Sabbath Chapter 27

הַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ לִתְחוּם הַמְּדִינָה בְּשַׁבָּת לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טז כט) "אַל יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי". מָקוֹם זֶה הוּא תְּחוּם הָעִיר. וְלֹא נָתְנָה תּוֹרָה שִׁעוּר לִתְחוּם זֶה אֲבָל חֲכָמִים הֶעְתִּיקוּ שֶׁתְּחוּם זֶה הוּא חוּץ לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל כְּנֶגֶד מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ לֹא תֵּצְאוּ חוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה. וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא אָדָם חוּץ לָעִיר אֶלָּא עַד אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה אֲבָל חוּץ לְאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה אָסוּר. שֶׁאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה הוּא מִגְרַשׁ הָעִיר:

The one who goes outside the boundary of the city on the Sabbath is lashed, as it is said, "one shall not go out from one's place on the seventh day" (Exodus 16:29). This "place" is the boundary of the city. And the Torah dod not give the amount [of distance] for this boundary, but the Sages had a tradition that this boundary was 12 mil outside, equal to the Israelites camp. And thus Moses our teacher said to them: do not go outside the camp. And from the words of the [Rabbis], a person shall not go outside the city other than 2000 cubits, but outside of 2000 cubits is forbidden, in that 2000 cubits is the pasture land of the city....

נִמְצֵאתָ לָמֵד שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְאָדָם בְּשַׁבָּת לְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כָּל הָעִיר כֻּלָּהּ אֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה כְּנִינְוֵה. בֵּין שֶׁהָיְתָה מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה. וְכֵן מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ חוּץ לָעִיר אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ מְרֻבָּעוֹת כְּטַבְלָה מְרֻבַּעַת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִשְׂכָּר אֶת הַזָּוִיּוֹת. וְאִם יָצָא חוּץ לְאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת עַד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל. אֲבָל אִם יָצָא וְהִרְחִיק מִן הָעִיר יֶתֶר עַל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל אֲפִלּוּ אַמָּה אַחַת לוֹקֶה מִן הַתּוֹרָה:

You find from what was learned that a person is permitted on the Sabbath to walk the entire city, even if it was [as big as] Nineveh, whether it was surrounded by a wall or not surrounded by a wall. And similarly, it is permitted to walk outside the city 2000 cubits in every direction, square, like a square tablet such that one benefits from the corners. And if one went outside 2000 cubits, we lash him with lashes of rebellion until 12 mil. But if he went out and distanced [himself] from the city more than 12 mil, even one cubit, he is lashed from the [law of] the Torah.

הַמְהַלֵּךְ חוּץ לַתְּחוּם לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים כְּגוֹן שֶׁקָּפַץ עַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּדִים שֶׁגְּבוֹהִין עֲשָׂרָה וְאֵין בְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶן אַרְבָּעָה עַל אַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק אִם יֵשׁ תְּחוּמִין לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה אוֹ אֵין תְּחוּמִין לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה. אֲבָל אִם הָלַךְ עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אַרְבָּעָה עַל אַרְבָּעָה הֲרֵי זֶה כִּמְהַלֵּךְ עַל הָאָרֶץ וְיֵשׁ אִסּוּר תְּחוּמִין שָׁם:

[There is a question whether] a person [is liable] if he goes beyond the Sabbath limit, [travelling] at a height of more than ten handbreadths above the ground - e.g., he jumps from one pillar to another - when none of the pillars has a surface area of four handbreadths by four handbreadths. For there remains an unresolved question [among the Sages] whether or not the Sabbath limits apply ten handbreadths above the ground.. [The matter is one of question only in an instance similar to the example given.] If, by contrast, a person walks on a surface that is four [handbreadths] by four [handbreadths], it is as if he is walking on the ground [even though the surface is ten handbreadths above the ground]. The Sabbath limits apply in such an instance.

מִי שֶׁשָּׁבַת בְּדִיר שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר אוֹ בְּסַהַר אוֹ בִּמְעָרָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן מֵרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד מְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ וְחוּצָה לָהּ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ בְּרִבּוּעַ. וְכֵן הַשּׁוֹבֵת בְּבִקְעָה אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה יָשֵׁן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּכְנַס הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה שְׁבִיתָה יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ בְּרִבּוּעַ. הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בְּבִקְעָה וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת מְהַלֵּךְ אַלְפַּיִם פְּסִיעוֹת בֵּינוֹנִיּוֹת וְזֶה הוּא תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת:

A person who spends the Sabbath in a barn in the desert, in a corral, in a cave, or in a similar type of private domain may walk through its entire space and [may continue] to the limits of a square extending two thousand cubits in every direction [from that domain]. Similarly, a person who spends the Sabbath in an [open] valleymay walk to the limits of a square extending two thousand cubits in every direction from the place [at which he is located at the commencement of the Sabbath]. [This applies] even when he was sleeping at the time of the commencement of the Sabbath and thus did not consciously acquire the place as his Sabbath base. A person who is walking in an open valley and does not know how far his Sabbath limit extends may take two thousand ordinary steps. This is [his] Sabbath limit.

הַמְהַלֵּךְ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ וְשָׁלְמָה מִדָּתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ דִּיר אוֹ סַהַר אוֹ מְעָרָה אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַמְּדִינָה אֵינוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ אֶלָּא עַד סוֹף מִדָּתוֹ. וְאֵין אוֹמְרִין הוֹאִיל וְכִלְּתָה מִדָּתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד מְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁכָּלְתָה מִדָּתוֹ בְּמִקְצָת הָעִיר אוֹ בְּמִקְצָת הַמְּעָרָה אֲבָל אִם הָיְתָה אוֹתָהּ רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד מֻבְלַעַת בְּתוֹךְ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁלּוֹ תֵּחָשֵׁב לוֹ כָּל אוֹתָהּ הָרְשׁוּת כְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּמַשְׁלִימִין לוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁאָר:

When a person walks the two thousand cubits that he is entitled to walk and his limit ends in a barn, in a corral, in a cave, or in a city, he is allowed to proceed only to the end of his limit. We do not say that since his limit ends within a private domain, he is entitled to walk throughout that domain. When does the above apply? When his limit ends in the midst of the city or in the midst of the cave. If, however, that private domain is included within his two thousand cubits, that entire domain is considered to be only four cubits, and the remainder [of the two thousand cubits] is calculated accordingly.

כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה אֶלֶף אַמָּה מִמְּקוֹם שְׁבִיתָתוֹ אִם מִחוּץ לָעִיר עַד מְדִינָה אוֹ מְעָרָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּאָרְכָּהּ אֶלֶף אַמָּה אוֹ פָּחוֹת מֵאֶלֶף מְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כָּל הַמְּדִינָה אוֹ הַמְּעָרָה שֶׁפָּגַע בָּהּ וּמְהַלֵּךְ חוּצָה לָהּ אֶלֶף אַמָּה פָּחוֹת אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת:

What is implied? If there were one thousand cubits from the place a person established as his base for the Sabbath, or from the town [in which he spent the Sabbath], to a city or a cave that is a thousand cubits long or less, he may walk through the entire city or cave that he encounters and [continue] beyond it for 996 cubits.

אֲבָל אִם הָיָה בַּמְּדִינָה אוֹ בַּמְּעָרָה שֶׁפָּגַע בָּהּ בְּתוֹךְ מִדָּתוֹ אֶלֶף אַמָּה וְאַמָּה אֵינוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ אֶלָּא אֶלֶף אַמָּה בִּלְבַד שֶׁהוּא תַּשְׁלוּם אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ:

If, however, [in the instance mentioned above,] the city or the cave that begins within his Sabbath limits extends one thousand and one cubits, the person may walk only one thousand cubits - i.e., he may proceed to the end of the two thousand cubits [granted] him, [but no further].

מִי שֶׁכָּלְתָה מִדָּתוֹ בַּחֲצִי הָעִיר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ אֶלָּא עַד סוֹף מִדָּתוֹ מֻתָּר לְטַלְטֵל בְּכָל הָעִיר עַל יְדֵי זְרִיקָה. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁשָּׁבַת בְּבִקְעָה וְהִקִּיפוּהוּ נָכְרִים מְחִצָּה בְּשַׁבָּת אֵינוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ אֶלָּא אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הַמְּחִצָּה. וּמֻתָּר לוֹ לְטַלְטֵל בְּכָל הַמְּחִצָּה עַל יְדֵי זְרִיקָה אִם הִקִּיפוּהָ לְשֵׁם דִּירָה:

A person whose Sabbath limits end in the midst of a town may, nevertheless, move an article to any place within the town by throwing it. When a person spends the Sabbath in an open valley, and gentiles surround him with an enclosure on the Sabbath, he may still walk only two thousand cubits - even when this measure is included within the enclosure - in any direction. He may, nevertheless, move an article to any place within the enclosure by throwing it, provided it was enclosed for the sake of habitation.

מִי שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בַּדֶּרֶךְ לִכָּנֵס לִמְדִינָה בֵּין שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בַּיָּם בֵּין שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בֶּחָרָבָה. אִם נִכְנַס בְּתוֹךְ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה קָרוֹב לָעִיר קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הַשַּׁבָּת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לַמְּדִינָה אֶלָּא בְּשַׁבָּת הֲרֵי זֶה יִכָּנֵס וִיהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ וְחוּצָה לָהּ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ:

[The following rule applies when] a person is in the midst of a journey - whether on sea or on dry land - and [intends] to enter a city: If he comes within two thousand cubits of the city before the commencement of the Sabbath, even though he did not arrive at the city until [after] the Sabbath [had commenced], he is permitted to enter, to walk throughout the entire city, and [continue] for two thousand cubits outside of it in all directions.

הָיָה בָּא לִמְדִינָה וְיָשֵׁן בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְלֹא נֵעוֹר אֶלָּא בְּשַׁבָּת וּכְשֶׁנֵּעוֹר מָצָא עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּחוּם הֲרֵי זֶה יִכָּנֵס לָהּ וִיהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ וְחוּצָה לָהּ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ הָיְתָה לְהַלֵּךְ לִמְדִינָה זוֹ וּלְפִיכָךְ קָנָה שְׁבִיתָה עִם בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה כְּמוֹתָן שֶׁהֲרֵי נִכְנַס עִמָּהֶן בַּתְּחוּם:

[The following rule applies when] a person [is in the midst of a journey and intends to enter] a city, but falls asleep on the way, and does not awake until [after] the Sabbath [has commenced]: If when he awakes, he finds himself within the city's [Sabbath] limits, he is permitted to enter, to walk throughout the entire city, and [continue] for two thousand cubits outside of it in all directions. [This is permitted] because his intent was to journey to this city. Therefore, he is considered to have established his "place" for the Sabbath together with the inhabitants of this city, since he entered into their limits.

מִי שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם אֲפִלּוּ אַמָּה אַחַת לֹא יִכָּנֵס שֶׁהָאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם תְּחִלָּתָן מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בּוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ מִתְּחוּמוֹ אַמָּה אוֹ יֶתֶר יֵשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵין לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מֵעֲמִידַת רַגְלָיו וְלַחוּץ. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁהֶחְשִׁיךְ חוּץ לִתְחוּם הַמְּדִינָה אֲפִלּוּ אַמָּה אַחַת הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִכָּנֵס לָהּ אֶלָּא מְהַלֵּךְ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס עָלָיו הַשַּׁבָּת וְהוּא עוֹמֵד בּוֹ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה בִּלְבַד. וְאִם כָּלְתָה מִדָּתוֹ בְּמִקְצָת הָעִיר מְהַלֵּךְ עַד סוֹף מִדָּתוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. הָיְתָה רַגְלוֹ אַחַת בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּחוּם וְרַגְלוֹ אַחַת חוּץ לַתְּחוּם הֲרֵי זֶה יִכָּנֵס:

A person who goes even a single cubit beyond [a city's] Sabbath limits should not reenter them. [The rationale is that] the four cubits that a person is granted in which to walk begin from the place where the person is standing. Therefore, since the person went a cubit or more beyond his Sabbath limit, he must remain in his place. He may not walk except in the four cubits that begin from the place in which he is standing, and continue in a forward direction. Similarly, a person who is even one cubit outside a city's Sabbath limits when darkness falls should not enter the city. Instead, he may proceed only two thousand cubits from the place where he was standing when the Sabbath commenced. If a person's Sabbath limit ends in the midst of the city, he may proceed [no further] than the end of his Sabbath limit, as has been explained. If one of a person's feet is inside [a city's] Sabbath limits and his other foot is outside the Sabbath limits [when the Sabbath commences], he may enter.

מִי שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעְתּוֹ כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּהוּ נָכְרִים אוֹ רוּחַ רָעָה אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁגַג וְיָצָא אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. חָזַר לְדַעַת אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. הֶחְזִירוּהוּ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא יָצָא. וְאִם נְתָנוּהוּ בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד כְּגוֹן שֶׁנְּתָנוּהוּ נָכְרִים בַּדִּיר וְסַהַר וּמְעָרָה אוֹ בְּעִיר אַחֶרֶת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. וְכֵן אִם יָצָא לְאֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ בִּשְׁגָגָה וְנִזְכַּר וְהוּא בְּתוֹכָן מְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ:

[The following rules apply to] a person who left the Sabbath limits unintentionally - e.g., gentiles took him outside [the limits], he was possessed by an undesirable temperament, or he inadvertently went beyond [the limit]: He may walk no more than four cubits. If he returned [within his previous Sabbath limits] voluntarily, he may walk no more than four cubits. If [the forces that caused him to depart] returned him, it is as if he had never departed. If [these forces] left him in a private domain - e.g., the gentiles placed him in a barn, a corral, a cave, or another city - he may walk throughout that domain. Similarly, if he inadvertently left his Sabbath limits [and entered] a domain of this nature, and became conscious of his actions while in this domain, he may walk throughout that domain.

יָצָא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם לְדַעַת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָזַר שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת כְּגוֹן שֶׁהֶחְזִירוּהוּ נָכְרִים אוֹ רוּחַ רָעָה אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. וְכֵן אִם יָצָא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם לְדַעַת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּתוֹךְ רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד כְּגוֹן דִּיר וְסַהַר אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. הַמְּפַרֵשׁ בַּיָּם הַגָּדוֹל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם שֶׁשָּׁבַת בּוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כָּל הַסְּפִינָה כֻּלָּהּ וּמְטַלְטֵל בְּכֻלָּהּ:

When a person voluntarily left the Sabbath limits, he may walk only within four cubits, even when he was returned to his [original] Sabbath limits involuntarily - e.g., he was taken back by gentiles or because of an undesirable temperament. Similarly, if he voluntarily left the Sabbath limits, he may walk only within four cubits even when he is within a private domain - e.g., a barn or a corral. A person who sets out on the Mediterranean Sea may walk throughout the ship and carry throughout the ship, even though he is outside the Sabbath limits that he originally established as his Sabbath base.

מִי שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת וְהֻקַּף בִּמְחִצָּה בְּשַׁבָּת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ כָּל אוֹתָהּ הַמְּחִצָּה וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה יֶתֶר עַל אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה. וְאִם הָיָה תְּחוּם שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ מֻבְלָע מִקְצָתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַמְּחִצָּה שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעְתּוֹ הוֹאִיל וְיֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַלֵּךְ אֶת כָּל הַמְּחִצָּה הֲרֵי זֶה נִכְנָס לִתְחוּמוֹ וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאִלּוּ לֹא יָצָא:

Whenever a person leaves his Sabbath limits unintentionally, and is surrounded by an enclosure on the Sabbath, he may walk throughout [the area of] that enclosure, provided it does not exceed two thousand cubits. When this enclosure that is created without his knowledge overlaps part of the Sabbath limit that he left [an additional leniency is granted]. Since he is allowed to walk throughout that enclosure, he may reenter his Sabbath limits. Once he enters, [he may proceed freely,] as if he had never left.

כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לָזוּז מִמְּקוֹמוֹ אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת אִם נִצְרָךְ לִנְקָבָיו הֲרֵי זֶה יוֹצֵא וּמַרְחִיק וְנִפְנֶה וְחוֹזֵר לִמְקוֹמוֹ. וְאִם נִכְנַס לְמִקְצָת תְּחוּם שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּתְרַחֵק לְהִפָּנוֹת הוֹאִיל וְנִכְנַס יִכָּנֵס וּכְאִלּוּ לֹא יָצָא. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא בַּתְּחִלָּה לְדַעַת אֲבָל אִם יָצָא לְדַעַת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּכְנַס אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת:

[The following rules apply when] any of the individuals whose movement is restricted to four cubits must relieve himself: He may leave [these four cubits], move away [an appropriate distance], relieve himself, and then return to his place. If when moving away to relieve himself, the person enters a portion of the Sabbath limits that he originally left: since he has entered, [his] entry [is accepted as fact], and it is as though he had never departed. [This leniency applies] provided he originally left unintentionally. If he left intentionally, he may walk only [within] four cubits, even if he reentered [his original limits].

כָּל מִי שֶׁיָּצָא בִּרְשׁוּת בֵּית דִּין כְּגוֹן הָעֵדִים שֶׁבָּאוּ לְהָעִיד עַל רְאִיַּת הַלְּבָנָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן מִמִּי שֶׁמֻּתָּר לוֹ לָצֵאת לִדְבַר מִצְוָה יֵשׁ לוֹ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לוֹ. וְאִם הִגִּיעַ לִמְדִינָה הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר וְיֵשׁ לוֹ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ חוּץ לַמְּדִינָה:

[The following rules apply to] all individuals who are sanctioned by the court [to leave their Sabbath limits] - e.g., witnesses who are going to testify regarding their sighting of the moon, - and all others who are allowed to depart because of a mitzvah: When they reach their destination, they may proceed two thousand cubits in all directions. Should they become located in a city, they [are governed by] the same [rules as] the inhabitants of that city, and may proceed two thousand cubits beyond the city in all directions.

הָיָה יוֹצֵא בִּרְשׁוּת וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ וְהוּא הוֹלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ כְּבָר נַעֲשֵׂית הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁיָּצָאתָ לַעֲשׂוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ. וְאִם הָיָה מִקְצָת תְּחוּם שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ בִּרְשׁוּת מֻבְלָע בְּתוֹךְ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה חוֹזֵר לִמְקוֹמוֹ וּכְאִלּוּ לֹא יָצָא. וכָּל הַיּוֹצְאִין לְהַצִּיל נַפְשׁוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אוֹ מִן הַנָּהָר אוֹ מִן הַמַּפֹּלֶת יֵשׁ לָהֶם אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִצִּילוּ בּוֹ. וְאִם הָיְתָה יַד הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת תַּקִּיפָה וְהָיוּ מְפַחֲדִים לִשְׁבֹּת בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִצִּילוּ בּוֹ הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חוֹזְרִין בְּשַׁבָּת לִמְקוֹמָן וּבִכְלֵי זֵינָן:

[The following rules apply when] a person was sanctioned to depart [from his Sabbath limits], but in the midst of his journey, he was informed that the mitzvah that he had intended to perform had already been completed: He may proceed two thousand cubits in all directions. If a portion of the Sabbath limit from which he departed overlaps these two thousand cubits, he may return to his [original] place, and it is as though he had never departed. All those who depart [from the Sabbath limits] to rescue Jewish lives from gentiles, from a [flooding] river, or from an avalanche, are granted two thousand cubits [in which to walk] from the place where they rescue them. [When Jews are rescued from gentiles, but] the gentiles' position is strong, and the rescuers fear spending [the remainder of] the Sabbath in the place where they rescue them, they may return to their [original] place, [carrying] their weapons.