Sheviis, Chapter 8, Mishnah 5. In the previous mishnah we learned that a person may not pay off his debts with produce of Sheviis or with the money received for it. With Sheviis money one may buy food, but our mishnah teaches a further point: even things that bring benefit and pleasure to a person's body - if they do not fall under the category of eating, drinking or anointing proper - Sheviis money may not be used for them.
What may not be given from Sheviis money:
The mishnah opens: "Ein nosnin" - one does not give Sheviis produce or the money received for it to the following:
"Lo l'bayar" - not to a man whose trade is digging wells. Even though the purpose of the digging is to obtain water for drinking, the payment is not for the water itself but for the labor of digging, and therefore it is not permitted.
"V'lo l'balan" - not to the bathhouse keeper, as payment for bathing. Even though bathing is a bodily pleasure, a genuine physical benefit, it is nonetheless not included in eating and drinking, and it is not permitted.
"V'lo l'sapar" - not as payment for a haircut.
"V'lo l'sapan" - not to the ship's captain, who collects a fee for transport.
For all of these, Sheviis money may not be used.
What is permitted:
"Aval nosen hu l'bayar lishtos" - although one does not pay the well digger for the digging of the well, one may give him Sheviis money so that he will provide him with water and let him drink from it, since in this case the payment is for the drinking itself.
"Ul'chulan hu nosen matnas chinam" - to all the people listed in this mishnah one may give Sheviis money purely as a gift. And even though it is clear to the giver that as a result of the gift he will not be charged for the service or the item, there is no prohibition in this, because he is not paying for it directly with Sheviis money but is merely giving a gift, and that is permitted.
In summary: in this mishnah we learned that Sheviis money is designated for eating, drinking and anointing alone, and it may not be used to pay for services - even services that provide bodily pleasure: digging a well, bathing in a bathhouse, a haircut and transport by ship. Nevertheless, one may give the well digger payment for the drinking itself, and one may also give any of these people an outright gift, even when it is clear that as a result the giver will not be charged a fee.