Shabbat: Some Halachic Foundations of Shabbat Observance

Meaning of Melacha

Though melakha is usually translated as "work" in English, the term does not correspond to the English definition of the term, as explained below.

The Rabbis in ancient times had to explain exactly what the term meant, and what activity was prohibited to be done on the Sabbath. The Rabbis noted Genesis 2:1-3:

Heaven and earth, and all their components, were completed. With the seventh day, God finished all the work (melakha) that He had done. He ceased on the seventh day from all the work (melakha) that he had been doing. God blessed the seventh day, and he declared it to be holy, for it was on this day that God ceased from all the work (melakha) that he had been creating to function.

Specifically, the Rabbis noted the symmetry between Genesis 2:1–3 and Exodus 31:1–11—the same term melakha ("work") is used in both places, and that in Genesis 2:1–3 what God was "ceasing from" was "creation" or "creating".

The Rabbis noted further that the first part of Exodus 31:1-11 provides detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle, and that it is immediately followed a reminder to Moses about the importance of the Jewish Sabbath, quoted above. The Rabbis note that in the provisions relating to the Tabernacle the word melakha is also used. The word is usually translated as "workmanship", which has a strong element of "creation" or "creativity".

From these common words (in the Hebrew original) and the juxtaposition of subject matter the rabbis of the Mishna derive a meaning as to which activities are prohibited to be done on the Sabbath day.

Genesis 2 is not pushed aside by the commandments to construct the Tabernacle. The classical rabbinical definition of what constitutes "work" or "activity" that must not be done, is depicted by the thirty-nine categories of activity needed for the construction and use of the Tabernacle.

Groups

There are two main ways to divide the activities into groups, one is according to the work needed to make the Tabernacle, the other according to the work needed for human beings themselves.

Baking

Hebrew: אופה Baking, cooking, frying, or any method of applying heat to food to prepare for eating is included in this prohibition. This is different from "preparing". For example, one can make a salad because the form of the vegetables doesn't change, only the size. However one cannot cook the vegetables to soften them for eating.

Writing

The main objective of writing is the keeping of records, and therefore, the spirit of the law forbids any activity normally requiring a written record.Thus, the Sanhedrin forbade all sorts of business activity, as well as marriage and divorce on the Sabbath.

This includes all forms of writing and drawing:

typing, printing, and using a rubber stamp all come under this heading. Calculations and measurements are also included, since they also normally involve writing.

Gambling and playing games of chance also are included in this category.

Muktzeh

Muktzeh means set aside or excluded; it is the prohibition against handling any object which, for one reason or another, was not intended for use during the Sabbath day.

Several kinds of objects fall into this category:

1. Objects which can never be brought into use on the Sabbath without transgressing Sabbath law, such as: money, candlesticks in which the candles were burnt, pencils, pens, cigarette lighters, mobile phones.
2. Objects which were inaccessible when Shabbat started, fruit still attached to the tree at the beginning of Shabbat, clothes which were wet at the beginning of Shabbat.
3. Objects normally used for work prohibited on Shabbat, but also usable for purposes permissible on Shabbat, may not be handled unless they are also used for permissible purposes, or to be moved because their place is needed. For instance, a hammer may be handled if it is to be used for cracking nuts or its place is needed for something else.
4. Useless objects (bones, potsherds, broken objects).
5. Religious objects which can not be used on Shabbat, such as a Shofar, Tefillin, and Lulav.
6. Objects which themselves are permitted but contain things that are muktzeh (i.e., a purse with money in it), are forbidden. If the container is not used exclusively for money or for other objects that are muktzeh, it may handled even if it contains money. These prohibitions are flexible and do not apply where there is undue hardship, possible financial loss, or some other difficulty. Instances given are broken glass and objects with an offensive odour.

--Rabbi Isaac Klein, A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice, p. 83-84.

"Shabbat is a sanctuary in time"

"When history began, there was only one holiness in the world, holiness in time. When at Sinai the word of God was about to be voiced, a call for holiness in man was proclaimed: “Thou shalt be unto me a holy people.” It was only after the people had succumbed to the temptation of worshipping a thing, a golden calf, that the erection of a Tabernacle, of holiness in space, was commanded. The sanctity of time came first, the sanctity of man came second, and the sanctity of space last. Time was hallowed by God; space, the Tabernacle, was consecrated by Moses.

...

"The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world."--Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man

Vocabulary Words

39 Avot Melacha--39 categories of work or creative activity prohibited on Shabbat. A single category is a melacha, pl. melachot

Eruv--Literally "mixing" or "pooling rights". If two or more families live in adjoining houses in the same building or attached to the same yard, one may carry from one dwelling to the other if they arrange for an eruv. For this the families pool their rights of possession so that their dwellings become the joint property of them all. The eruv is usally a loaf of bread or a matzah deposited in the custody of one of the dwellers as their joint property. Then enclosing the area with wire, rope, etc. that is secured above the posts which are at least 10 tefachim (handbreadths) high.

Muktzeh--Literally, "set aside" or "excluded"; it is the prohibition against handling any object which, for one reason or another, was not intended for use during the Sabbath day.

Pikuach Nefesh--Literally, "the saving of a life" Associated with the principle of "the saving of a life waives any restrictions due to the the Sabbath." (Shabbat 132a; Yoma 85a). All medical treatment is permitted on the Sabbath. The principle applies not only to cases where the saving of a life is definitely involved, but also where there is only a suspicion that this may be the case.

Shvut--Literally, "resting". It covers a whole area of activities which are not strictly work but are to be avoided because they are not in the spirit of the Sabbath or because doing them may lead to acts that constitute a major desecration of the Shabbat. In Halachic terms, Shvut is a rabbinic prohibition. Rabbinic prohibitions are less severe than Torah prohibitions. The sages enacted Shvut laws to protect Torah laws.

Oneg ShabbatEngaging in pleasurable activities such as eating, singing, marital relations and spending time with the family and friends. The principle comes from the Book of Isaiah: "If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, From pursuing your affairs on My holy day; If you call the sabbath “delight,” The LORD’s holy day “honored”; And if you honor it and go not your ways Nor look to your affairs, nor strike bargains— " (Is. 58:13)

Manna--The substance miraculously supplied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness. The Israelites were given two portions of manna on the 6th day of the week while journeying through the desert. The Talmudic sages derived from this that 1) One must not travel, even by walking, to a point outside of the city of residence on Shabbat. 2) That a community can construct an eruv converting a public space into a "private" one using a challah as a symbol of joint ownership. 3) That one should have two whole loaves of bread at the Shabbat meal.

Shabbesdik--Yiddish, "in the spirit of Shabbat." An example in conversation: "talking about business deals on Shabbat is not Shabbesdik."