one sin-offering. He who knows the principle of the Sabbath, but, [mistaking the day], has done many kinds of work on many Sabbath-days, is bound to bring a separate sin-offering for every Sabbath-day [which he has violated]. He who knows that it is Sabbath, and has [nevertheless] done many kinds of work on many Sabbath-days, is bound to bring a separate sin-offering for every principal occupation. He who has done divers work, all arising from the same principal occupation, is bound to bring but one sin-offering.

§ 2. Principal occupations there are forty less one: to sow, to plough, to mow, to gather into sheaves, to thrash, to winnow, to sift [corn], to grind, to sieve, to knead, to bake, to shear wool, to wash wool, to card, to dye, to spin, to warp, to shoot two threads, to weave two threads, to cut and tie two threads, to tie, to untie, to sew two stitches, to tear thread with intent to sew two stitches, to catch a stag [game], to slaughter it, to skin, to salt [cure] a hide, to singe a hide, to tan, to cut up a skin, to write two letters, to erase with intent to write two letters, to build, to demolish, to extinguish fire, to kindle fire, to hammer, to carry [or convey] from one reshuth 1 into another. Thus these principal occupations are forty less one.

§ 3. Another rule they [the sages] laid down. Whatever is fit [and proper] to be preserved, and in a quantity, such as is usually preserved, whosoever carries it out on a Sabbath is bound to bring a sin-offering. But whatever is not fit [and proper] to be preserved, and [is] in such quantity as is not usually preserved, if it be carried out on the Sabbath, he only is bound to bring a sin-offering [for carrying it out] who [usually] preserves it.

§ 4. Whoever carries out [chopped] straw equal to a cow's mouthful;

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stalks equal to a camel's mouthful; stubble equal to a lamb's mouthful; herbs equal to a kid's mouthful, if fresh, equal to [the size of] a dried fig; leek or onion leaves if dry equal to a kid's mouthful. But these are not to be computed together, as the legal quantities are not equal [for all]. Whoever carries out [any article of] food equal to [the size of] a dried fig is guilty. And victuals may be computed together, as the legal quantity is the same for all; excepting peels, [shells], kernels, and stalks; [likewise] bran, fine or coarse. R. José saith, "Excepting, also, the husks of lentils, which have been boiled with them."

Footnotes

47:1 Vide Introduction.