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אִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם נָפְלָה דְּלֵקָה בַּשַׁבָּת, חָשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, כִּי בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַדְּלֵקָה, אִם יִתְעַסְּקוּ בְּהַצָּלָה, וְהֵמָּה נֶחְפָּזִים וּבְהוּלִים עַל מָמוֹנָם, שֶׁמָּא מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יִשְׁכְּחוּ שֶׁהַיּוֹם שַׁבָּת וִיכַבּוּ אֶת הַדְּלֵקָה, עַל כֵּן אָסְרוּ לְהַצִּיל אֲפִלּוּ חֲפָצִים שֶׁהֵן מֻתָּרִין בְּטִלְטוּל לְמָקוֹם שֶׁמֻּתָּרִין לְהוֹצִיא, וְרַק מַה שֶּׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לוֹ לְהַיּוֹם, מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהַצִּיל. כֵּיצַד. נָפְלָה דְּלֵקָה בְּלֵיל שַׁבָּת קֹדֶם הַסְּעוּדָּה, מַצִּיל מְזוֹן שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדּוֹת, הָרָאוּי לָאָדָם, לָאָדָם. הָרָאוּי לַבְּהֵמָה, לַבְּהֵמָה. וּבְשַׁחֲרִית, מְזוֹן שְׁתֵּי סְעוּדּוֹת. וּבְמִנְחָה, מְזוֹן סְעוּדָּה אַחַת. וְאִם יֵשׁ בִּכְלִי אֶחָד מַאֲכָלִים הַרְבֵּה, כְּגוֹן סַל מָלֵא כִּכָּרוֹת, וְחָבִית מְלֵאָה יַיִן וְכַדּוֹמֶה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָם בְּפַעַם אַחַת, מֻתָּר. וְכֵן אִם פֵּרַשׂ סָדִין וְכַדּוֹמֶה וְקִבֵּץ בּוֹ כָּל מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לְהוֹצִיא מִמַּאֲכָלִים וּמַשְׁקָאוֹת וּמוֹצִיאָן בְּפַעַם אַחַת, מֻתָּר. גַּם מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהוֹצִיא כָּל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם הַיּוֹם.
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.1Some 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 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,2Enough for three meals for each member of your household [Biur Halachah 334: 1] [food] fit for animals—for animals.3Since you yourself may not eat before feeding your animals. [Tosafos, Shabbos] [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 wine4Otherwise 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 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.5According to some this applies to “loose” food, not in containers. If the food is in containers, then each container is considered separately. (Magein Avraham 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].
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)