Alter Rebbe’s Shluchan Aruch Siman 334

The following is not intended as an actual halachic guide:

1. If a flame falls on Shabbos the Rabbis decreed that one may not save anything from inside, even to bring permitted things in a permitted manner to a permitted place. Even food and drink may not be saved except for what is needed for that Shabbos itself. For example, if the flame fell on Friday night before the meal then provisions for three meals may be saved, what is fit for a person for a person and what is fit for an animal for an animal. If in the morning then provisions may be saved for two meals, and if in the afternoon then provisions for one meal may be saved. The reason is that if a person was allowed to save all his possessions then we are scared that due to his exertions over the saving of his possessions he will forget that the day is Shabbos and come to put out the flame.

2. When do we say this? When we are discussing the house that the the flame fell in. However, houses which are close and are in danger of being engulfed in the flames may save everything that they want, since they aren’t so worried, they won’t forget that it’s Shabbos due to their exertions.

Even money or any other important muktzeh items may be saved and this is the law, that one is permitted to deal with them in order to save them from thieves, or from the municipal workers who come to house. This is because the Rabbis did not legislate at all on the moving of muktzeh objects if a great loss will be incurred due to their loss. This is only if there is no other way to save them. For example, it is forbidden to bring a large case indoors even if the city is surrounded by an eruv since it is possible to place a guard or to watch it yourself. However there are those who forbid the saving of any objects, even if a great loss will be incurred, and this opinion is the main one.

Nevertheless there are those who say that it is permitted to save money or other expensive items from a fire or thieves because a person is careful on his money and he will certainly save them from loss. If the Rabbis had not permitted this than a person would transgress a greater prohibition and put out the fire. Since the Rabbis allowed a person to save them by moving he won’t transgress.

For this reason there are those who permit one to save his possessions through a karmelis, but since many argue with this leniency a person should not be lenient unless he is merely moving things.

Halacha 28: Nowadays, when we live among the nations, and there is the possibility that a fire will spread… it is permitted to put out a fire, even if it’s in a non-Jew’s house, as we are afraid that it will strengthen and endanger lives, and whoever hurries to put out such a fire is praise-worthy. When they are certain that there is no danger to human life then the fire may not be put out, but if there’s the slightest danger then it is permitted to put it out, and this is what we do.