The Torah states in (Exodus 12:16) that "all labor shall not be done" on the festival days. The Mekhilta asks a pointed question: who exactly is covered by this prohibition? The answer has surprising implications for how Jews interact with non-Jews during the holidays.
The initial reading seems broad: neither you nor your neighbor may perform labor. But a neighbor is a fellow Israelite. Does the prohibition also extend to a non-Jew performing work on your behalf?
Rabbi Yoshiyah resolves this by comparing two verses. The phrase here — "all labor shall not be done in them" — uses a passive construction. It does not specify who may not do the labor. But (Leviticus 23:7) states more precisely, "All manner of work you shall not do." The emphasis on "you" — the Israelite — implies that the prohibition binds the Jewish person and fellow Jews, but not non-Jews.
The conclusion: a non-Jew may perform labor for a Jew on the festival. The prohibition against work is personal to Israel. It does not extend outward to bind people of other nations, even when they are acting on behalf of a Jewish employer.
This ruling became foundational in later Jewish law regarding the concept of a Shabbos goy — a non-Jew who performs certain tasks that Jews cannot do on holy days. The legal basis, as the Mekhilta shows, traces all the way back to how the Torah distributes its prohibitions: some commandments bind all people, while others bind only the people of Israel.