Negative Commandment 320 (Digest)
Working on Shabbat
"You shall not do any manner of work"—Exodus 20:10.
We are forbidden from performing work on Shabbat.
The 320th prohibition is that we are forbidden to do melachah on Shabbos.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, ["It is Shabbos to the L‑rd, your G‑d;] do not do any melachah."
If the act was intentional, but the court has insufficient proof, Scripture specifies the punishment as kores. If the act was intentional, and there is sufficient proof, the punishment is execution by s'kilah. If the act was unintentional, he must bring a sin-offering.
The details of this commandment are discussed in the tractate Shabbos.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Translation of (the unabridged text of) Sefer Hamitzvot by Rabbi Berel Bell, member of the Rabbinical Court of Montreal and director of Teacher Training for the Jewish Learning Institute.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.