Commentary for Exodus 36:6

ויכלא is an expression for withholding.

LET NEITHER MAN NOR WOMAN MAKE ANY MORE ‘MLACHAH’ (WORK). Money [and possessions] are called mlachah. Similarly: whether he have not put his hand ‘bimlecheth’ (the goods of) his neighbor;⁵¹Above, 22:7. according to the pace of ‘hamlachah’ (the cattle) that are before me;⁵²Genesis 33:14. ‘v’chol hamlachah’ (but everything) that was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed utterly.⁵³I Samuel 15:9. Thus the meaning of this verse is that they should not bring anything more for the sacred work. Scripture, however, states, Let them not make any more ‘mlachah’ [using the verb “to make”] in order to include therein the women, that they should no longer spin the goats’ hair.⁵⁴Above, 35:26. Thus even the act of bringing is here referred to as “making,” and [it was now Moses’ wish] to restrain them altogether [from bringing more donations, and from making any work in their homes, as explained].

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה לתרומת הקדש, he did not proclaim that no more donations should be brought. But he did proclaim that no more work, such as spinning, weaving, etc, intended for materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle should be begun. Also timber which had been brought in the correct dimensions with the carved parts should not be brought anymore. Compare 35,24 which discusses the need of treatment of both skins and trees.

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה. Seeing that the women had done the spinning in their homes, as we know from 35,25 “they brought, etc.” [the author explains the use of indirect word יעשו instead of תעשו i.e. that Moses did not address the women directly. Ed.]

איש ואשה אל יעשו עוד מלאכה, “man and woman shall not do more work;” in this instance, as in some others, the word מלאכה refers to money. Another example of this meaning comes to mind in Exodus 22,7 where the words אם לא שלח ידו במלאכת רעהו mean “that he had not laid a hand on his fellow man’s money (possessions).” In this instance, the women were also stopped from spinning and weaving materials for use in the coverings of the Tabernacle.

V. 6. איש ואשה אל יעשו עוד מלאכה וגו׳ ויכלא העם מהביא, hier wird somit das Bringen aus dem Privatgebiet in das Gebiet der Gesamtheit מלאכה genannt und darin Schabbat 96 b der Nachweis gelehrt, dass הוצאה unter den Begriff der am Schabbat verpönten מלאכה fällt. Siehe תוספו׳ daselbst.

ויעבירו קול במחנה, “they sounded a proclamation throughout the camp;” this could have been expressed with one word, i.e.: ויכריזו. This is why our sages derived from this that it is forbidden on the Sabbath to carry something from one domain to another. They used the apparently superfluous word ויעבירו, and compared it to the same word in Leviticus 25,9: והעברת שופר תרועה, “you shall make a proclamation by means of a shofar, followed by the word תעבירו in the same sentence.” [in the Jubilee year. Ed.] Just as carrying is prohibited on the Day of Atonement, (a day also known as שבת שבתון) so it is prohibited on any other day called Sabbath

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה, “let them not perform any more work, etc.;” we know the meaning of the word מלאכה here, because the Torah continues with: ויכלא העם מהביא, “the people were stopped from bringing more.” In other words: מלאכה=הבאה.