699. Throwing an Object an Unintended Distance

Shabbos 13:20

What if a person absentmindedly reached his hand out of one courtyard, intending to stick it into another courtyard while it was holding fruit? If he realized what he was doing before his hand entered the second courtyard, leaving his hand above the space of a public domain, then he is permitted to bring his hand back into the courtyard where he is. He may not extend his hand into the second courtyard because that would fulfill the intention he had when he stuck his hand out without thinking. If he originally stuck out his hand with the intention to violate Shabbos, then he may not even return his hand to the first courtyard. As a penalty, he must keep his hand extended until Shabbos ends.

Shabbos 13:21

If a person intends to throw an object eight cubits in the public domain (about 12’) but it came to rest after four cubits, he is liable because the minimum amount of the proscribed labor was performed, fulfilling the person's intention. This is because an object cannot be thrown eight cubits without first passing through all the space between the person and his goal. (In other words, it is implicit that in order for the object to travel eight cubits, he intends that it first travel four cubits, five cubits, etc.) On the other hand, if he only intended to throw the object four cubits but it came to rest eight cubits away, he is not liable because the object landed in a place where he did not expect it to go (and therefore his intention was not fulfilled). If someone throws an object with the intention that it should come to rest wherever it happens to land, he is liable.