If, Heaven forbid, a fire breaks out on Shabbos, our Sages were concerned that the head of the household and his family [who are] in the vicinity of the fire, will be occupied with rescuing their belongings. They will be hasty and panicky at the prospect of losing their valuables, and, as a result, forget that it is Shabbos, and they might extinguish the fire. They, therefore, forbade rescuing even objects that are [normally] permitted to be handled. They forbid even to move them to a place where it is permitted to carry. Only that which is needed for the day is permitted to be rescued.¹ 334: 11) Mishnah Berurah rules that you may be lenient since the prohibition involved is only Rabbinic. Shulchan Aruch Harav, however, rules that you must be stringent. For instance: If a fire broke out on Shabbos eve before the [Shabbos] meal, you may rescue [enough] food for three meals, [food] fit for humans—for humans,² 334: 1] [food] fit for animals—for animals.³] [If the fire broke out] in the morning, [you may rescue] food for two meals. [If the fire broke out] in the afternoon, [you may rescue] food for one meal. If one vessel contains much food [i.e. more than you need], for example, a basket full of breads, or a barrel full of wine⁴ 334: 1] or something similar; since you can remove it [all] at the same time, it is permissible [although you are rescuing more than you need]. Similarly, if you spread a sheet or something similar, and gather into it everything you can remove, even quantities of food and drink, and you remove them all at once, it is permissible.⁵ 334: 8, Mishnah Berurah, ibid.). Others do not distinguish between “loose” and containered food. [Tehillah Ledavid] You may also remove all the utensils that you need to use on that day [Shabbos].

footnotes: ¹ Some argue that this prohibition applies only where the salvaged objects are carried to your neighbor’s unroofed yard which borders a public domain, for there is concern that you may also carry into a public domain. But to your own yard or friend’s house you may salvage all the food and items you are able to. (Shulchan Aruch ² Enough for three meals for each member of your household [Biur Halachah ³ Since you yourself may not eat before feeding your animals. [Tosafos, Shabbos ⁴ Otherwise you may rescue only enough wine for three meals. You may rescue other liquids to have a sufficient amount for the entire day. [Biur Halachah ⁵ According to some this applies to “loose” food, not in containers. If the food is in containers, then each container is considered separately. (Magein Avraham

You may say to others: "Come and rescue [something] for yourselves,"⁶] and each person may rescue the food that he needs, or a vessel that contains even a great amount [of food] and it will belong to the rescuer, since the owner renounced his ownership, and he [the rescuer] acquired it from ownerless property. If he [the rescuer] is a God-fearing person and returns to the owner that which he rescued because he knows [that the owner] did not willingly renounce ownership, he may receive payment for the rescue and it is not considered Shabbos wages,⁷ 334: 1] since, legally, it is all his.⁸] Nevertheless, it is virtuous not to accept payment for the trouble of rescuing [anything] on Shabbos, although it is not [considered] Shabbos wages, because a virtuous person should give up his rights concerning anything that has the slightest taint of sin.

footnotes: ⁶ It is essential to say “for yourselves,” so that it be a valid renunciation of ownership. [Magein Avraham, Mishnah Berurah ⁷ It is prohibited to receive pay for any service performed on Shabbos. In this case if the rescuer returned the items before Shabbos ended he may not accept a fee. [Biur Halachah ⁸ It is, therefore, considered that the rescuer is selling that which is his, rather than receiving a fee for performing a service on Shabbos. [Rashi

All that was said above applies only [when taken] to a place to which it is permitted to carry things. But, to a place where it is forbidden to carry, it is forbidden to rescue anything. However, clothes that you can wear may be put on, and you may wrap everything you can around you and carry them out even to a public domain. Then, you may remove the clothing, [return] and again put on clothes and carry them out. [You may do this] even the entire day.⁹] Carrying the clothing is permitted only for clothes needed for Shabbos. [Mishnah Berurah 334: 18] You may also tell others: "Come and rescue!"¹⁰ and they, too, may rescue.

footnotes: ⁹ The necessity of putting the clothing on is to serve as a constant reminder not to extinguish the fire. [Taz, Rashba ¹⁰ And add: “for yourselves.” See note 6.

Since the owners of the houses that are near the fire are less panicky¹¹ even though they are afraid that [the fire] will also reach them, they may rescue everything [by taking it] to a place where it is permitted to carry.¹² 334: 4—Chayei Adam] Some say that money as well as other valuables, though they are muktzeh, may be rescued from a great, sudden loss, such as a fire, a flood or a robbery, by placing on them some food item, and handling them together in that manner. (However, under other circumstances, there is no allowance whatsoever to handle muktzeh in this manner.)¹³ object does not permit handling it. There are those even more lenient [who rule] that the valuables themselves may be handled,¹⁴ because where a great sudden loss¹⁵ may not be handled [Mishnah Berurah ibid.] [is involved] the prohibition of muktzeh is set aside ¹⁶ (Maseches Shabbos) writes that monetary loss alone is not sufficient grounds to dispense with the prohibition of muktzeh. Monetary loss is of avail only to prevent the transgression of a de’oraisa (Biblical) prohibition (e.g. where due to fear of loss, the person may transgress the de’oraisa prohibition of extinguishing a fire on Shabbos.) Chasam Sofer (Even Ha’ezer 35), however, cites the Bach that where great loss is involved, even the derabanan (Rabbinic) prohibition of muktzeh is dispensed with. Magein Avraham (338) rules leniently that monetary loss is of avail only where a non-active prohibition such as speech is involved. But an active transgression such as handling muktzeh is prohibited. Similarly carrying the object to a karmelis would also be prohibited. provided that you do not carry them out to a place wherein it is forbidden to carry.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹¹ And are less likely to forget themselves and extinguish the fire. ¹² Perhaps others may rescue the owner’s objects since they are calmer and are unlikely to forget themselves and extinguish the fire. [Mishnah Berurah ¹³ Where there is no threat of loss, placing food on a muktzeh ¹⁴ I.e. without the placing of food. ¹⁵ I.e. where there is a panic situation. However, in a situation such as where rain is involved, muktzeh ¹⁶ There is great controversy concerning this statement of the author. Ran ¹⁷ See end of note 16.

All sacred books, whether they be handwritten or printed, may be rescued from a fire, a flood, and the like, even to a yard or an alleyway to which it is forbidden to carry due to the lack of an eiruv¹⁸ is involved. Shulchan Aruch Harav permits carrying sacred writings even to a karmelis.; provided the yard or alley is constructed in a manner that an eiruvei chatzeiros or shitufei mevo'os¹⁹ could be set up. It is permitted to use a non-Jew to rescue these books even [if it means] carrying through a public domain.²⁰. Where there is no alternative, you may tell a non-Jew to extinguish the fire to save the sacred books. [Peri Megadim, Shulchan Aruch Harav] Machatzis Hashekel (329: 1) quotes Tosafos Shabbos that it is even preferable to have a non-Jew extinguish the fire rather than have him carry the books out. Chayei Adam disagrees and prefers that the non-Jew carry the books out to a karmelis etc. (Salvaging the dead from fire is discussed further on in Chapter 88, paragraph 16.)

footnotes: ¹⁸ Where only a lesser derabanan ¹⁹ See Chapter 94. ²⁰ Where the prohibition is de’oraisa

You may rescue the book-bag along with the [sacred] book, and the tefillin-bag along with the tefillin.²¹ 334: 15] The Vilna Gaon rules that you may place the tefillin inside the money bag in order to salvage the money along with the tefillin. Taz and Magein Avraham disagree. Shulchan Aruch Harav seems to rule that even having already placed the tefillin with the money, the money may not be saved.

footnotes: ²¹ Even if there is money in the bag you need not shake the money out. [Shulchan Aruch

A Seifer Torah should be rescued before other books.

When life is endangered you may extinguish the fire. Therefore, in areas that Jews reside amongst non-Jews, you may extinguish the fire even if it is in a non-Jew's house. It all depends on the circumstances. Only extinguishing is permitted, but it is prohibited to desecrate the Shabbos²² is involved. [Peri Megadim, Mishnah Berurah 334: 76] to save some valuables. If you violated the law and did desecrate [the Shabbos], you should consult a rabbi to learn the way of repentance.

footnotes: ²² Even where a derabanan