Shabbat 41b — the Talmud in English

And the Gemara raises a difficulty: How is it permitted to place cold water into a boiler that had been on the fire and had been emptied of its water

yet

thereby he

tempers

—[strengthens and completes] the vessel, for when water is heated in a vessel, it becomes weakened— and it is the practice of metalworkers to strengthen it by placing cold water into it after it has become heated, and through this its work is completed; and it is forbidden to do so on Shabbat on account of striking the final blow? And the Gemara answers: Rav Adda bar Mattana explains that our Mishna follows the method of

Rabbi Shimon, who says: An unintentional act is permitted.

Abaye challenges

Rav Adda bar Mattana’s explanation:

Does it teach, “a boiler from which water was removed,”

in the Mishna? After all, it

teaches, “a boiler that was removed,”

which implies that he removed the boiler itself and transferred it from above the fire, and not that he removed the water that was in it.

Rather, Abaye said: This is what the tanna of the Mishna is saying

:

a.

A boiler that he removed

from above the fire,

and there is hot water in it

that the hand recoils from,

he may not place water into it

that is cold,

in a small quantity

relative to the hot water,

in order that it become heated [

that it be capable of becoming heated], lest it become cooked in the boiler,

but he may place water into it

that is cold,

in a large quantity

relative to the hot water,

in order to thaw it. b.

And a boiler from which he removed water

the hot water that was in it,

he may not place water into it

that is cold

at all, because he tempers it,

when he places cold water into a hot boiler, and it is forbidden on account of striking the final blow.

And even though he intended only to thaw the water and not to temper it, the tanna of the Mishna held that an unintentional act is forbidden,

and it is Rabbi Yehuda, who says that an unintentional act is forbidden.

Rav said:

As for that which we learned, that it is permitted to place water into a boiler,

we taught this only

when he places a large quantity of cold water in order

to thaw

the hot water,

but

if the water may

temper

the boiler,

it is forbidden.

And Shmuel said: It is permitted even for the purpose of tempering.

The Gemara explains: Rather, if the dispute between Rav and Shmuel is stated,

And we raise the difficulty: Is it really

permitted to temper from the outset?

And the Gemara explains:

Rather, if it was stated

the dispute between Rav and Shmuel,

this is what was stated:

Rav said: We taught only

that it is permitted to place cold water into the boiler

if

he placed a large quantity of water in it, containing a

measure

sufficient

to thaw,

and it does not temper the boiler.

But

if he placed a large quantity of water containing a

measure

sufficient

to temper

the boiler, such as when he fills the boiler to its brim,

it is forbidden.

if the boiler is filled to its rim and contains a measure sufficient to temper

And Shmuel said: Even

if the boiler became full to its brim and there is in it water containing a

measure

sufficient

to temper ![](pamud.bmp "

exact page location") the boiler,

it is permitted,

because he did not intend to temper it, and in accordance with Rabbi Shimon, who says that an unintentional act is permitted.