Commentary for Nedarim 73:7

וליטעמיך שכר פיסוק בשבת מי אסור הבלעה היא והבלעה מישרא שרי דתניא השוכר את הפועל לשמור את התינוק לשמור את הפרה לשמור את הזרעים אין נותנין לו שכר שבת לפיכך

This is well on the view that remuneration is for the teaching of accentuation: hence a passage may not be read for the first time on the Sabbath;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because remuneration is made chiefly for teaching a passage for the first time, as that is the most difficult part of instruction. Hence, if a new passage is thus taught on the Sabbath, the teacher is paid chiefly for Sabbath labour, which is forbidden. ');">⁶</span> but on the view that payment is for acting as guardian, why is it forbidden to teach a passage for the first time on the Sabbath, yet permitted to give a first revision on the Sabbath; surely there is pay for guardianship oil the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What does it matter whether the passage is a new' one or not? The guardianship is the same in both cases, and remuneration for such work on the Sabbath is forbidden. ');">⁷</span> — Now, even according to your reasoning: is remuneration for teaching the accentuation on the Sabbath forbidden? Is it not included [in the weekly or monthly fee], which is permitted? For it was taught: If one engages a [day] labourer to look after a child,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he should not ritually defile himself. It was customary for a child to draw the water from a well to mix with the ashes of the red heifer; this child had to be ritually clean. ');">⁸</span> or the heifer,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers to the red heifer. The guardian was to take care that 'no yoke came upon it' (Num. XIX, 2). ');">⁹</span> or to watch over the crops,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers to the barley specially sown seventy days before Passover (Men. 85a) for the ceremony of 'sheaf waving' (v. Lev. XXIII. 11) and to the wheat of which were made the 'two wave-loaves' on Pentecost (ibid. 17). These crops were specially guarded. ');">¹⁰</span> he may not pay him for the Sabbath:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since each day is separately paid for, and payment for the Sabbath per se is forbidden. ');">¹¹</span> therefore

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