Siman 327

Anointing was not forbidden on Shabbat, and it is only forbidden to anoint with things that melt because of nolad, and also not with things that are spread because of memareiach, and likewise not with things that generate a scent. And most of their anointing was with oil, in which there is not one of all these. And even if his intention is for healing because of some ache that he has, and one who has an ache is forbidden to perform a healing for himself on Shabbat because of the decree of grinding spices as will be explained in the next siman, nevertheless, with things that healthy people also do—it is permitted even for the ill person, since it is not evident that he does this for healing, and as will be explained there.

And so the sages taught in the Mishnah (111a): "One who feels pain in his loins may not rub oil and vinegar, but he may rub oil alone." For healthy people do not rub with vinegar and it is evident that it is for healing, but with oil they do rub. And also with rose oil he may not rub, because it is very expensive and healthy people do not rub with it, and it is evident that it is for healing. But if it is a place where rose oil is common, and it is the way of people to rub it even not for healing – it is permitted. And in our lands where they are not accustomed at all to rub on a weekday – it is forbidden to rub on Shabbat for healing, and therefore it is forbidden to rub the head that has scabs (Taz, subsection 2). And there is reason to doubt nowadays if one wants to rub himself on Shabbat and he is healthy, do we say that it is permitted or perhaps since healthy people are not accustomed to rub themselves they will say that he is ill, and in several places we find that they were concerned for the appearance of the eye even regarding a rabbinic prohibition, and it requires further study for the law.

There are those who, at the time of anointing, rub the entire body, and this is good so that the oil is absorbed into the body. The sages taught in the Mishnah (147a): "One may anoint and rub, but one may not exercise or scrape." And they explained in the Gemara: that one should not act in the manner that he acts during the weekday, which is that on a weekday he anoints and afterwards rubs, but on Shabbat he should anoint and rub as one. And also he should not rub with force but rather with a looseness of the hands, and likewise one does not scrape the body with a vessel made for that purpose unless his hands or feet were soiled with mud or excrement, and if he had a scraper designated for Shabbat—it is permitted (Gemara ibid.), and now we do not know of any of this.

The Rambam wrote in chapter 23, law 10: "Tanning is among the primary categories of labor, and one who softens leather with oil in the manner that tanners do—behold, this is tanning and he is liable. Therefore, a person may not anoint his foot with oil while it is inside a new shoe or sandal, but he may anoint his foot with oil and then place it inside the shoe or sandal, even though they are new, and he may anoint his entire body with oil and roll upon a new leather spread and not be concerned. In what case are these matters stated? When there was a small amount of oil, only enough to polish the leather, but if there was much oil on his flesh, enough to soften the leather—behold, this is forbidden because it is like tanning it. And all this is regarding new ones, but regarding old ones—it is permitted." Thus far his words. However, even in the amount to polish it, it is forbidden for him to intend to polish it (141:), for with intent one must decree as a safeguard against tanning it (Rashi), and regarding tanning it, even without intent—it is forbidden, for it is a pesik reisha. And it is forbidden to clean shoes on Shabbat, and if one cleans with "wax"—it is a primary category of labor due to smearing and he is liable for a sin offering, and only with his hand or his foot is it permitted to clean, or with a cloth to remove the dust and no more, and any type of polishing is forbidden for a shoe.