NETZACH: YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p70

What does the expression “transgressing” mean? As R. Simeon b. Pazi in the name of R. Joshua
b. Levi, quoting bar Qapara, said: In former times the people were accustomed to bathe (on the
Sabbath) in water that was warmed on Friday. The bath-keepers then began to warm the water
on the Sabbath, and to tell the people that it had been warmed on Friday. Hereupon they
prohibited bathing in warm water, but still they placed no restriction upon taking a sweating (in
the bath-room). The people then would come and bathe, but pretend to merely take a sweating.
Then sweating was also prohibited, but washing in the hot spring water of Tiberias was still
allowed. The people, however, would come and wash themselves in water that was warmed by
the fire and say that they washed in the hot spring water. Subsequently warm water was
prohibited for bathing altogether, but bathing in cold water was allowed. Seeing that people
could not stand the last prohibition, it was therefore revoked, and bathing in the hot spring water
of Tiberias was allowed. The prohibition of the sweating bath, however, remained. The rabbis
taught: One may warm himself by a hearth-fire and afterwards rinse himself with cold water, but
not bathe first in cold water and then warm himself by a hearth-fire, because he warms the water
that is on him.
The rabbis taught: One may warm a sponging-cloth and put it upon his bowels (on the Sabbath),
but he must not do so with a boiling hot vessel, for this is dangerous even on week days.
The rabbis taught: One may put a pitcher of water before a blazing fire, not to warm it, but to
temper the coldness of the water. R. Judah said: A woman may put an oil flask before a blazing
fire, not to boil it, but merely to temper it. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: A woman may
unhesitatingly put oil on her hand, warm it before the fire, and anoint her little son with it
without any fear.
Said R. Judah in the name of Samuel: Whether it be oil or water, if the hand is spontaneously
withdrawn from it (feeling the scald) it is prohibited, but not otherwise. And what extent of heat
is meant by it? Said Rabba: If the belly of a child is scalded by it.