Sources Through Srugim, Session 18: Transporting Food on Shabbat

In the case of one who cooks food on Shabbat, if he acted unwittingly he may eat the food, but if he acted intentionally he may not eat it; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir.

Rabbi Yehuda says: If he acted unwittingly he may eat the food only upon the conclusion of Shabbat, and if he acted intentionally he may not eat it ever, although others may partake of it.

Rabbi Yoḥanan HaSandlar says: If he cooked the food unwittingly it may be eaten upon the conclusion of Shabbat by others only, but not by him; and if he acted intentionally it may not be eaten ever, neither by him nor by others. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan HaSandlar? The Gemara explains: This is as Rabbi Ḥiyya taught at the entrance to the house of the Nasi. It is written: “And you shall observe Shabbat, for it is holy [kodesh] to you; one who profanes it shall be put to death” (Exodus 31:14). Just as it is prohibited to eat a sacred item consecrated to the Temple [kodesh], so too is it prohibited to eat food produced though action that desecrates Shabbat.

(23) [In the case of] a Jew that did forbidden work on Shabbat: If he transgressed volitionally, it is forbidden for him to ever benefit from that forbidden work. But it is permissible for other Jews to benefit from it at the conclusion of Shabbat; as it is stated (Exod. 31:14), “You shall keep the Shabbat, for it is holy” – it is holy, but its acts are not holy. How is this? [If] a Jew cooked on Shabbat volitionally, it can be eaten by others at the conclusion of Shabbat – but he may never eat it. But if he cooked inadvertently, it can be eaten immediately at the conclusion of Shabbat, whether by him or by others. And likewise anything that is similar to this.

1. One who cooks food on Shabbos [or performs any one of the other forbidden acts on Shabbos][Tur]; if done intentionally, the food is forbidden to eat forever, but other people are permitted to eat the food immediately after Shabbos. If done accidentally the food is forbidden to him during the day but may be eaten by everyone, including him, immediately after Shabbos.

Or performs any other forbidden acts: This is only with regard to an action that changes the nature of the object, like cooking or similar activities, but if a person simply carries an object in a forbidden manner, but didn't change the nature of the object, if it was by accident, it is permitted, even to the person who did the action and even during Shabbat itself. If it was done intentionally, it is forbidden to everyone to use it until Motzei Shabbat, but nevertheless it is appropriate with all Torah level prohibitions to follow the same restrictions that we stated with regard to cooking.

If done accidentally, it is forbidden to others until after Shabbat: There is a dispute in the Gemara regarding intentional and accidental actions between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir, and the Shulchan Aruch follows the position of Rabbi Yehuda. The Gr"a (the Vilna Gaon), however, follows the position of Rabbi Meir, saying that with an intentional action it is forbidden for everyone to benefit until after Shabbat, but with an accidental action anyone can benefit from it immediately. In a time of need, this position of the Gr"a can be relied on if somebody cooked accidentally.