וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹקִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing, and He ceased on the seventh day from all the work that He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that He had done.
זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒ וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔֜י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֑֗יךָ לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֣֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡֜ה אַתָּ֣ה ׀ וּבִנְךָֽ֣־וּ֠בִתֶּ֗ךָ עַבְדְּךָ֤֨ וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֜֙ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֔֗ךָ וְגֵרְךָ֖֙ אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽ֔יךָ
כִּ֣י שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים֩ עָשָׂ֨ה ה׳ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖נַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י עַל־כֵּ֗ן בֵּרַ֧ךְ ה׳ אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃
Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כָּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃ שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַה׳ כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה ב֛וֹ מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת׃ לֹא־תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃
Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the sabbath day.
וַיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּ אִ֛ישׁ מְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ עֵצִ֖ים בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ וַיַּקְרִ֣יבוּ אֹת֔וֹ הַמֹּצְאִ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ מְקֹשֵׁ֣שׁ עֵצִ֑ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ וַיַּנִּ֥יחוּ אֹת֖וֹ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר כִּ֚י לֹ֣א פֹרַ֔שׁ מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָאִ֑ישׁ רָג֨וֹם אֹת֤וֹ בָֽאֲבָנִים֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ וַיֹּצִ֨יאוּ אֹת֜וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ בָּאֲבָנִ֖ים וַיָּמֹ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
Once, when the Israelites were in the wilderness, they came upon a man gathering wood on the sabbath day. Those who found him as he was gathering wood brought him before Moses, Aaron, and the whole community. He was placed in custody, for it had not been specified what should be done to him. Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death: the whole community shall pelt him with stones outside the camp.” So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death—as the LORD had commanded Moses.
אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת. הַזּוֹרֵעַ. וְהַחוֹרֵשׁ. וְהַקּוֹצֵר. וְהַמְעַמֵּר. הַדָּשׁ. וְהַזּוֹרֶה. הַבּוֹרֵר. הַטּוֹחֵן. וְהַמְרַקֵּד. וְהַלָּשׁ. וְהָאוֹפֶה. הַגּוֹזֵז אֶת הַצֶּמֶר. הַמְלַבְּנוֹ. וְהַמְנַפְּצוֹ. וְהַצּוֹבְעוֹ. וְהַטּוֹוֶה. וְהַמֵּסֵךְ. וְהָעוֹשֶׂה שְׁנֵי בָתֵּי נִירִין. וְהָאוֹרֵג שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. וְהַפּוֹצֵעַ שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. הַקּוֹשֵׁר. וְהַמַּתִּיר. וְהַתּוֹפֵר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַקּוֹרֵעַ עַל מְנָת לִתְפֹּר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַצָּד צְבִי. הַשּׁוֹחֲטוֹ. וְהַמַּפְשִׁיטוֹ. הַמּוֹלְחוֹ, וְהַמְעַבֵּד אֶת עוֹרוֹ. וְהַמּוֹחֲקוֹ. וְהַמְחַתְּכוֹ. הַכּוֹתֵב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. וְהַמּוֹחֵק עַל מְנָת לִכְתֹּב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. הַבּוֹנֶה. וְהַסּוֹתֵר. הַמְכַבֶּה. וְהַמַּבְעִיר. הַמַּכֶּה בַפַּטִּישׁ. הַמּוֹצִיא מֵרְשׁוּת לִרְשׁוּת. הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת:
The primary labors are forty less one:sowing, plowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, selecting, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, shearing wool, bleaching, hackling, dyeing, spinning, weaving, the making of two loops, weaving two threads, dividing two threads, tying and untying, sewing two stitches, tearing in order to sew two stitches, capturing a deer, slaughtering, or flaying, or salting it, curing its hide, scraping it [of its hair], cutting it up, writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters [over the erasure], building, tearing down, extinguishing, kindling, striking with a hammer, [and] carrying out from one domain to another, These are the forty primary labors less one.
משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
Moses received the torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples and make a fence round the Torah.
ר' יוחנ' ור"ש בן לקיש עבדין הוויי בהדא פירקא תלת שנין ופלוג אפקון מיניה ארבעין חסר אחת תולדו' על כל חדא וחדא. מן דאשכחון מיסמוך סמכין הא דלא אשכחון מיסמוך עבדוניה משום מכה בפטיש
R' Yochanan and R' Shimon ben Lakish worked and they came up with 39 toledot for each one of them [the 39 melachot].
The flick of a switch. This action, so effortless and casual, is nonetheless a powerful marker of modernity. The switch completes or breaks a circuit, unleashing or suspending the flow of electrons which power every conceivable type of machine. With electricity we control our physical environment, altering the shape and structure of objects and yielding light and dark, heat and cool, sound and silence, and innumerable other environmental adaptations. Electrical motors move people and objects in every direction, enabling those with disabilities to function more fully, and all to avoid unwanted exertion. Motion sensors are increasingly embedded in appliances such as public sinks, toilets, lights and doors, and security cameras have proliferated, making it challenging to function in modern buildings without an electronic transaction. - Rabbi Daniel Nevins CJLS Responsa: "The Use of Electrical and Electronic Devices on Shabbat" OH 305:18.2012a
הַמַּתִּיךְ אֶחָד מִמִּינֵי מַתָּכוֹת כָּל שֶׁהוּא אוֹ הַמְחַמֵּם אֶת הַמַּתָּכוֹת עַד שֶׁתֵּעָשֶׂה גַּחֶלֶת הֲרֵי זֶה תּוֹלֶדֶת מְבַשֵּׁל. וְכֵן הַמְמַסֵּס אֶת הַדּוֹנַג אוֹ אֶת הַחֵלֶב אוֹ אֶת הַזֶּפֶת וְהַכֹּפֶר וְהַגָּפְרִית וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם הֲרֵי זֶה תּוֹלֶדֶת מְבַשֵּׁל וְחַיָּב. וְכֵן הַמְבַשֵּׁל כְּלֵי אֲדָמָה עַד שֶׁיֵּעָשׂוּ חֶרֶס חַיָּב מִשּׁוּם מְבַשֵּׁל. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר בֵּין שֶׁרִפָּה גּוּף קָשֶׁה בָּאֵשׁ אוֹ שֶׁהִקְשָׁה גּוּף רַךְ הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָּב מִשּׁוּם מְבַשֵּׁל:
One who melt one of the types of metals or dissolves the metals until it becomes a coal is surely [doing] a subcategory of cooking. Likewise one who dissolves wax, tallow, tar, pitch, sulfur or that which is similar to it is surely [doing] a subcategory of cooking, so he is liable. Likewise, one who bakes an earthen vessel until it becomes ceramic is liable on account of cooking. The principle of the matter is whether he softens a hard substance or he hardens a soft substance – he is liable on account of cooking.
אֵין הַכּוֹתֵב חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב בְּדָבָר הָרוֹשֵׁם וְעוֹמֵד כְּגוֹן דְּיוֹ וְשָׁחוֹר וְסִקְרָא וְקוֹמוֹס וְקַנְקַנְתּוֹם וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם. וְיִכְתֹּב עַל דָּבָר שֶׁמִּתְקַיֵּם הַכְּתָב עָלָיו כְּגוֹן עוֹר וּקְלָף וּנְיָר וְעֵץ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם. אֲבָל הַכּוֹתֵב בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין רִשּׁוּמוֹ עוֹמֵד כְּגוֹן מַשְׁקִין וּמֵי פֵּרוֹת. אוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב בִּדְיוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ עַל עֲלֵי יְרָקוֹת וְעַל כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד פָּטוּר. אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב בְּדָבָר הָעוֹמֵד עַל דָּבָר הָעוֹמֵד. וְכֵן אֵין הַמּוֹחֵק חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּמְחֹק כְּתָב הָעוֹמֵד מֵעַל דָּבָר הָעוֹמֵד:
One who writes is not liable until he writes with something that makes a lasting mark, such as ink, black [dye], copper sulfate, red dye, gum and that which is like them. And [he must] write on something upon which the writing lasts, such as leather, parchment, paper, wood or that which is similar to them. But one who writes with something that does not make a lasting mark – such as liquids or fruit juice; or writes with ink or that which is similar to it upon vegetable leaves or anything that does not last – is exempt. He is not liable until he writes with something lasting upon something lasting. Likewise, one who erases is not liable until he erases lasting writing from on top of something lasting.
אין מטפחין להכות כף אל כף ולא מספקין להכות כף על ירך ולא מרקדין גזירה שמא יתקן כלי שיר ולספק כלאחר יד מותר: הגה והא דמספקין ומרקדין האידנא ולא מחינן בהו משום דמוטב שיהיו שוגגין וכו' וי"א דבזמן הזה הכל שרי דאין אנו בקיאין בעשיית כלי שיר וליכא למיגזר שמא יתקן כלי שיר.
We do not clap nor to we slap our hand to our thighs nor do we dance. This is a rabbinic decree lest one come to fix a musical instrument.
... An exception is made when one claps in an abnormal manner, which is allowed. Rem"a: In the present era, when the general populace is accustomed to clapping, and dancing at all kinds of celebrations, they should not be admonished since they will certainly not heed the admonishment, and it is preferable that people transgress unknowingly rather than knowingly. There are those who say that today, everything is permitted because we are not proficient in the fixing of instruments, so there is no reason to make decrees preventing the fixing of instruments, as this skill is not pervasive.
הֶתֵּר נְדָרִים פּוֹרְחִין בָּאֲוִיר, וְאֵין לָהֶם עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּסְמֹכוּ. הִלְכוֹת שַׁבָּת, חֲגִיגוֹת וְהַמְּעִילוֹת, הֲרֵי הֵם כַּהֲרָרִים הַתְּלוּיִין בְּשַׂעֲרָה, שֶׁהֵן מִקְרָא מֻעָט וַהֲלָכוֹת מְרֻבּוֹת. הַדִּינִין וְהָעֲבוֹדוֹת, הַטָּהֳרוֹת וְהַטֻּמְאוֹת וַעֲרָיוֹת, יֵשׁ לָהֶן עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּסְמֹכוּ. הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי תּוֹרָה:
[The laws concerning] the dissolution of vows hover in the air and have nothing to rest on. The laws concerning Shabbat, hagigot, and trespassing are as mountains hanging by a hair, for they have scant scriptural basis but many halakhot. [The laws concerning] civil cases and [Temple] worship, purity and impurity, and the forbidden relations have what to rest on, and they that are the essentials of the Torah.
What about the use of cellular phones? These devices, which are growing more powerful and prevalent by the day, automatically record activity such as the time, number, duration and even location of each call on the phone and also on the service providerʹs register for billing purposes. While such recording may not be the primary intention of a person who initiates or accepts a call, this recording of data is unavoidable and beneficial, and is thus banned as pesik reisha, an unintended but unavoidable consequence. Moreover, the categories of phone and computer have now converged, and even the simplest cellular phones are also being used to send and receive text messages, take photos, and complete financial transactions. Absent extraordinary circumstances necessary for preserving life, the use of such phones would appear to be biblically forbidden as the melakhah of toledat koteiv on Shabbat and Yom Tov...
Moreover, the motivations for not using [certain] electric[al items] on Shabbat go well beyond the formal requirements of the law. Some young adults have recently published a “Sabbath Manifesto” promoting a weekly 24 hour respite from technology, though not necessarily within the bounds of the Jewish Sabbath, and many people cherish vacations from their digital devices. - Rabbi Daniel Nevins CJLS Responsa: "The Use of Electrical and Electronic Devices on Shabbat" OH 305:18.2012a