Reply To: Melacha Sh’einah Tzricha L’gufa

Just did more research and found that the Rambam does indeed pasken like R. Yehuda that Melacha ShETLG is chayav. He says this explicitly in hilchos shabbos (1,7) and (12,2). So in hilchos yontof he is consistent. He needs to emphasize it in hilchos yontof because I might have thought that since mavir (lighing a fire) is mutar ltzorech ochel nefesh (and by extension in other cases, as well, because of mitoch), maybe I can apply this to mechabeh as well. Maybe they are a pair, since one is the opposite of the other. So he needs to tell us in hilchos yontof that mechabeh is not permitted on yontof, either, just like on shabbos, and the heter of mavir on yontof does not apply to mechabeh.

(Note that I believe halacha lmayesh we do lower the flame when it will burn the food. I am not sure if this fits with the Rambam.)

One other point which is discussed by the nosei keilim on the Rambam which I am too tired to look into is why the Rambam paskens that meifis mursa and tzad nachash are patur which are also examples of melachos ShETLG, since he paskens that melacha ShETLG is chayav.