Talmud Tractate Shabbat: Building God's Dwelling-Place on Earth

Thirty-nine categories of labor are prohibited on Shabbat. The rabbis compiled this list from the labors of the Israelites to build the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, in the wilderness as commanded by the Torah. Some are agricultural tasks, associated with making the shewbread; some tasks produce fabric curtains, others leather curtains; there are tasks associated with the construction of the beams, taking down and putting up the tent, and various finishing touches. But what is the significance of these labors being the ones singled out to be set aside on Shabbat?

The command to remember and observe Shabbat also contains within it the command to work for six days so that one can rest on the seventh day – in both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, the Torah states “Six days shall you work and do all of your labor (malachah)”. The commandment to observe/remember Shabbat does not make sense unless one spends the six days engaged in this labor. In Exodus, Shabbat is connected to God’s creation and the six days of God’s creation followed by the seventh day when God rested. In Deuteronomy (ironically not Exodus), Shabbat is connected to the exodus from Egypt and redemption from slavery. The rabbis of the Talmud named the 39 categories of labor (malachos) forbidden on Shabbat as the 39 categories of labor that went into building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling-place with the people.

To tie these threads together into the knot of what we are to do (and tying them together is the malachah of koshair), during the six days of the week we are commanded to do work to build a metaphorical Mishkan, or dwelling-place for God. In doing this, we join with God in creation. The Mishkan was also a place of atonement, where people could be redeemed from sin and guilt, so we join in the work of redemption as well. Any work we do that connects people to God and each other and creates space for God to dwell fulfills the commandment for the work of the six days – anything that does not do that fails to fulfill it. The work we do that furthers peace and justice, the work to care for and help others while recognizing the tzelem Elohim (the image of God) in them, anything that cares for God’s creation – these are the ways we construct the metaphorical dwelling place of God on earth.

One of the labors – which also connects with the next masechta, Eruvin – is hotza’ah and hachnassah – carrying out/in from a private domain to a public domain and vice versa. Are the things we bring from our lives to share with the world things which build up, which enable God’s presence, which connect people with one another, which honors God’s creation – or not? And our homes and our selves are meant to be sanctuaries as well – are we only allowing things from the public domain that contribute to that holiness – or are we allowing things that detract?

Shabbat rest only makes sense in the context of building the dwelling-place of God the other six days. May we do this sacred work Sunday through Friday so that we may truly rest on Shabbat and be renewed.