1.  It is permitted to begin an act of labor on Erev Shabbat (Friday) near nightfall, even though it will not be completed while it is still day but it will complete itself on the Sabbath.  For example:  to soak ink or spices in water where they remain the entire Sabbath, or to place bundles of flax in the oven in order to bleach it.  Another example is to place wool into a furnace but not directly on the fire while it is leaning on the mortar [1], for if it was on the fire it would be forbidden since there is the possibility that it will ignite [meaning catch fire and cause one to manipulate the coals underneath].  Even if the wool is not on the fire, if it is not resting on the mortar it is prohibited since perhaps he will touch it with the hand, and one who moves a pot [2] even if it isn't directly on the fire is liable because of cooking.  It is permitted to set traps to catch cattle, birds and fish while these may trap the animal on the Sabbath.  It is permitted to sell items to a Gentile and to have the Gentile load them [1] close to nightfall, assuming they leave his home when it is still day.  [There are those who permit the Gentile to take the item out on Shabbat in a case where the Gentile set aside a place in the Jew's home when it was still day, but others prohibit this.]

2.  It is permitted to give garments to a Gentile Laundromat, and skins to a Gentile who works on them [meaning a craftsman who works on and fixes skins] close to nightfall if he negotiates the fee or works in "recognition of services rendered", so long as he does not tell him to work on them on the Sabbath and the Gentile performs the labor in his own house.  [If payment was not arranged, then it is prohibited to do this on Erev Shabbat.  See later in ch. 247 where there is a dispute if the Gentile does the work for free, that is the same of "in recognition of services rendered".]  If he saw the Gentile do work on his item on the Sabbath, if it was done "in recognition of services rendered" then he must tell him to not work on it on the Sabbath.  [Even if he gave the Gentile the items many days before the Sabbath.]

3.  If the work is done in public view and it is known that it is being done of a Jew, it is better to be stringent and prohibit this.

4.  Any situation where payment is arranged/negotiated, even though the Gentile does work on the Sabbath, it is permitted on that very Shabbat for a Jew to put the garment on.  The reason is that all cases where payment is negotiated is considered as if work is done on the Gentile's own accord.  [Some prohibit wearing such a item if it is known that a Gentile completed the work on the Sabbath.  It is necessary to wait as much as one is able.  One should be stringent so long as one does not need it on the Sabbath.  If one needs the item, then one could be lenient.  If there was enough time that it could have been completed on Friday, then it is certainly permitted.  This only applies if the Gentile brought the item to his house.  However, it is prohibited to take items from a craftsman's location on Shabbat and Yom Tov.  The above applies when he works on Jewish items.  Where a Gentile makes shoes for sale, it is permitted for a Jew to go there and wear them on Shabbat as long as the Jew does not negotiate the price on the Sabbath.]

5.  It is permitted (on Friday) to open (the bottom of a) water container for a garden while the water pours itself on the Sabbath.  Also it is permitted (on Friday) to place collyrium [an eye medicine] on the eyes, even though it is prohibited to do this on the Sabbath.  Plus, one may put incense under utensils while they continue to smoke by themselves the entire Sabbath.  Even to place incense inside utensils is permitted, for the Torah does not stipulate the resting of vessels.  One may place barley on the roof in order to dry, or to load thread on a loom [1] or to load a press while it is still day with olives and grapes; while the oil and wine that come out from them is permitted to use [see later in 320:2].   Unripe fruit and ripe ears or corn that were mashed during the day, the ale that subsequently emerges is permitted.  It is allowed to place wheat into millstones (powered by) water near nightfall.  [We are not concerned that a rumor will go out, stating that a certain person's millstone is grinding on the Sabbath, but some prohibit the case of the millstone or any other case where a rumor may go out.  In a place where the custom is to be stringent, if a loss is involved then one may be lenient as explained later in ch. 244.  It is permitted to set up the weights of a device called zeeger [3] on Friday even though it it makes noise to tell the hours on Shabbat since everyone knows that the custom is to set it up the day before, see later 338.]

6.  One should not go out on Friday near dark with his walking stick, nor with his pen, for perhaps he will forget and walk with them on the Sabbath.  However, it is permitted to go out with tefilin near dark since one would not forget. 

7.  It is a mitzvah to check your clothes on Friday in order that there should not be found in them an item that would be prohibited from carrying on the Sabbath.

Footnotes:
1.  Not 100% sure of exact translation.
2.  When one moves a pot closer to the fire while the food is not yet cooked on the Sabbath in order to cook it then this is the forbidden labor of cooking.  The author thinks the same applies to the case of wool.  Perhaps "resting on the mortar" means the wool is outside the oven, hanging on the side walls in order to dry it.
3.  Appears to refer to a clock.
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Translated by Dr. Jay Dinovitser DO 12/2012
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