INTRODUCTION

This book was written as a guide to understanding the thirty-nine work categories prohibited on Shabbos. As the term "guide" denotes, no attempt has been made to explain or answer every possible question concerning these work categories. Rather, this guide was designed to provide the reader with sufficient knowledge of each work category to enable him to recognize when a question of law (halacha) arises. The reader should then consult a competent Rabbi for a ruling.

The term "work" (malacha) used in connection with Shabbos does not mean labor. The Torah forbids many acts which require little exertion. The central concept of "work" on Shabbos is doing constructive, creative work. (Shabbos 105B, Responsa Shoel U Mayshiv, edition 3. part 3. responsa 79)

We are commanded to refrain from creative work on Shabbos as a symbolic witness to the fact that G-d created the world in six days and "rested" on the seventh. Therefore, one who willfully violates the laws of work on Shabbos is likened to an idol worshipper, who denies G-d as the Creator.

The thirty nine creative works that were needed for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) are the thirty nine prototype creative work categories (אב מלאכות) that are forbidden on the Sabbath. This does not imply that they actually had to initially plant the products needed. They may have had some of the products in their possession that were part of the Egyptian booty. The wilderness of Sinai is semi-arid with streams of water flowing beneath that enables agriculture in certain areas. They may have also found the plants growing in the wilderness. However, these thirty nine works were necessary for the construction of the Mishkan.

The first group of creative works were needed for the production of dyes needed to dye the threads of the cloths used for the curtains and priestly garments, and to dye the skins used for coverings.

The first process was to prepare the field for sowing by cleaning it from debris and plowing it. Then they sowed or scattered the seeds. After growing to maturity the plants were reaped and bundled to be transported and processed. The initial processing was to either thresh or winnow the plant in order to remove the seeds needed for producing dye. The process of threshing is to beat the out the seeds from its husk. The process of winnowing is to use the wind to blow the seeds from it's husk. One method is to throw the plant upwards to the wind and they fall separated, and then the seeds are gathered.

The next step is quality control, by separating the poor quality by hand or through an implement, or by using a sift to separate the seed from the refuse.

Then the seeds or plants are ground and mixed with a liquid that produces a dye. Some dyes were mixed with a small amount of liquid until the mixture thickens as paint. This process is comparable to kneading dough. Another process cooks the raw material in order for it to become dye.

The second group of creative works were needed for the production of the curtains and the priestly garments.

Shearing the wool of a sheep was the initial process. Then the raw wool is washed in a stream and again washed with detergents in a tub to remove the grease. Then it is bleached white by placing the wet wool in an airtight chamber where sulphur is burnt. The wool is now prepared to be spun into threads.

The first process of spinning thread is to comb the wool until all the fibers are smoothed and pulled parallel to each other. The next step is to dye the wool before spinning it in order to produce a quality product. Now the artisans will spin long continuous threads from short fibers.

After the spinning of the threads cloth is produced from them through three basic weaving operations. Step number one is warping (מיסך) by arranging the threads on the poles in one direction. The next step is to prepare the loom for the weaving operation by passing warp threads through the eyes of the heddles (עושה שתי בתי נירין) The last step is (אורג) weaving threads in and out perpendicular to the direction of the warped threads. A quality control operation was done during the weaving operation called "cutting two warp threads" (פוצע שתי חוטין) where the warp threads were cut, shortened, and mended. There are several situations that require such a repair. Situation number one is when the threads are too densely packed, they remedy the problem by snipping at the selvedge and pulling them out. The second situation is when there are irregular threads, the irregular threads are cut and removed. Finally, after completing the cloth, they cut the threads to remove it from the loom.

Some curtains were sewn together. The final procedure of threading a needle is to tie a knot at the end of the thread. If the thread snaps, the knot is untied in order to reposition the thread and knot it again. If during sewing the curtains they were not satisfied with what was done, then the seamstress would tear it apart in order to sew it satisfactorily.

The third group of creative works were needed for the skin coverings of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). First the animal is captured, then it is killed and skinned. The skin is salted and tanned with chemicals that soften it and make it usable as leather even if the hairs are not removed. Then it is made smooth by rubbing the leather together and by stretching it between two poles and smoothing the surface.

The final process is to mark out the area of the piece of leather to be used as a covering, by drawing guide lines for cutting the shape. It is then cut to size along these guide lines.

The fourth group of creative works were needed to erect and dismantle the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The acts of erecting and dismantling the Mishkan are themselves creative works.

First they had to code mark the beams for the purpose of putting the beams together in proper sequence. This was accomplished by writing letters on each beam. During erection, dismantling and transportation, some markings may smear to the extent that they would have to erase the previous markings in order to mark them again.

The beams were transported on wagons that were considered private domains although they were standing in a public domain, because they were higher than ten tefachim (handbreaths) with an area of more than four tefachim squared. Therefore, when they removed the beams in order to erect the Mishkan, they transported the beams from a private domain through a public domain, and vis versa when they dismantled the Mishkan.

The fifth group of creative works were done by the jewelry artisans.

They kindled fire in order to smelt the metals needed for the construction of the Mishkan, the priestly garments, and the vessels. Coke was the fuel used for smelting that produced a minimum amount of smoke. This was produced by partially burning wood in an airtight furnace and when finished the fires were quenched to produce coke. The molten metals were beaten into threads and vessels. Afterwards, parts were added to the vessels to complete them.