The Thirty-Nine Labors of Shabbat Drawn From the Mishkan

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 408:4

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

That which we learned, the principal categories of labor are forty less one, corresponding to what? Rabbi Chanina said, corresponding to the services of the Sanctuary. Rabbi Shimon ben Yose ben Lakunya said, corresponding to the [occurrences of the word] "labor" in the Torah. Rav Yosef inquired, this verse "And he came into the house to do his work" (Genesis 39:11) - is it counted in the number or not? It was doubtful to him, because it is written (Exodus 36:7), "And the work was sufficient for them," and how so? Like the one who says he entered to attend to his needs, or perhaps "And he came into the house to do his work" is counted, and this "And the work was sufficient" means thus, that the labor was completed for them. Let it stand [unresolved]. It was taught in accordance with the one who says, corresponding to the services of the Sanctuary, for it was taught, one is liable only for a labor that had its like in the Sanctuary. They sowed, you shall not sow; they reaped, you shall not reap; they raised the boards from the ground onto the wagon, you shall not bring in from the public domain to the private domain; they passed the boards from wagon to wagon, you shall not pass from one private domain to another private domain where there is a public domain in between. The laws of Shabbat are like mountains hanging by a hair, for the Torah forbade purposeful labor, and "purposeful labor" is not written concerning the Shabbat.

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