The Sabbath Prohibitions

There are 39 categories of "work"(Hebrew: melachot) which one is prohibited from doing on the Sabbath. The 39 categories do not represent the amount of exertion required, but rather the act and effort of creating something. The Hebrew word for "work" in the context of Shabbat is not the same word for "work" elsewhere in the Torah. When G-d ceased from His "work" on the first Sabbath, G-d did not grow tired or cease from all exertion, instead, He only ceased creating. When we cease acts associated with human creations, we are proclaiming and bearing true testimony to the world that G-d is the ultimate Creator.

The reason for the 39 categories comes from the Torah itself, thought the torah does not explicitly say "these 39 activities are prohibited to you on Shabbat," the Torah does remind the people of Israel to Keep the Shabbat holy immediately after giving the instructions to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The instructions begin in Exodus 25 and run all the way to Exodus 31:12, and then in verse 13 we read:

“You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. (Exodus 31:13 ESV)

This strange reminder, a seemingly needless repetition of the command stood out to the sages, especially the opening words "above all." The Torah never wastes words or repeats without reason, so this must mean something important. The sages concluded that this reminder was needed because any activity related to the building of the Tabernacle was not to be performed on the Shabbat. That even for something as incredibly important as THE Tabernacle where G-d would reside and dwell among His people, is not more important than the Shabbat, and you should not forsake the Shabbat even for the sake of the Tabernacle! (b.Shabbat 70a & 49b)

Therefore the definition of "work" (Melachot) is hinted at in the instructions to build the Tabernacle. Surely if one is prohibited from engaging in these activities on Shabbat even for the sake of the Tabernacle, then these activities are prohibited on Shabbat in general.

Many volumes have been dedicated to these individual actions of Melachot, so much so that my personal favorite resource is a 4 volume set called "The 39 Melachos" by Rabbi Dovid Ribiat, Which is an exhaustive resource tackling almost any scenario on Shabbat. (Click this link to purchase The 39 Melochos book set)

For now, we will only briefly go over the list to familiarize you with the 39 as a whole and provide a few common examples for clarity. This will, by no means, be a complete and exhaustive list with every possible application listed with their sources and explanations.

Do not let this list scare you. It may seem like a lot to those of us who have not grown up in this life style, and to others this list may seem "overly legalistic", but let me assure you, like anything else it takes some practice. But in the end I believe you will find that the Shabbat feels far more separated/holy from the other days of the week as a result.

These prohibitions are not that difficult, and in large part the biggest changes one has to make are against cooking and technology use, which in my opinion is the most healthy prohibition in our overly connected world. Being purpose driven by Shabbat to unplug from the world for 24 hours per week is bound to do wonders for your mental health, and really allow your soul battery to truly recharge and rest on Shabbat.

If you are brand new to this practice, consider taking this list very slowly and one thing at a time. There is no need to suddenly make massive changes which would impede your rest and enjoyment of the Shabbat. The Shabbat is meant to be a joyful experience, not a burden or a drag you do not look forward to every week because of its "many rules."

Observing the Shabbat properly is important. It means we affirm a 6 day creation, and that we believe our lives belong to G-d, and that we serve Him only and not our own self interests. It's a sign that we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, not of the world, and it is a clear indicator that we believe in G-d's promises and chose to live in covenant relationship with HaShem. Observing Shabbat properly is important, but it's not the goal. Never forget that the goal is to grow closer to HaShem and to partake in His rest with joy as we get a taste of The World to Come, where we will one day sing "it's Shabbat now" for eternity.

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Field Work

Sowing

Planting Seeds.

This also includes, by most authorities, the act of watering a plant. Replanting an already grown plant is also accepted as "sowing" by definition.

In general, caring for plants at all is to be avoided. This includes farms, home gardens, and house plants.

It's worth noting here that dumping water onto grass would constitute a violation as well as throwing an apple seed on the ground after eating the apple or any fruit seed.

Plowing

Digging A Hole

Since a seed can be planted in the smallest of holes in the soil, plowing is seen as the act of digging into the ground at any depth or length. This also includes pulling up weeds from the ground or raking the lawn. In general, all yard work should be avoided.

Reaping

Detaching

Reaping is defined as detaching either by hand or by tool, a plant from the ground or detaching from the plant itself. This includes picking fruit from a tree.

Gathering/Binding

Collecting

This applies to gathering plants that have been detached into a pile, bundle, or basket in some way. For this prohibition to apply, however, the gathering must be done at the place where the plant grew, and it must have grown from the ground. This rule against gathering does not apply to foods already in the house.

An example of things to avoid would be gathering already fallen apples from under the tree into a basket or collecting a pile of sticks in the yard.

Threshing

Removing Encasings

Threshing is done, once again, in the field near the place where the food grew to remove the casings from the desired portion of the food. Shucking corn or threshing wheat, which removes the kernels from the casings, are the intended prohibitions. Wringing out is also often included in this prohibition since threshing can also include the wringing of grapes and olives for their oil.

This does not include fruits peeled before eating. Though some authorities consider the squeezing of fruits to be prohibited also, it is accepted that the prohibition of threshing only applies to grapes and olives for things squeezed.

Winnowing

Separating Chaff

Winnowing is the process of throwing freshly threshed wheat into the air, whereby the wind blows away the lighter chaff and the heavy kernels fall into a pile.

Selecting

Sorting/Selecting

The use of a tool to sort or select items to organize into separate groups.

This does not apply to the act of eating in nearly all circumstances, such as using a fork to select food from a dish or sort out the food he/she wishes to eat. This is seen as part of the act of eating and not selecting in the intended context.

Additionally, if an item is within a "mixture" (such as a pile of toys) but is clearly discernable, it is not considered "selecting" to pull said item out of the mixture. However, sorting and organizing the entire pile of toys would be prohibited by most authorities.

A Biblical example of "Selecting" or "sorting" is after separating the chaff from the wheat kernels in the winnowing process, one would have to sort through the pile of kernels, dirt, and debris, selecting and organizing into a separate pile all the kernels.

Grinding

Grinding Food

Grinding a raw food substance is prohibited, such as grinding wheat to make flour, or coffee beans. However, grinding food that has already been ground or prepared is permitted. However, one may not use a tool designed for grinding on Shabbat at all, such as a cheese grater or a coffee grinder.

Sifting

Using a sifter is prohibited on Shabbat. This prohibition is similar to the prohibition of selecting/sorting. However, more generally, this prohibition applies to liquids more often than not. This applies when something undesirable is removed from a liquid that is consumed. An example is a French press coffee maker. The French press removes the grounds from the coffee using a sifter.

This is different from using a pour-over method for coffee, as long as the coffee is not pre-mixed and then poured through a filter to leave out the grounds. If the grounds are in the filter and water is poured over them, this does not constitute "sifting".

Kneading

No kneading any dough or making dough of any kind. Some authorities include mixing sand and water for shaping to be included in the prohibition.

Baking

Cooking in General

This prohibition covers all acts of "cooking" on Shabbat. All food should be prepared ahead of time so that no cooking is necessary on Shabbat at all. Cooking includes things like heating up water, which is why we also do not use the hot water tap at the sinks in the house.

There is no prohibition against keeping things warm on Shabbat. Many families use things like hot plates or crock pots to keep food warm throughout the entirety of Shabbat, as well as a device that keeps a large amount of hot water hot so that tea and coffee can be enjoyed on Shabbat.

There is also the idea of using a "second vessel" known in Hebrew as a "kli sheni" as a workaround to avoid "cooking" with hot water when using it for coffee or tea. Simply use an intermediary cup between the hot water urn and the cup you intend to use. (Pour the hot water into the intermediate cup, then pour the water from that cup into your cup.) Reheating liquid is prohibited, while reheating already cooked dry foods is permitted, as long as the dry foods have no moisture content on the outside, such as bread.

There is also no prohibition against starting to cook something before Shabbat and allowing it to continue to cook on Shabbat. However, you are prohibited from turning down the heat from the source even after you remove the cooked item. Therefore it is highly recommended that any cooking be done before the start of Shabbat.

Much more could be said about this prohibition and practices one can use to avoid breaking the prohibition while still enjoying warm foods and drinks, but that is beyond the scope of this article. This is only a general overview with the most common issues being addressed. For more details, or if you have any questions, we highly recommend consulting with your Rabbi, Altarnate Media staff, or the with the book listed in the introduction of the article.

Making Material Curtains

Shearing

Shearing wool is the primary prohibition, but this also applies to the act of removing any hairs from skins or fabrics and using any tools with which to do so. Tools include scissors as well as nail clippers.

Cleaning / Bleaching Fabrics

This prohibition specifically applies to the act of laundering fabrics or clothing. The word bleaching is used but generally refers to the "cleaning" of fabrics. Therefore doing the laundry is not only prohibited, but also cleaning clothes on a much smaller scale is also prohibited, such as removing a stain on a shirt. Some authorities even prohibit wetting the clothing at all in an attempt to make it cleaner.

This prohibition is specifically about clothing and does not apply to cleaning generally around the house or cleaning up any spills using a cloth or napkin. The prohibition only applies to trying to clean fabrics.

Combing / Preparing for Spinning

This prohibition only applies to textile goods like wool or cotton, which needed to be combed to straighten and untangle the threads and prepare them for the spindle. This prohibition does not apply to combing one's hair; however, technically, combing one's hair would apply to the prohibition of "shearing," since using a brush might pull out hair.

Dyeing / Coloring

This prohibition applies to the act of coloring things in a lasting manner in general, such as literally dying clothes or hair, but also painting. This prohibition does not apply to foods, such as the coloring that occurs when making tea.

Spinning

This prohibits the use of a spindle or spinning thread together generally. A practical example would be retwisting your tzitzit if one of the strings comes unraveled.

Stretching Threads

This prohibits using a loom, specifically when pulling threads to make an even weave and tight pattern.

Making Loops

This prohibits using a loom, where looping threads occur to size and shape the fabric to specific parameters.

Weaving Threads

This prohibits feeding threads through others on a loom in a weaving pattern, which is typical for processing fabrics to be made.

Separating Knots

This prohibits again the use of a loom which is done between rows and weaves as the garment is processed.

Tying Knots

This prohibition applies to knots that are meant to be long-term or permanent. This does not apply to tying one's shoes since this is not a permanent knot and is intended to be untied by the end of the day. With one caveat, a double-knot is considered a complex knot, and, even though it will be untied before the end of the day, it is prohibited. In general, tying "boy scout" knots are the knots which are prohibited by this Melacha.

Keep in mind that things like tying a knot on a trash bag are considered long-term and would be prohibited on Shabbat.

Untying Knots

As stated in the above prohibition, this only applies to complex or long-term knots. One should not untie any permanent or long-term knots on Shabbat.

Sewing

The act of threading with a needle into a garment or fabric which joins together fabrics permanently or long term is prohibited.

Tearing

This prohibition applies to fabrics. There is a separate prohibition for other types of tearing. See "Cutting" for more information on tearing non-fabric things.

Making Leather Curtains

Trapping

Hunting

This applies to the act of trapping an animal that will be of benefit to the trapper, and does not apply to trapping things like an insect or rodent. This also only applies to things that are trapped with the purpose of being killed for use. Simply having a caged animal or putting your pet into a kennel does not apply here.

Slaughtering

Killing for food is prohibited on Shabbat. In fact, it is this prohibition that applies to killing in general. Killing should be avoided on Shabbat unless absolutely necessary. This includes insects that one may find bothersome. One may trap a bothersome insect but not kill it unless imminent danger is posed by the insect.

Skinning

Skinning any animal is prohibited, even fish or chicken, on Shabbat. Removing the skin of a cooked chicken or fish, however, is considered part of the eating process and is not prohibited.

Tanning

Pickling

Tanning leathers or hide is prohibited on Shabbat. Tanning is the process in which an animal's skin is treated by soaking it in a variety of chemicals to preserve the leather and keep it from rotting like raw flesh. all leather products are first tanned in some way before they are used for any leather goods.

There exists a debate as to whether or not pickling on Shabbat is considered "tanning" since the tanning process is essentially pickling. This debate is, however, purely academic since many authorities consider pickling to be a form of "cooking." The debate is beyond the scope of this article, but at any rate, pickling is prohibited on Shabbat regardless of which Melacha pertains to it.

Smoothing

Smoothing/Sanding

This prohibition applies to the smoothing of rough surfaces. Tanneries often sand the top layer of leather off to smooth the surface. This prohibition applies also to wood and to using steel wool on pots and pans.

Soap and Deodorant

In rabbinic rulings, this prohibition has been applied to restrict the use of bar soap, stick deodorant, and any body creams like chapstick, Vaseline, or lotion. There are many opinions regarding whether or not things like soap, which start out smooth and the user does not intend to make it smooth, apply here. Or creams and lotions which are absorbed into the body and not "smoothed" in the same manner.

Many orthodox communities follow this ruling and will not "smooth" over any applied creams and balms. They instead will "dab" them onto the desired spot without rubbing it in.

Liquidy gels, creams, or soaps are permitted even by rabbinic safeguards.

For more information or guidance in this area, one should consult with a rabbi.

Also, once again, this does not apply to food. Therefore spreading butter or avocado onto toast is not in violation of this Malacha.

Ruling lines

In leather work, lines are often indented into the leather as a guideline for cutting or shaping or stitching the leather.

If you look closely at a Torah scroll you will see indentation lines running across the page at the tops of the Hebrew letters as a guide for the scribes.

Cutting

Cutting/Tearing

Cutting with scissors or tearing along a line or perforations is prohibited by this Melacha. Once again this does not include food, one may cut food to size as this is considered part of the act of eating. One may not use scissors to cut paper or tear out aluminum foil from the roll. The prohibition technically only applies to precise cuts or tears but this does not automatically excuse imprecise cuts or tears from things that are on a roll and need to be removed from the roll to be used.

For items like sugar or tea packets, one may tear them open without concern either (though many opine that one should not fully tear off the top because by doing so, one may have created a new vessel.) With this prohibition, intention is everything. If, when tearing something, one does not care if the cut is precise, then no violation of this particular Melacha has occurred.

The famous toilet paper debate

Here is where the classic toilet paper debate comes in. Though the tearing of toilet paper or paper towels on the perforated lines would seem to be a violation of this Melacha, it is technically not because of this Melacha that tearing toilet paper is prohibited. By tearing off the roll, one is fashioning something useful out of something that was previously not useful while still attached to the roll. It is only by tearing off the roll that the thing becomes what it was intended to be used for. In this way, tearing off toilet paper or paper towels is more like "dealing the final hammer blow" than cutting or tearing.

This is why many Orthodox families pre-tear lots of toilet paper and paper towels before Shabbat begins, so as to be careful not to violate this Melacha. In the event that there is no other option, one may tear toilet paper not on the perforated line. However, this leniency exists to preserve human dignity, and it should not be generalized to apply to other scenarios.

Making Mishkan Beams

Writing

Writing in all forms is prohibited. This prohibition not only includes writing on paper with pen and ink but also includes writing in the sand or in the dust. The forming of a letter or words at all is prohibited.

Erasing

Like writing, erasing any written thing is also prohibited. Falling under this prohibition is also not "destroying" any words or written things, such as ripping a paper across words, thus destroying/erasing the word. Because of this, when tearing open a tea packet or sugar pack, one should be careful not to tear across a word or letters. Additionally, things like cakes with words written on them should be avoided on Shabbat, since cutting into the letters constitutes erasing the words or letters by destruction.

Putting Up & Taking Down the Mishkan

Building (Structures or Furniture)

The construction of any building, structure, or assembly of furniture is prohibited on Shabbat. Additionally, adding something permanent to an existing structure, such as home improvements, are also prohibited. Technically the talmud makes no prohibition against fixing, or destroying movable furniture items, however it is forbidden to complete the task, as that would be a violation of "striking the finally hammer blow." Therefore, in general, the fixing or assembly of anything long-term or permanent is prohibited. Legos, however, are not considered permanent structures because they can be easily assembled and, therefore, are permitted.

Demolishing

As with the building above, the destruction of any structure or furniture is prohibited on Shabbat. This prohibition also includes the dismantling of any object that is not intended to be dismantled as part of its regular use. An example would be to remove a screw from the wall that a picture was hung up on or to dismantle a tent.

This prohibition does not apply to things that are designed to be built and dismantled as part of their regular use, such as Legos.

Final Touches of the Mishkan

Extinguishing a fire

Except in cases where one needs to put out a fire in their own home to prevent a danger to their life, extinguishing a flame is not permitted. This includes blowing out a candle or putting out a fire in the fireplace. Lowering the flame is also a form of extinguishing, and so lowering the heat on an open flame stove top is not permitted. Removing fuel from a fire is also considered extinguishing since one shortens the lifespan of the fire by his own efforts.

Rabbinically the use of all appliances is forbidden on Shabbat, but not necessarily for this reason (either kindling or extinguishing a flame). Though this may be the case for a gas-powered stove, in the case of other appliances, one is creating or completing a circuit or causing it to generate heat. In the case of an incandescent lightbulb, however, turning on or off is a violation of kindling/extinguishing a fire.

Candles and oil lamps should be allowed to burn out naturally on Shabbat.

Kindling a fire

Kindling a fire, striking a match, or otherwise creating fire is prohibited. This prohibition also includes adding fuel to a fire, such as adding wood to a fireplace or adding oil to an oil lamp. These acts are considered to be kindling fire. In the same way, in which removing fuel from a fire is considered extinguishing it, adding fuel is considered to be kindling one as well, since adding a log to a fire makes the log catch fire making a new flame. For oil lamps, the Idea is that the entire fuel and vessel act as "one flame" and therefore adding oil after the fact to extend the life of the flame is thereby creating a "new" flame, since the new oil was not part of the original burning oil, the new oil burning is a new flame.

Striking the final hammer blow

This prohibition is referred to as "the final hammer blow"(Makeh Bepatish) but this is only a general term for completing/finishing anything, whether a hammer is involved or not. Therefore, putting on the final touches of some projects is prohibited on Shabbat. This would include things like furniture, which might need a small adjustment to a screw to make it safe to use.

Under this prohibition is also the rule against fixing anything on Shabbat, as doing so would be the final touches to make a thing useful, and is an act of work. If the thing in question is not usable as intended unless something about it is "fixed" then this is considered to be applicable to this prohibition, and one may not fix the thing.

Many Orthodox Jews do not ride a bike on Shabbat for this reason, in case the chain may fall off, since resetting the chain is an act of fixing and making it usable. Even if a "fixing" is necessary later on to make the fix completed, the act of "fixing" which is enough to make a thing usable is considered makeh bepatish, since one has "completed" it in a way that is "done."

It is under this prohibition that the use of electricity is prohibited in orthodoxy. The idea is that when an appliance or technological item is off, the circuit is open and thus "incomplete." By turning on a light, for example, you then close the circuit, thus "completing" the circuit. Even for things that are already on, making changes to it is a completion of a task in order to make the item usable or more useful than it was before, which means you are, in a way, "fixing" the circuit or item.

Carrying

The Eruv

This prohibition has much controversy around it concerning the use of an "Eruv" (community border) and what constitutes as "carrying" Biblically. The concept and details of an Eruv are beyond the scope of this article, and so we shall only cover it briefly enough to provide guidance for this prohibition.

Carrying is the transfer of anything not worn on your person between domains (i.e. private domains, such as your house, into a public domain, such as a street.) In orthodoxy, this includes anything in your pockets. Based on the plain meaning of the text, this would mean that carrying a book to synagogue, or even your own house keys with you, would constitute a violation, and so the Rabbis interpreted the definition of "domain" to be more inclusive provided it meets certain standards. This "other domain" is the Eruv.

In order to make having basic necessities on you, not a violation, as well as being able to use a stroller for your child, among many other things, the concept of the Eruv is drawn up. An Eruv is a type of domain with clear boundary lines that separate it from the rest of the city or area in some way. Usually, an Eruv is a long line hung on poles that encompasses several city blocks around a synagogue. This becomes its own domain and any houses and structures within it are all under one bigger domain as a result. This allows the members of a community to move freely within the community and take any items they wish, including food/wine, to a home as guests without fear of violating Shabbat.

One should be careful not to carry anything outside of the Eruv, and so if your community has one you should know its precise location. Usually, a community that has one performs regular weekly checks on the Eruv for any damage that would render the boundary broken, and will let the congregation know if the Eruv is up every week before Shabbat so that the congregation can adjust accordingly if they need to.