The Talmud teaches that one who stores away even a small amout for planting, a sample, or a cure, and carried that item on Shabbat, he is liable. This is true even if at the time of the carrying he forgot why he had stored it away, in accordance with the principle of “kol ha-oseh al da’at rishonah oseh”, one acts in accordance with his original intent.

The principle of “kol ha-oseh”can apparently be a function of one of two possibilities: the individual can be presumed to be acting consistently with his original intent; or the action itself is imbued with the intent that was present earlier.

A number of questions may depend on those possibilities, such as in the area of korbanot, if the original intent continues onto to additional sacrifices (see Zevach Todah and Sefat Emet, Zevachim 2a, and Resp. Meshiv K’Halakhah, C.M. 10, Y.D. 21), or even if from one type of action to another (see Rashi, Zevachim 2b, and Tosafot s.v. ha). Rav Soloveichik (Shiurim L’Zekher Abba Mari, I, p. 29, n. 55) maintains that principle, which governs “Lishmah” that assigns status to an object or action, is not applicable to “kavanah” in regards to the relevant motivation necessary for mitzvot.