Halakhah sobre Isaías 58:13

Helkat Ya'akov further asserts that such matters constitute prohibited "weekday activities." Helkat Ya'akov also contends that, in the eyes of the untutored, use of such devices also appears to involve activities prohibited on Shabbat. Moreover, Helkat Ya'akov regards such matters as a violation of the commandment to "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8) that mandates that "your actions on Shabbat shall not be as [your actions] on a weekday."⁷Cf., Shabbat 113a and 113b. The Gemara cites the verse “and you shall honor it, not doing your wonted ways, nor pursuing your business, nor speaking thereof” (Isaiah 58:13) rather than Exodus 20:8 and proceeds to interpret the verse as follows: “ ‘And you shall honor if’—that your Sabbath clothing should not be as your weekday clothing; ‘nor doing your wonted ways’—your Sabbath gait should not be as your weekday gait; ‘nor pursuing your business’—your business is prohibited [but] the business of Heaven is permitted; ‘nor speaking thereof’—your Sabbath conversation should not be as your weekday conversation.” Those comments are cited with apparent approbation by Minḥat Yizḥak.⁸See also Minḥat Yiẓḥak, I, no. 107 and III, no. 38. Shevet ha-Levi, on the other hand, dismisses the notion that the use of an answering machine on Shabbat might constitute a prohibited form of commercial activity with a reductio ad absurdum: Were use of answering machines forbidden, making a mailbox available for delivery of mail on Shabbat should also be forbidden for the identical reason.

However, raising an entirely different consideration, Keren le-David comments: "Nevertheless, it seems clear that there is a prohibition in the nature of 'mimzo ḥefzekha—and [you] shall honor it [the Sabbath], not doing your wont ways nor pursuing your business' (Isaiah 58:13)—which is forbidden as is made clear in [Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Hayyim] 306:1 for it is no less [an infraction] than measuring as is made clear in [Oraḥ Hayyim] 306:7." The phrase "mimzo ḥefzekha" serves to bar any activity on Shabbat pertaining to "your business," i.e., any activity related to commercial matters even in an indirect or preparatory manner. Thus, as spelled out by Shulḥan Arukh, ad locum, it is forbidden to survey one's property in order to plan the morrow's work, to position oneself to leave the city upon the conclusion of the Sabbath, to hire laborers or even to stroll for purposes of locating a horse, wagon, or ship in preparation for a journey to be undertaken after the conclusion of Shabbat.

Some things are forbidden [to do] on Shabbos, although they are [in no way] similar to a melachah, nor [is there a chance] that they will cause a melachah. Then, why were they forbidden? Because it is said¹Isaiah 58: 13. "If you will refrain from walking on Shabbos²I.e. if because of Shabbos you were prevented from walking more than the allotted distance. [or from] doing your needs on My holy day," and [the verse goes on to] say: "and you will honor it [the day] by not doing your own needs [literally: "your ways"], or from pursuing your needs,³It is clear that the verse is referring to actions that are not specifically melachos. or from speaking anything.⁴See paragraph 4. From the words: "And you will honor it by not doing your own ways," our Sages,⁵Maseches Shabbos 113a. of blessed memory, inferred that your walking on Shabbos [should be different] from the weekdays. Therefore, it is forbidden to run on Shabbos.⁶Running for pleasure as youngsters do is permitted. [Shulchan Aruch 301: 2] It is permitted to jump over a puddle or to run to get out of the rain. [Shulchan Aruch Harav, Minchas Shabbos] However, for the purpose of a mitzvah it is permitted to run. ([This is inferred] because it states "your ways"; which implies that your own ways [or needs] are prohibited, but the needs of Heaven are permitted) and for them it is your duty to run.