THE 39 MELACHOT
Lamed-Tet Melachot
PLEASE
NOTE: This is just a VERY BASIC introduction. There are many complex
laws regarding Shabbat, and this is not the forum for decisions
regarding what is or is not allowed on Shabbat. This is
just to give the reader a flavor of the intricate halachot
involved. A competent halachic authority should be consulted with
any questions.
Melacha (plural
"melachot").
1. Melacha
refers to the 39 categories of activity that are forbidden on
Shabbat. Melacha, is not "work." At least
not the English definition of the word "work." You may
not carry a needle out into the street on Shabbat, yet
you may drag a heavy sofa across the room. So what Melacha
is forbidden on Shabbat?
The 39 categories
of activity that are forbidden on Shabbat, are all labors
that have something in common - they are creative activities that
exercise control over one's environment.
Specifically, the
Talmud derives these 39 categories from the fact that the Torah
juxtaposes the commandment to cease work on Shabbat in
Shmot Parshat Vayakheil, with its detailed instructions
on how to build the Mishkan*,
and
the preparation of its components, as described in Shmot
/ Exodus 31 and 35.
*[Mishkan
- Tabernacle; the portable, temporary version of the Holy Temple
that the Jews carried throughout the forty years in the desert
into Eretz Yisroel (the land of Israel), until they built
the Beit HaMikdash]
This is to teach us, explains the Talmud (Shabbat 49b),
which activities constitute melacha: any creative act that
was part of the mishkan's construction represents a category
of work forbidden on Shabbat. These categories are forbidden
by the Torah.
2. Toldot -
Work which is different from that done in the Mishkan,
but which achieves the same result. These types of melacha
are also prohibited by the Torah.
3. Rabbinic Decrees
- There are a number of additional activities that are forbidden
by the Rabbis. There are several categories of decrees that prohibit:
a. Activities that
might lead directly to the violation of a Torah prohibition.
b. Use of items
not designated for Shabbat use (muktzah).
c. Activities that
might lead one to think that a prohibited activity is permissible
(Ma'arit Ayin - The appearance of the eye).
d. Activities that
are not appropriate for Shabbat, even though they are technically
permissible (Uvda D'Chol - [resembles] weekday activity).
The Navi Yeshayahu (Prophet Isaiah (58:13-14) recorded
a prohibition against speaking of business and against weekday-oriented
activities.
Here is the list of the 39 Melachot
(main activities) prohibited on the Shabbat as listed in
the Mishna Shabbat 73a:
1. Zoreah
- Sowing (seeding)
2. Choresh
- Plowing
3. Kotzair
- Reaping (cutting)
4. M'amair
- Gathering (bundling sheaves)
5. Dush
- Threshing
6. Zoreh
- Winnowing
7. Borer
- Sorting (selecting, separating)
8. Tochain
- Grinding
9. Miraked
- Sifting
10. Lush
- Kneading
11. Ofeh / (Bishul)
- Baking/cooking
12. Gozez
- Shearing
13. Melabain
- Whitening (bleaching)
14. Menafetz
- Disentangling, Combing
15. Tzovayah
- Dyeing
16. Toveh
- Spinning
17. Maisach
- Mounting the warp (stretching threads onto loom)
18. Oseh
Beit Batai Neirin - Setting two heddles (preparing to
weave)
19. Oraig
- Weaving
20. Potzai'ah
- Separating (removing) threads (Unweaving)
21. Koshair
- Tying a knot
22. Matir
- Untying a knot
23. Tofair
- Sewing
24. Ko'reah
- Tearing (unsewing - ripping)
25. Tzud
- Trapping
26. Shochet
- Slaughtering (Killing)
27. Mafshit
- Skinning
28. M'abaid
- Salting/tanning process [1]
29. Mesharteit
- Tracing (scratching) lines
30. Memacheik
- Smoothing / scraping
31. Mechateich
- Cutting (to shape)
32. Kotaiv
- Writing two or more letters
33. Mochaik
- Erasing two or more letters
34. Boneh
- Building
35. Soiser
- Demolishing
36. Mechabeh
- Extinguishing (putting out a flame)
37. Ma'avir
- Kindling (making a fire)
38. Makeh
B'Patish -
Striking the final blow (Finishing an object)
39. Hotza'ah
- Transferring (transporting) from domain to domain (carrying)
[1] The list of Melachot
in the Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 7:2) includes salting hides
and tanning as separate Melachot. The Talmud (Tractate
Shabbat 75b) states that these two are really the same Melacha,
and amends the Mishna by inserting tracing lines, as the
twenty-ninth Melacha.
These 39 Melachot are divided
into six (6) groups:
Group I = Numbers 1-11
Group II = Numbers 12-24
Group III = Numbers 25-31
Group IV = Numbers 32-33
Group V = Numbers 34-35
Group VI = Numbers 36-39
Group I is connected to the field work.
Group II is connected to the making material curtains
Group III is connected to the making of leather curtains
Group IV is connected to the Krushim (beams of the Mishkan)
Group V is connected to the putting the walls of the Mishkan
up and down
Group VI is connected to the final touches of the Mishkan
1.
Zoreah
- Sowing (seeding)
The first of the thirty-nine melachot is zoreah,
sowing. Zoreah includes planting, sowing, or watering seeds
to induce or encourage growth. This melacha is only transgressed
in a place where a seed could grow. Therefore, if one drops a
seed in the desert or on a well-traveled road where it would be
crushed, one has not violated the prohibition of zoreah.
It is also not considered zoreah to feed seeds to chickens
in a coop where it is very likely that the chickens will eat all
of the seeds before they can germinate.1
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2.
Choresh - Plowing
Choresh, or plowing, is the second of the thirty-nine prohibited
melachot. It is prohibited to plow the ground---to level
it off or make holes in it, like the holes used for planting seeds.
Dragging a heavy lawn chair in one's backyard, (a really heavy
lawn chair), is considered plowing, if it makes holes in the ground,
and is thus prohibited on Shabbat. However, a distinction
may be made between making holes in the ground and making mere
compressions in the ground. The latter, which is what wheels of
a wheelchair or a baby carriage might do to the ground, is permissible
on Shabbat. Pushing the ground down and consolidating it,
is halachically different than puncturing the surface of the ground.
So, baby carriages on a dirt roads, are OK.1
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3
- Kotzair - Reaping (cutting)
Harvesting
Kotzair, the third of the thirty-nine melachot is
the uprooting or severing of any living plant or vegetation from
its source of growth. Thus, one may not uproot plants, branches,
or even just one leaf. Plucking a flower, picking fruit from a
tree, vegetables from a garden, or mushrooms from the forest floor
are actions all prohibited under the category of kotzair
because these actions involve severing a living plant or part
of a living plant from its source of growth. [Mushrooms,
in other areas of Halacha, Jewish law, are not classified
at plants for they do not "grow FROM the ground" but
"grow ON the ground." (Thus someone about to eat a mushroom
should make the blessing Shehakol - appropriate for milk,
water, and foods that do not grow from the ground - and not make
the blessing HaAdamah). But with respect to kotzair,
mushrooms are Halachically equated as plant life for they
draw nutrients from the soil, and thus should not be separated
from their source of growth on Shabbat.1]
The next time you have an urge to puncture the trunk of a sugar
maple tree and drain its syrupy sap, think again! According to
some Rabbis, draining the sap is equivalent to uprooting the sap
from its source of growth, in this case the tree, and is thus
a transgression of Kotzair. Picking
grapes from their stems, however, is allowed, provided that grape
bunches have already been detached from the vine on which they
grew.
Mowing a lawn is kotzair. We also may not handle any growing
flowers or plants. It is also forbidden to climb a tree or smell
an attached fruit, but it is permitted to smell a growing flower.1
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4 - M'amair
- Gathering (bundling sheaves)
Gathering is the
fourth of the thirty-nine Melachot. Gathering consists
of collecting natural produce into a bundle. The prohibition,
in fact, only applies to natural produce - gathering manufactured
products is completely permitted. So there's no need to stop your
little brother from collecting the candy bags after they have
been throw at the Bar-Mitzvah boy. Actions that would fall
under this category would be piling scattered fruit, putting together
a bouquet of flowers, or stringing figs (something that was much
more common in the time of the Mishna than it is today).
Although this Melacha seems rather innocuous compared to
such heavy-hitters as writing, plowing, and lighting a fire, it
was the Melacha done by the first person to ever violate
Shabbat, the wood-gatherer, in Bamidbar / Numbers
15:32.
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5 - Dush - Threshing
The fifth of the 39 melachot, is Disha, or threshing.
Its purpose is to separate kernels of grain from their husks,
and it has been expanded to include the removal of any wanted
item ( known as 'ochel') from its unwanted natural container
( known as 'pesolet'). This has ramifications in terms
of a subcategory of disha, namely s'chita, or squeezing.
One is not permitted to squeeze the juice out of a fruit on Shabbat.
However,
there are a few legitimate ways to remove the juice from the fruit:
1)Suck out the juice, as it is a shinuy, or change, from
the usual manner of squeezing out juice.
2)Squeeze juice out purely for the intention of improving the
taste of the fruit, even if you keep the juice.
3)Squeeze the juice straight onto a solid that will absorb it.
(It should be noted that Rabbeinu Chananel prohibits this
third activity, although he is in the minority. However, even
he would allow the squeezing of lemon onto a solid.)
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6-
Zoreh - Winnowing
The sixth melacha is zoreh, winnowing. Winnowing
is a fundamental step in harvesting wheat because it separates
the grain from the waste. In the mishkan, wheat was grown
for the Lechem HaPanim, the showbread. After threshing,
the kernels and the chaff would be left together on the ground,
and the farmer would take a pitchfork, and throw a mixture of
it in the air. The waste would blow away, leaving the heavier
kernels. Many commentators explain that the melacha of
zoreh is similar to borer, sorting or separating,
and miraked, sifting, in that the main point of each melacha
is separating the bad from the good. One way of explaining the
difference between the three is by the means used for each; zoreh
is through wind, borer is by hand, and meraked is
through a sifting device. One may not blow
away nutshells from a mixture of nuts and shells.
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- Borer - Sorting (selecting,
separating)
The seventh of the 39 melachot, is borer, or sorting.
It is any form of selecting or sorting inedible matter from food
by hand. This includes removing undesired objects or matter from
a mixture or combination such as removing spoiled cherries from
a bowl of cherries or removing bones from a fish. (Gefilte
fish is the traditional Ashkenazi solution to this problem.)
Borer also includes the sorting of nonfood items mixed
together, such as sorting dirty silverware from a mixture of clean
and dirty silverware.
Sorting is only permitted when ALL of the following three conditions
are met:
1) The selection is done by hand.
2) The desired objects are selected from the undesired, and not
the reverse.
3) The selection is done immediately before the time of use.
For example, if one has a bowl of mixed almonds and raisins and
wants only the raisins, you must remove the raisins by hand, remove
the raisins from the almonds, and intend to eat all the selected
raisins immediately after removing them. This
description of the complex melacha of Borer is very
simplified, see note above.
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8 - Tochain
- Grinding
The eighth of the
39 melachot, is tochain, or grinding. Tochain
is defined as the act of breaking down an entity into small parts
whereby it becomes suitable for a new use, such as grinding wheat
into flour. Any kind of normal crushing, chopping, or grinding,
by hand, or with a tool, falls under this category. There are
four exceptions to Tochain: it only applies to earth-grown
products; previously ground substances may be crushed again; food
may be ground for immediate use; and substances may be ground
in an abnormal manner.
In the time of the Talmud, medicines were ground up from herbs
and other vegetable sources. Because of this, taking any form
of medication was Rabbinically prohibited (except in life-threatening
situations) to safeguard the melacha. Since the reasoning
behind this prohibition no longer applies today, the details of
its application have become very complicated. In brief, one is
allowed to take medicine only for illnesses that weaken the entire
body or that are very painful. Medicine should not be taken for
slight aches or a cold. This aspect
of tochain contains many more details, and 'The 39 Melachot,'
Vol. 2, by Rabbi Dovid Ribiat is a good place to find out about
them.
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9 - Miraked
- Sifting
The ninth melacha,
is miraked or sifting. How then, does it differ from borer,
which also involves separating undesired from desired items? One
suggestion is that meraked is the sifting specifically
done with a keli, or instrument, especially designed for
the purpose of straining, such as a sieve. Sifting flour to make
it finer, or sifting the pebbles out of a pile of sand would be
good example of miraked, while merely picking the pebbles
out by hand would be termed borer (by the
way, the pebbles themselves are generally muktza, thus
making this whole activity a rather bad idea on Shabbat).
Some Rishonim, (early Sages), make another distinction
between miraked and borer, namely that borer
is defined as removing the bad from the good, whereas miraked
involves allowing the items that one wishes to keep, to pass through
the strainer, retaining only the garbage on the face of the strainer.
It includes the sifting of flour and the straining of liquids.
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10 - Lush -
Kneading
Lush, or
kneading, is the act of forming a solid or semi-solid substance
of particles using a liquid. There are two steps in this process:
contact of the liquid with the flour, and the mixing of the two
with a kneading action. Some examples of lush are mixing
water with sand to produce thick mud, mixing water and powder
to make thick paste, and making plaster. There are many facets
to this melacha which should be researched further, but
it is interesting to note that, according to The 39 Melochot
by Rabbi Dovid Ribiat (p. 527-49), it is permitted to soak
matzah in soup or to dunk cookies in milk because these
foods disintegrate when in contact with liquids.
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11- Ofeh / Bishul
- Baking / Cooking
The prohibition
of Ofeh / Bishul is generally understood to be the causing
of a change in the properties of a food or substance by use of
heat. This includes cooking raw food until it becomes edible and
causing change in nonfoods as well, such as the baking of bricks.
If one were to place raw food on a flame, one should, and is required,
to remove the pot before the raw food cooks. Generally, bishul
does not occur in solid foods until the raw solid, or even part
of it, becomes minimally edible. Liquids, however, since they
are dramatically approved when heated, need only to be warmed
and not physically changed by heat to be considered a violation
of bishul. The minimum amount of heat needed to make substantial
change is known as "Yad Soledet," (hand draws
back) and is the degree of heat from which a person, upon contact,
reflexively removes his hand ("hot to the touch").
With this definition
of the melacha of Ofeh / Bishul, the eleventh of
the 39 categories of work prohibited on Shabbat, we have
completed what the Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 74b) calls
the "sidura d'pas," the "order of (making)
bread," which were the steps taken to cultivate wheat for
the Lechem Hapanim (Show Bread) and grow other ingredients
essential in the production of dyes that colored the wool curtains
and tapestries of the Mishkan. To recap, these steps are:
plowing, sowing, reaping, gathering, threshing, winnowing, sorting,
grinding, sifting, kneading, and lastly baking / cooking. Baking
itself was not performed during the actual construction of the
Mishkan since bread was not required for the structure.
It was only herbs that were cooked to produce the dyes.
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12
- Gozez / Shearing
The melacha
of Gozez is the first in a group of thirteen Melachot
that make up the essential steps in the processing of wool
fabrics and garments. The cloth coverings of the Mishkan
were made from wool, and the first step in the process was shearing
it from the animal. The melacha consists of severing or
uprooting any growing part of any creature, even if the creature
is dead. The melacha truly only entails removing with an
instrument such as clippers or scissors, but the Rabbis later
included any type of hair removal. This melacha has a number
of important implications, even for those of us who don't own
sheep. One may not comb their hair on Shabbat because a
comb will definitely pull out hairs. Instead, one may gently use
a soft-bristle brush. Cutting or biting one's nails on Shabbat
is also prohibited, and one may not pull off loose or dead skin.
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13 - Melabain
- Whitening (bleaching)
The sheared wool
needed for the Mishkan was washed in a river. The Melacha
of Melabein, literally "whitening," is expressed
through three categories of activity: Shriyah, or soaking,
Shifshuf, or scrubbing, and Sechita, or squeezing.
More commonly, melabein is the act of cleaning on Shabbat,
which is prohibited. Here are some halachot that explains
what is forbidden in each one of those categories:
1) Soaking - One may not pour anything (that includes, water,
seltzer, etc.) or spray anything on a stain to loosen it or erase
it from one's clothes completely. Remember that when you spill
something on yourself at lunch. Everyone's knee-jerk reaction,
of course, is to reach for the seltzer.
2) Scrubbing - This prohibition includes folding over part of
one's clothing to rub it against the stained spot in order to
remove the stain. It also includes scratching out a dried stain
from one's clothes with one's fingernail.
3) Squeezing - This category includes wringing out one's clothes
on Shabbat. The good news, though, is that the prohibition
of squeezing things out does not apply to sprinkling one's hair
with water to hold down 'the frizz.' But, just watch yourselves.
A sprinkle is OK, not a shower!
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14.
Menafetz - Disentangling,
Combing Raw Materials
After bleaching the wool, the next step is to comb the tangled
threads to prepare it for spinning / weaving (by hand and with
a comb). The prohibition of menafetz applies to the act
of beating compact material into separate strands. This includes
one who combs wool or beats flax stalks or any similar process.
Some add that menafetz also applies to loose hair, in which
case combing a wig is also prohibited on Shabbat.
Back to top15.
Tzovayah - Dyeing
To manufacture
wool, the wool must first be sheared from the animal, and then
the tangled fibers combed out. The next step is the Melacha
of dyeing. Dyed wool was used for the curtains and the covers
of the Mishkan. The Melacha includes coloring or
darkening any material that is ordinarily colored, dyed, or painted
for some useful purpose. If the coloring is only temporary, it
is still rabbinically prohibited. This Melacha is the source
for the prohibition of wearing makeup on Shabbat, since
one is coloring the skin. Some authorities even prohibit sunbathing
for this reason. Dyeing food is not considered Tzovayah
because food's primary function is to be eaten, not to serve as
art.
16.
Toveh - Spinning
This Melacha
involves twisting fibers together to make long threads. Given
that none of us work in sweatshops, when would this melacha
ever be relevant to us?
Well, for those of us who wear tzitzit, there comes a time
when the threads of the tzitzit may fray and separate from
one another. On Shabbat one may not twist the threads back
together.
Back to top17.
Maisach - Mounting the
warp (stretching threads onto loom)
Warping is the first step in the creation of woven fabric. The
longitudinal threads are called warp and the transverse threads
are called weft. Warping entails aligning and setting warp threads
firmly in position in order to allow the weft threads to pass
over and under them in perfect sequence. This is an important
preliminary step of all types of weaving, including lattice-work,
making a simple pot holder, and basket making. (See
Meleches Arigah by Rabbi P. Bodner p. 19 for a detailed
explanation of this melacha.)
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18.
Oseh Beit Batai Neirin
- Setting two heddles (preparing to weave)
- Threading two threads
This melacha
is one of the five steps in making cloth. Technically, it involves
threading two threads through the (heddle eyes) rings in each
of the two harnesses of the loom. Practically, this prohibition
would apply to setting up a loom with at least two strings or
threads in one direction, as one might do to make a potholder.
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Oraig - Weaving
The melacha
of Oraig involves completing the creation of a fabric by
passing the "transverse weft" thread under and over
the "warp" threads. The reason these terms might sound
unfamiliar is that they apply to thread mounted on a loom, a device
that most of us have probably never seen. On a more practical
level, on Shabbat it sometimes happens that a thread in
one's clothes becomes snagged on a hook or nail, causing the fabric
around it to bunch up. Pulling and smoothing the bunched-up fabric
is a direct violation of this melacha. On a less practical
level, braiding shaitel (wig) hair is also prohibited because
of Oraig.
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20. Potzai'ah
- Separating (removing) threads (Unweaving or removing
Weaves
The Melacha
of Potzai'ah
is removing weaved threads from a loom. Excess threads eliminated
from areas that are too densly packed is also Potzai'ah.
All the Melachot from 'mounting the warp' to here were
required for weaving the Mishkan's curtains.
Relevance? Remember making potholders on the little square looms.
The weaving would be Oreig, which is prohibited on Shabbat.
Removing the finished product from the "loom" is the
Melacha of Potzai'ah.
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21.
Koshair - Tying a knot
During consruction
of the Mishkan, those who fished for chilazon, a
small fishlike creature whoe blood was used for techeilet
[the blue dye used for the curtains of the Mishkan], would
both tie and untie their nets, since it was sometimes necessary
to remove ropes from one net and attach them to another.
Also, to prepare thread for stitching, it was necessary to tie
the ends of the thread into a knot in order to tighten and hold
the stitching to the seam. Similarly, the ends of the stitches
in a seam must be tied into knots to keep the stitching from unraveling.
Tying these knots is the melacha of Koshair.
There are two types
of prohibited knots:
kesher uman, a craftman's knot, and kesher shel kayama,
a permanent knot.
Any tight knot that will never loosen and become undone on its
own is considered a kesher uman, whereas a kesher shel
kayama refers to any knot that is meant to remain permanently,
even if it is a type of knot that may sometimes come undone over
time. In practice, any knot that is either tight and durable (and
made without any specific intention to undo it later) or one that
is meant to last permanently (even if not tight or durable) is
forbidden to make, and must be treated as a possible Kesher
M'de'oraisa (Torah-restricted knot).
Thus, a bow-tie used for tying shoes or decorative lace is not
considered a knot, and making this knot for only a day, i.e. 24
hours or less, is therefore permitted. On the other hand, if one
intends to leave it indefinitely in its knotted state then it
is considered a kesher shel kayama even though it is not
very firm.
Practical instances
of Koshair:
- One may not seal a plastic garbage bag with a tight overhand
knot rather a "slip" knot.
- One may not tie string in a double knot around a box of cake
even if he intends to untie the string the same day.
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Matir - Untying a knot
The prohibition
of untying applies to cases where the knot one is untying is also
prohibited. If the knot is such that tying it was a violation
of a Torah law, then untying that knot is also a Torah violation;
similarly, if the knot is a violation of a Rabbinical law, so
too untying it is in violation of a Rabbinical law.
Back to top23.
Tofair - Sewing
While sewing certainly
implies stitching two separate pieces of fabric together, which
was done for the cloth coverings of the Mishkan, the Melacha
of Tofair is more general and consists of combining any
two separate objects into one single entity, by any means. One
important concept in regards to Tofair is that an action
is not considered Tofair if the connection is meant to
be created and broken as part of the object's functional design.
Therefore using buttons, zippers, safety pins, and Velcro is permitted.
Gluing is considered Tofair only when the gluing is meant
to be permanent. As a result, the adhesive on disposable diapers
can be used, while "Fun-tack," which is often left in
its position indefinitely, is prohibited.
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24
- Ko'reah - Tearing (unsewing
- ripping)
As they began to wear and tear, and when small holes created by
moths were found in the curtains of the Mishkan, the fabrics
would have to be repaired. This was usually done by first tearing
the holes to make them larger and then sewing them back together
in an even seam. Tearing was performed in the Mishkan for
no other purpose.
The basic concept of Ko'reah
may
be described as the tearing of a single object into two parts,
or the detaching of the two objects that became combined as one.
Ko'reah
is only possible with materials that are sewn or glued together
when torn. Rope or thread is repaired by tying the ends with a
knot, not by sewing of gluing. Therefore, one may cut a price
tag off of a garment (discreetly), preferably with a knife.
One may tear apart food packaging, wrapping around bandages, napkins,
medicines, clothing, or even toys provided that no letters or
designs will be torn (Mochaik) and that no vessel is formed
(Makeh B'Patish).
Milk cartons with the glued tops present a problem of Ko'reah.
Some authorities see the spout as a temporary seal, and a glued
joint of a temporary nature may be undone on Shabbat. However,
some say that the best way to open cartons is by opening both
sides, thereby ensuring that the problem of creating a vessel
is addressed.
In general, one may retrieve the food or drink from their packaging
by destroying the box or carton that they come in. When destroying
the container, no melachot are violated:
(1) Ko'reah
is avoided (destructive tearing for a food or Shabbat necessity
is permitted)
(2) Makeh B'Patish is avoided (since by destroying the
carton, there is no way that one could be making a vessel out
of it).
Despite the option of these destructive methods, any cartons,
boxes, wrappers, bags, or other food packages should preferably
be opened before Shabbat.
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The next few
Melachot, were performed during construction of the Mishkan
on the Tachash animal, from whose hide a covering for
the Mishkan was made.
25.
Tzud - Trapping
Tzud involves trapping or confining an animal or insect,
providing that the species is one that is normally trapped or
hunted. According to some poskim, Tzud is one of
the few melachot that can be violated even without a direct
action. For instance, frightening an animal into a corner is considered
tzud even if one never came in contact with it.
Because we no longer come into frequent contact with farm animals
or wildlife, this melacha is mostly relevant to us when
applied to pets and insects. Pets for the most part can be considered
totally domesticated and already "trapped." It is therefore
permitted to force them into a room or back into the house. (According
to Rav Moshe Feinstein, Zt"l, eminent Posek
of our generation, pets are muktza and should not be touched;
therefore, one should only verbally urge it into the room or house.)
In terms of insects, any insect that is slow-moving, such as a
caterpillar, can be trapped because its sluggishness can already
be considered a confinement. Dangerous insects such as hornets
and wasps may be trapped using the classic plastic cup method,
but not with a specially designed bee-trap (on Sukkot,
such a trap must be set up before Shabbat and Yom Tov).
Back to top26.
Shochet - Slaughtering (Killing)
Shochet is the second Melacha in the series of melachot
that deal with preparing skins. After trapping the animal, it
is necessary to kill it in order to take the skin. Killing by
any means, whether by slaughtering, stabbing or battering, not
just shechita (ritual slaughter) as applied to kosher animals,
would make one liable. This prohibition applies to all kinds of
animals and things that come from the dirt.
Practical applications of Shochet are causing bleeding
or blood clots, putting poison where it is likely to kill an animal,
and spraying insects.
Back to top 27.
Mafshit - Skinning
After slaughtering
the animal, the next step in the process of preparing hides is
to remove the hide and spread it out flat, hence the prohibition
of Mafshit. This Melacha is not relevant in situations
where the skin has already been cooked and is in an edible form,
but rather only in cases where the skin is on a newly-slaughtered
animal. Therefore, this prohibition does not apply to removing
the skin of a cooked chicken (although attention must be paid
to the laws of Borer, separating).
Back to top 28.
M'abaid - Tanning
Tanning involves the process by which raw animal hides are preserved.
Hides are soaked in potent tanning solutions until they reach
a point of long-lasting durability; this would ensure that they
would remain in good shape for the Mishkan. M'abaid
also applies to finished leather as well as raw hides, and therefore
one is not permitted to use any shoe polish which contains leather
preservatives.
As per a Rabbinical restriction, the preservation of food items
is also prohibited. As such, one may not put fresh fish, meat,
or vegetables into a pickling solution to cause them to become
sour and thus preserved. (However, returning pickles to their
jar is permitted.) Salting foods is also problematic, and the
Sages prohibited sprinkling salt on some foods and vegetables.
According to the Shulchan Aruch (321:3), one may not salt
a plate of cucumbers, radishes, peas, onions, garlic, scallions,
peppers, lettuce, carrots, turnips, or string beans.
Back to top 29.
Mesharteit - Tracing (scratching) lines,
Marking
After smoothing
the processed hide of an animal, one must outline the area that
is going to be cut. The act of outlining, or marking, is the Melacha
of Mesharteit.
This prohibition applies to skin, klaf
(parchment), paper, wood, and other materials, with the exception
of food. It is forbidden to mark even with your fingernail.
Example: One cannot mark a piece of paper with lines in order
to write letters in a straight line.
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30. Memacheik - Smoothing
Memacheik
is the method by which hair was removed from the hides used to
create the walls of the Mishkan. Similar to smoothing hides,
Memachaik only applies to surfaces that are firm. For example,
sanding or smoothing a wooden or leather surface would be Memachaik.
Memarai'ach refers to the rabbinic prohibition that stems
from Memachaik. The prohibition of Memarai'ach applies
to the smoothing of substances that can be molded i.e. wax, creams
or ointments. It does not apply to completely viscous substances,
so things like liquid soap do not even fall under the rabbinic
prohibition. The rabbinic prohibition also only refers to smearing.
Pressing cream onto the skin, however, may be permitted, providing
one is careful only to press and not to smear. Food, also, does
not fall under the rabbinic prohibition, since food is considered
prepared as it is, and smoothing it doesn't constitute an important
change. However, if one were to use the food in any way other
than to eat it (i.e. spreading butter on chapped lips), it would
be considered a normal substance subject to all the regular prohibitions.
Back to top 31.
Mechateich - Cutting
(to shape)
Measured Cutting
Thus far, we have
been reviewing Melachot related to the preparation of hides,
the goal being the incorporation of these materials into large
coverings for the Mishkan. Cutting hides, or any material
for that matter, with one's hands or an instrument, to a pre-measured
size and shape is called Mechateich.
Following the general pattern set by previous melachot
involved in the tanning process, Mechateich
doesn't apply to food items, and one may cut measured pieces of
fish, cake, and challah on Shabbat.
Small packets of sugar, salt, coffee, ketchup, mustard, etc.,
may be opened on their perforated lines because the intention
is not to deliberately and skillfully follow the lines (to create
a neat cut), but only to retrieve the item. However, the perforated
lines on a box of tissues are meant to help produce a neat opening,
and opening the box is thus Mechateich.
The Melacha of Mechateich
is not to be confused with Ko'reah
(tearing). Mechateich
is measured cutting, while Ko'reah
is not. Mechateich
applies to all materials, while Ko'reah
does not.
Back to top32. Kotaiv
- Writing two or more letters
The wall boards
of the Mishkan were inscribed with letters to facilitate
matching them each time the Mishkan was erected. This Melacha
is often defined as creating meaningful images, not simply as
writing. This is because, while forming two letters is generally
the minimum for the prohibition of Kotaiv,
forming any images of at least that size would be problematic,
including painting pictures, etching a design into wood, and embroidering
a design into cloth.
There are two interesting Rabbinic prohibitions that emanate from
Kotaiv.
One, as applicable to other melachot, is doing Kotaiv
in a non-permanent fashion, such as writing one's name with one's
finger on a windowpane. The other prohibition is from doing any
activity that may lead to writing. For this reason, conducting
business is problematic on Shabbat. Additionally, according
to the Shmirat Shabbat KeHilchata, playing a game that
generally involves writing (as in keeping score) would be problematic
on Shabbat from a Rabbinic standpoint, although one does
not actually plan to write. (Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:31)
Back to top 33. Mochaik
- Erasing two or more letters
If the Mishkan's
builders erred in writing letters on the boards, they would erase
them in order to write the proper ones. This Melacha is
defined as erasing meaningful images. The Torah prohibition
encompasses both the cleaning of a writing surface and the obliterating
of letters or characters. This also applies to non-traditional
ways of erasing, like blotting something out instead of erasing
it. One therefore must be especially careful when opening packaging
that has letters on it on Shabbat. The Melacha only
applies to letters. Destroying words is not a problem.
There are a number of interesting prohibitions that arise from
this Melacha. Cutting a cake with lettering in the icing
may be a problem. One should be extra careful to cut between letters.
However, letters that are engraved in dough, like the lettering
on some biscuits, is not considered writing and may therefore
be destroyed without a problem. Deliberately washing off writing
from the skin may be a problem. Books with writing on the leaves
of the pages also present a problem. When the book is opened the
words are destroyed, and when the book is closed again the words
are re-created. There is much discussion as to whether this falls
under the category of Mochaik and Kotaiv. However,
all agree that it is best to avoid this if possible.
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34. Boneh - Building
The prohibition
of building on Shabbat has wide ramifications. The main
acts that are prohibited are building something attached to the
ground or adding to something that is already built on the ground.
Even doing a kol-shehu, a very small amount, of these actions
is considered Boneh. Furthermore, fixing something, like
a nail, on such a building is also prohibited.
In addition to building things that are attached to the ground,
the prohibition of Boneh also covers 'building' something
in the ground itself; for example, making a hole in a house or
in a courtyard (provided that the hole is not dug solely for the
dirt, in which case there is only a rabbinic prohibition against
it). However, digging a hole in a field would be a violation of
Choresh, plowing.
35.
Soiser - Demolishing
The 35th melocho,
Sossair is essentially the reverse of Boneh, building.
As the Jews traveled throughout the desert, it was necessary to
build and demolish the structure of the Mishkan by taking
apart the separate kerashim, planks.
The Melacha Deoraisa (Torah prohibition) applies only when
the act of demolition is accompanied by an intention to rebuild
eventually. However, any act of destruction (albeit unconstructive)
is rabbinically prohibited because of its resemblance to the Melacha
Deoraisa.
Practical cases:
One may not remove the handle of a window crank, unscrew / replace
a tap filter, or replace a window screen.
It is not a problem to destroy parts of an edible food item, such
as the shape of a cookie, while eating it. The reason given is
that the functional use of food is for eating. Since Boneh
and Soiser do not apply to the regular use and function
of an object, there is no halachic problem of destroying food
while eating it.
Back to top36-37.
Mechabeh and Ma'avir - Extinguishing and Lighting Fires
These two Melachot are closely related; one is the opposite
of the other. Fire was used for cooking the dyes during the construction
of the Mishkan and later for the Korbanot
and is therefore prohibited. Mechabeh is extinguishing
fire; Ma'avir is kindling fire. One practical application
of these prohibitions is electricity. One cannot use electricity
on Shabbat. For example, turning lights on and off is prohibited.
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38. Makeh B'Patish - "The Final Hammer
Blow" Striking the final blow (Finishing an object)
This Melacha has its roots in the building of the Kerashim,
the beams of the Mishkan. These beams were made of wood
covered with gold. The gold sheathing was kept in place with golden
nails that were hammered into the wood. The final hit on those
nails to complete the beam was Makeh B'Patish. Although
the Melacha stemmed from work done with a hammer, the prohibition
applies to any act of completion. For example, putting shoelaces
into a shoe for the first time may be prohibited on Shabbat
because of this Melacha. The Melacha can also apply
to liquids: carbonating water, according to some, is also Makeh
B'Patish.
It is interesting to note that restoring an item is not considered
an act of creation and is therefore allowed on Shabbat.
For example, a pendant that fell out of a necklace may be replaced
because both the necklace and the pendant were not "broken"
in their separated state. The same applies to a shoelace that
came out of a shoe. There is also discussion about opening soda
bottles. Some argue that by taking the cap of the bottle one is
rendering the bottle as usable to store soda in. This may be considered
an act of completion. Others argue that the bottle with the cap
on it is also a complete functioning vessel, so removing the cap
may not be considered creating a new vessel.
There are a number of Rabbinic prohibitions that emerge from this
Melacha. One prohibition is that of playing musical instruments.
The Rabbis made this prohibition to prevent people from playing
and accidentally tuning the instrument. This would be considered
Makeh B'Patish. Singing and whistling are not included
in this prohibition. Another prohibition is that of tovelling
dishes on Shabbat. Because one is not allowed to use the
dishes before immersing them, the immersion gives off the appearance
of "repairing" the object.
Makeh B'Patish is a fascinating and broad Melacha.
It is extremely complex because it can apply to almost anything.
It is one of the few Melachot that are not tied to performing
a specific action. It focuses on the result, not the actual action.
As such, there is a large volume of Rabbinic literature dedicated
to understanding the exact nature of the prohibition. For further
research one can look at the sources listed below or any of a
multitude of other sources.
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39.
Hotza'ah - Transferring
(transporting) from domain to domain (carrying)
Hotza'ah
is the general term for the last of the thirty-nine Avot Melachot
of Shabbat.
The Torah prohibits one to transfer (i.e., carry, throw, push,
etc.) an object from a "reshut hayachid", a private
domain*, and "reshut harabim"
- a public domain** and vice versa.
- Hotza'ah is carrying or moving something (transferring
an object) between a reshut hayachid, and reshut harabim.
- Hachnasah - refers to transferring objects from a reshut
harabim to a reshut hayachid.
Transferring an object either from a private domain to a public
domain (Hotza'ah) or the reverse (Hachnasah) is
forbidden by the Torah.
- Ma'avir Arba Amot b'Reshut harabim - carrying an object
from one place in a public domain to another over a distance of
at least four Amot, (appoximately 7 feet ) or more is similarly
forbidden.
- Moshit, which involves "passing" an object
from one reshut hayachid to another reshut hayachid
through reshut harabim (as described in the Mishnah
Shabbos 96a is also a Biblical prohibition.
*Reshut
Hayachid - Private domain - is defined as an area enclosed
by walls, fences or a series of doorframe-like structures (as
used in an Eruv***) not less
than ten tefachim high (approximately 38-40 inches). It
may be ground level, or a pit ten tefachim deep. Private
ownership is not a precondition for a Reshut Hayachid.
**Reshut
Harabim
- Public domain - is an area not enclosed by partitions even if
title would legally deem it private property. Some areas are deemed
"public" by the decree of our Sages of Blessed Memory;
others are designated "public" by Torah law. Areas considered
"public domain" by rabbinic guidelines can be converted
to "private domain" by the establishment of an Eruv.
Biblically ordained "public domains" cannot be included
in an Eruv.
***An
Eruv is an instrument by which an area which is not a private
domain is halachically (by Jewish law) converted to one.
To achieve this, the right of passage is rented from the owners,
or the municipal authority - usually a contract for permission
to use the property (poles and cables ) of the public utilities
corporations is secured; and the construction of a perimeter around
the area using natural barriers, walls, and/or a series of gate-like
structures is completed. The word Eruv is derived from
the verb to mix or blend since an Eruv blends many properties
into a single private domain.
In order to transgress
the Torah prohibition of Hotza'ah, certain conditions must
be met.
An Akirah
(initiation of movement) and a Hanachah (putting the object
to rest) must be performed on the object by the same person. If
one person does the Akirah and another does the Hanachah,
only a Rabbinical prohibition is involved (Shabbat 3a).
It is possible to move an object without ever performing an Akira,
such as when the object is dragged.
One transgresses
the Torah prohibition of Hotza'ah only if he picked up
the object which he moved (Akirah) with the *intention*
of placing it down again in another Reshut (domain). If
he decides to place it in another Reshut only *after* picking
it up, he has not transgressed a biblical prohibition, and hence
need not bring a Korban Chatas for atonement.
(d) One only transgresses the prohibition of Hotza'ah if
the object transferred has a certain minimum size. The Mishnah
(Shabbat 75b) describes this size as, "Anything that
is normally put away for human use and people do put away this
amount of it." If the object transferred is food, one is
only liable to punishment if the food is the size of a dried fig
(k'Grogeret). For liquids, the amount is a Revi'it.
The labor of moving
an object from one domain to another, seems like the most insignificant
of all the melachot. Indeed, some early commentators call
it an "inferior labor" (Tosafot Shabbat 2a).
After all, nothing is really done to the object - it merely changes
location. (See Beur Halacha 318.)
Yet this one "inferior"
melacha seems to draw an inordinate amount of attention.
About a third of tractate Shabbat, and about a third of
the laws of Shabbat in the Shulchan Aruch, deal
primarily with the laws of hotza'ah. And Rav Nachman
of Breslov teaches that this prohibition is so important
that all of the 39 forbidden labors are included in the prohibition
on carrying! (Likutei Halachot Shabbat 7:30.) As
you can obviously see, the Melacha of Hotza'ah is
a very complex Melacha and contains many more details.
This is not the forum for decisions regarding what is or is not
allowed on Shabbat. This is just to give the reader a flavor
of the intricate halachot involved. A competent halachic
authority should be consulted with any questions.
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Sources:
1. - The 39 Melachos, by Rabbi Dovid Ribiat.
-
Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos and M'nucha V'Simcha by Rabbi
Mordechai Katz.
-
Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos by Rabbi J. Posen.
-
The 39 Avoth Melacha of Shabbat by Rabbi Baruch
Chait.
-
Shmirat Shabbat KeHilchata
There are many
more aspects to these melachot that can be learned from
all of the above valuable references, from which these explanations
have been adapted.
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