[SJackson]

What exactly does the verb "kindle" mean in the original Hebrew? Does it refer to any act of adding fuel to a fire, or only to the act of lighting fire "from scratch", or what? Would it be acceptable to take out of a fire a stick whose end was in the fire, and then carry it as a torch? Unless the the addition of any fuel to a fire is a violation, I don't really see any clear line which would be violated by turning on the burner of an old-style (pilot-based) stove since that merely extends the fuel supply of an already-existing fire.

I’m not qualified to answer that, but I’ll give you my impressions, very much subject to correction. Kindling is essentially starting a fire. Collecting the necessities for a fire or extinguishing a fire is also forbidden. I believe it’s ok to add fuel which is already collected, but I’m not sure. A torch, would depend on the reason. Remember all these “violations” would be permissible if there was a threat to life.

[Alouette]

The 39 melachot or forms of work that is forbidden on the Sabbath correspond to 39 tasks that were performed to build the Tabernacle.

39 categories of "work" that are not allowed on Shabbat