The 39 Melachot

There are thirty-nine general categories of labor that are forbidden on Shabbat. Each of these categories include a range of derivative laws and activities, some of which are described in "The Shabbat Laws." The melachot are generally divided into six groups, classified according to the Mishkan's activities with which they are associated.

Read: An Introduction to the 39 Melachot

Field Work

Making Material Curtains

Shearing Wool
Cleaning
Combing
Dyeing
Spinning
Stretching the Threads
Making Loops
Weaving Threads
Separating the Threads
Tying a Knot
Untying a Knot
Sewing
Tearing

Making Leather Curtains

Making the Beams of the Mishkan

The Putting up and Taking down of the Mishkan

The Mishkan's Final Touches

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73 Comments

anonymous mystery March 6, 2025

what is sowing Reply

Chabad.org Staff March 7, 2025

in response to anonymous:

Hi! Sowing means planting seeds. Reply

anonymous mystery March 12, 2025

in response to Chabad.org Staff:

thank you Reply

iloveshabbos21 aplace pl November 25, 2024

what is the av melacha for this Reply

Moishe Weiss Phoenix November 18, 2024

Does threshing mean that I can't shell peanuts as I eat them? Why are real nuts different? Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org November 19, 2024

in response to Moishe Weiss:

In general, it is best to avoid eating any nuts that were not previously shelled, since there are several prohibitions that one might encounter. In addition to the concern of threshing, there is also the concern of separating the shells from the nut, and that once the nut is removed, the shell becomes muktzah, since it has no use anymore.

For those that do choose to eat nuts from the shell, it needs to be done immediately prior to eating, and care needs to be taken to remove the nut from the shell and not the shell from a mixture of nuts and shells. Also, the shell may not be handled at all once the nut is removed.

Peanuts might have a different status than other nuts according to some halachic authorities, since they have a double layer of shell. Reply

Nina Hendon June 18, 2024

Why can’t we tie knots on Shabbat Reply

Dov Stein for Chabad.org June 19, 2024

in response to Nina:

Tying knots on Shabbat is prohibited under the melachah of koshair (knotting), except for certain types like a slip knot or a bow tied with intention to untie on the same day. A 'kesher uman' (craftsman's knot) and 'kesher shel kayama' (lasting knot) are generally forbidden, but a bow is permissible since it's not a tight knot and can be easily undone. This forbidden labor is based on the use of a unique blue dye for the coverings (yeriot) of the Mishkan. This dye was made from a sea creature called the chilazon. To trap the chilazon, fishermen fashioned nets from ropes which were knotted together. Reply

Matan Hendon June 26, 2024

in response to Nina:

Because 1+1 is two Reply

Rochi Brooklyn/NY August 1, 2023

Question : what is the connection between work used to build the mishkan and shabbos laws?
Ask in because they did this in the mishkah we can't do this on shabbos - did they do this on shabbos to set up the mishkan?
Thank you Reply

Simcha Bart for chabad.org August 3, 2023

in response to Rochi:

To communicate to us that the true purpose of all our weekday activities is to make this entire world into a home for G-d, just as the Tabernacle was a home for G-d. Please see here for more insights. Reply

Maliyah November 25, 2024

in response to Rochi:

because Hashem told the yidden not to build the mishkan on shabbat so anything they did to build the mishkan is prohibited :) Reply

David Houston,Texas December 7, 2022

I really appreciate this web site, following links from another story to better understand the Jewish terminology !! Reply

Eva December 14, 2021

Why is electricy the same like fire? Reply

John M Hummasti Portland December 15, 2021

in response to Eva:

Some maintain that using any electrical appliance violates the Torah prohibition of Mav’ir. They maintain that electricity has the same status as fire since, like fire, it has energy and power that can be harnessed. Rav Kook favors this position, arguing that the key aspect of fire is not its appearance, but rather its power to illuminate, heat, and provide power. Indeed, the Sages state that there are different types of fire (Yoma 21b), including some that do not burn and destroy. One example of this is the fire that Moshe saw at the burning bush (Rav Kook, Oraĥ Mishpat §71). R. Uziel agrees with this approach, adding that turning on electricity is also prohibited as a form of Metaken Mana since activating an electrical appliance renders it useful (Mishpetei Uziel, OĤ 2:36:2) Reply

Shmuel July 5, 2021

I have a question
Let's say my house started burning on sabbath how will i extinguish or take out the fire Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman July 12, 2021

in response to Shmuel:

Good question! In fact, the Shulchan Aruch actually has an entire section dedicated to this scenario. See here

The basic summary is: Usually, one may not extinguish the fire. They may not carry possessions out of the house, except for certain essentials. What they can do is prevent the fire from spreading by surrounding it with water, sand or the like.

However, others say that this does not apply in our times, and since there is mortal danger from a fire spreading, one may extinguish it. If there is danger to property, but not life, that is not enough of a reason to be allowed to extinguish it. Reply

Ellie USA November 18, 2021

in response to Shmuel:

Life before Law Reply

Greg Seattle April 13, 2021

Is it permitted to ride the NYC subway on Shabbat, for example? It’s fully electric (so no combustion engine “fire” as was alluded to in another answer about hitchhiking), plus it stops at every station - in a lot of ways it’s actually similar to Shabbat elevators which stop at every floor, except here the “floors” are horizontally separated by large distances. Let’s suppose you know for certain that the crew of the particular train you’re about to catch are all goyim.

Let’s also disregard the paid entry system into station for now and just discuss the riding of the train itself. Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org April 14, 2021

in response to Greg:

There are several concerns with riding the subway on Shabbat:

For starters, it is not entirely automated. Each train still has a conductor performing some form of operations (for example, he can keep the door open for a passenger running to catch the train).

Additionally, unlike an elevator which remains inside one building, the train travels around town and can potentially leave the restricted area outside of city limits ("techum Shabbat").

And finally, you can't disregard the paid entry system, for even if you were to make arrangements in advance to not have to pay (and the doors remain open the entire time, not just for you), nobody else will know that and other will assume you paid to get in, posing a concern of "marit ayin"--appearing to be violating, which if nearly as bad as an actual violation. Reply

Esther Weinstock Toronto December 15, 2020

I believe most of the Sefarim list ploughing before planting since that is the logical sequence and yet you have planting first and then ploughing could you explain your difference Reply

Rabbi EK December 23, 2020

in response to Esther Weinstock:

See the Mishna in Shabbat 7:2 and the Bartenura commentary.
Our list follows that of the Mishna.

Indeed Rambam notes plowing first. See this link Reply

Eochaidh Pennsylvania October 9, 2022

in response to Esther Weinstock:

A secondary form of ploughing is cultivating, a light surface plow to aid in early plant development, as a ploughman, I read this as a way to include both forms of plough work. Early and also late ploughing.

But that only my person thought not at all authoritative. Reply

Nina Hendon May 30, 2024

in response to Esther Weinstock:

Not sure Reply

Ágatha Falcão Tolomelli S. Paulo July 14, 2020

These explanations about each Melacha that you have presented are excellent! Thank you very much. It's also important to know with which work on Temple are they linked! Reply

Matityahu Cevin Yavniel, Israel December 29, 2019

Melacha is a derivative of the word melech, meaning "king." It has the denotion of creative work. G-d ceased from His creative work on Shabbat and we do likewise. Kings have the ablility of giving life and taking it, creating laws and destroying them, etc. The "rest" that we do on shabbat is "cease." It is not necessarily about rest (relax) but rather "stop"......like a ball rolling is said to come to a rest (when it stops rolling). The ball is not relaxing when it "rests." We do indeed relax on Shabbat but the idea is to cease from creation (certain creations) the way G-d did on Shabbat. Reply

Matityahu Cevin Lubbock December 29, 2019

When one drives on Shabbat. He lights several flames and also puts them out several times. This isn't even counting the "fires" deemed fires by our rabbis. (a light bulb which has both light and heat). Likewise, even a small electical device has some light and some heat though not seen by the human eye. Reply

Daniel Houston December 28, 2019

Don't kindle a fire. This means don't lite up a candle ? Reply

Chabad.org Staff December 28, 2019

in response to Daniel :

That is correct. One may light a candle before Shabbat starts Friday evening, however once Shabbat has started one may not light a candle nor any other flame. Reply

John Hummasti Portland February 24, 2019

The Shabbat is a sign between HaShem and the Children of Yisrael - Shmoth 31.16, 17: "Wherefore the children of Israel made the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the L-RD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested."
The 39 labors prohibited for Jews on the Shabbat are derived from the labors used in constructing the Mishkan, and in the making of Aharon's and his son's Garments.
"And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said unto them: 'These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.' " Shmoth (Exodus) 35.1
While the non-Jew who resides within a Jewish "gate" is to rest on the Shabbat, (20.9); only the Jew is commanded to build the Mishkan and refrain from it's construction on the Shabbat so that the Shabbat is a sign between HaShem and the Children of Yisrael. Reply

Michael Jerusalem December 28, 2022

in response to John Hummasti:

Correction: In the verse Exodus (Shemos) 20:9 in the "Ten Commandments", the "ger within your gates" refers to a *Jewish* person who converted according to Torah law to become a Jew, i.e., a "ger tzedek". It does not mean a Gentile who is a "ger toshav", nor any other category of Gentile.
There are no Gentiles who are prohibited from doing "melacha" activities for themselves or for other Gentiles during the Jewish Sabbath.
(In ancient times, the "Canaanite servant" of a Jew was in a distinct category, not part of Bnai Yisrael or Bnai Noach, and had to observe most of the same prohibitions as the Jews - including the prohibition of doing "melacha" during the Jewish Sabbath.) Reply

Anonymous ny February 12, 2019

I made this comment just so there can be 39 comments. Reply

Yoel Bega Indonesia December 29, 2018

Shalom.
My name is Yoel from Indonesia. I'm a Christian.
I want to ask:
1. Who did create The 39 Melachot?
2. Is Shabbat Saturday or a anyday that we have to do The 39 Melachot?

Thank you. Reply

Mati Cevin Yavne'el January 2, 2019

in response to Yoel Bega:

Shabbat is isulted whenever people call Shabbat "Saturday." G-d's days do not follow the Xtian dating system. Shabbat begins sunset on the Xtian day "Friday" and ends sunset on the Xtian day "Saturday." We follow the Biblical day, not the Roman Catholic day in accordance with G-d's definition of "day" not the Catholic definition of day. The 39 Melachot were created by G-d's authority laid out in the 18th chapter of Shemot (Exodus) what can be called "the Seat of Moshe" which G-d gave to His People, Am Yisra'el. In that Seat sits today our rabbis, the Pharisaic body of teachers we know today as "Orthodox Rabbis." It doesn't matter if they are Chabadinik, Ashenazic, Yemeni, Sephardic, Hassidic, or whatever, providing they have proper "smicha", as Moses received the Torah from Sinai and gave it over to Joshua. Joshua gave it over to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets gave it over to the Men of the Great Assembly, etc., down to this date. (Pirke Avot) Reply

Steve the Jew June 23, 2019

in response to Mati Cevin:

It's not so clear that the 39 are straight asur to do on shabbat. All it says is that melacha is asur on shabbat but the rabbanim say that the 39 from the mishkan mean the melacha that is asur on shabbat. I know you know this I'm just elaborating Reply

Lance Davidson March 2, 2018

Is hitchhiking on Shabbos permitted? Technically, the fire was lit by someone else and they're going that way anyway. Since I am neither handling money to pay them, nor responsible for the flame behind the engine, would someone's assistance to help me get from point A to point B be kosher. Reply

Mati Yavne'el March 4, 2018

in response to Lance:

One is not permitted to use the benefits of a malacha violated by another Jew even though the Jew did not perform (violated) the malacha. For example, in the building I live in, if an unobservant Jew turns on the lights to see in a totally enclosed staircase because someone turned them off, one is not really permitted to use that light to use the stairs. Other rabbis deem that such is permitted to use and such is dependent upon the specifics. Likewise, one should consult his rabbi over the specific situation of your hitchhiking needs. Reply

Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum, for Chabad.org Folsom, CA January 8, 2019

in response to Lance:

No, it is forbidden to ride in a car on Shabbos. Even if the car was started and driven by a non-Jew and he is going to the same location for his own purposes. There are numerous reasons for this. Probably the primary reason is that a car motor does not work by lighting a continuous flame, rather it sets in motion a repetitive series of events that include the combustion of fuel. In other words, as long as the engine is running it is repeatedly igniting the fuel. Hence every moment that the car is being driven is violating Shabbos, no matter who started the engine and for which purpose they started it.
Aside from the above issue there would still be the concern of adding to the melacha (prohibited act on Shabbos) that is being done. There are many other concerns too - suffice it to say that hitchhiking on Shabbat is most definitely problematic. Reply

Mati Yavne'el December 2, 2018

in response to Mati:

My comment is not clear: A Jew is not permitted to use the benefits of a malacha violated by another Jew even though the Jew wanting to take advantage of a malacha performed by that other Jew did not perform (violated) the malacha. For example, in the building I live in, if an unobservant Jew turns on lights to see in a totally enclosed staircase because someone turned them off, an observant Jew is not really permitted to use that light to use the stairs. Other rabbis deem that such is permitted to use and the use of such lights are dependent upon the specifics. Likewise, one should consult his rabbi over the specific situation of your hitchhiking needs. (Do you need to hitchhike to save a life, for example). Clearly there are many other issues involved in hitchhiking on Shabbat. For examle, you will be operating the light ("fire") when opening the door, turning off the light when shutting it, operating the seat belt light when sitting on the seat and then turning it off buckling. Reply

Lance Davidson Bali February 25, 2019

in response to Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum, for Chabad.org:

This was the best and most complete answer to my question! After careful review of how an engine actually works, I find this to be the most complete reason and answer. Reply

Mati Yavne'el November 2, 2017

I don't understand your question. Reply

Anonymous 07208 December 31, 2015

This was extremely helpful for my homework. The only thing it's missing (in my opinion) is the hebrew translations. If I know the hebrew of one of the melachos, but can't remember which one it is, that would make it easier. Reply

Nina Hendon June 18, 2024

in response to Anonymous:

Cool Reply

Field Work

Making Material Curtains

Making Leather Curtains

Making the Beams of the Mishkan

The Putting up and Taking down of the Mishkan

The Mishkan's Final Touches

More in this section

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