 The opening of the door is permitted, but the extinguishing of the fire is prohibited.A practical case of pesik reisha is the dragging of a heavy chair over soft earth which will definitely result in furrows which constitute the melacha (action) of plowing.As a result, it is forbidden according to Halacha for a Jew to drag a chair over soft earth on Shabbos, which will necessarily result in the creation of furrows (one of the 39 melachot)

The phrase is short for "p'sik reisha ve'lo yamut?"