ב"ה
The 39 Melachot
There are thirty-nine general categories of labor that are forbidden on Shabbat. Each of these categories include a range of derivative laws and activities, some of which are described in "The Shabbat Laws." The melachot are generally divided into six groups, classified according to the Mishkan's activities with which they are associated.
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Field Work
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Zoraya - Planting Planting is forbidden on Shabbat, and includes any activity that promotes vegetative growth.
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Kotzeir - Reaping Reaping is
forbidden on Shabbat and includes any activity which uses a tool to detach a
plant, branch, or fruit from its source of growth. Inhibiting or preventing
growth is not included.
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Me’amer - Gathering Binding or gathering produce, the av melachah of ma’amer, is forbidden on Shabbat.
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Tochen - Grinding Grinding, the av melachah of tochen, is
forbidden on Shabbat.
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Dosh - Threshing Extracting juice, milking, and shelling peas all fall under the rubric of this activity. Learn more about it here.
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Zoreh - Winnowing Winnowing refers to the act of removing chaff from grain, using wind to blow the lighter chaff away from the heavier kernels.
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Making Material Curtains
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Menapetz - Combing Combing clumps of tangled, unprocessed material is forbidden on Shabbat.
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Tzoveya - Dyeing Painting, coloring, and dyeing are all examples of tzoveya.
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Toveh - Spinning After wool has been dyed it is ready to be spun and woven into fabric. Here is how it is done.
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Koshair - Tying The act of binding by tying a knot.
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Matir - Untying The act of untying a knot.
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Tofair - Sewing Sewing is forbidden on Shabbat. This includes attaching two different items using any medium which firmly holds them together, like gluing, stapling, or pinning.
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Koraya - Tearing Tearing is forbidden on Shabbat, as it is actually part of the sewing process.
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Making Leather Curtains
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Tzod - Trapping Trapping animals is forbidden on Shabbat.
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Mafshit - Skinning One may not remove the skin of raw chicken or
fish on Shabbat, as this would violate mafshit.
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Me’abeid - Tanning Hides The tanning process involved soaking the hides in a salty
mixture and can be applied to food as well.
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Mesarteit - Ruling Lines The hides used to cover the Mishkan were measured, cut to size, and attached to one another.
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Making the Beams of the Mishkan
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Mochek - Erasing Erasing letters or removing ink to create an empty space large enough to write at least two letters in its place constitutes the av melachah of mochek.
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The Putting up and Taking down of the Mishkan
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Boneh - Building Assembling and building a permanent structure is forbidden on Shabbat, and is the av melachah of Boneh.
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Sotair - Demolishing Demolishing a structure to rebuild it is forbidden on Shabbat and constitutes the av melachah of Sotair.
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The Mishkan's Final Touches
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Mechabeh - Extinguishing Extinguishing a flame is forbidden on Shabbat, but most applications of mechabeh are rabbinic prohibitions.
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Makeh Bepatish - Completing Makeh bepatish literally means “striking the [final] hammer blow.” A craftsman’s finishing touches perfect the item and make it complete; likewise, the melachah of makeh bepatish includes any activity that completes the formation of something.
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Hotza'ah - Transferring Carrying or transferring any item from one place to another—under certain conditions—constitutes the av melachah of hotza’ah and is not permitted on Shabbat.
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