אֲבָ֞ל הָעָ֥ם רָב֙ וְהָעֵ֣ת גְּשָׁמִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲמ֣וֹד בַּח֑וּץ וְהַמְּלָאכָ֗ה לֹֽא־לְי֤וֹם אֶחָד֙ וְלֹ֣א לִשְׁנַ֔יִם כִּֽי־הִרְבִּ֥ינוּ לִפְשֹׁ֖עַ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
אָבער דאָס פֿאָלק איז גרױס, און עס איז די צײַט פֿון רעגנס, און ניטאָ קײן כּוֹח צו שטײן דרױסן, און די אַרבעט איז ניט אױף אײן טאָג, און ניט אױף צװײ; װאָרום מיר האָבן פֿיל פֿאַרבראָכן אין דער דאָזיקער זאַך.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai
Six days shall work be done - This is consistent with Rabbi Ishmael's statement. One verse says, "Six days shall work be done", and another says (Ex. 20:9), "Six days you shall labor and do all your work". How can both these verses be upheld? When Israel does God's will, their work is done by others, as it says (Isa. 61:5), "Strangers shall stand and pasture your flocks". But when Israel doesn't do God's will, not only do they do their own work, but they also do the work of others, as it says (Deut. 28:48), "You shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you".
But the seventh day shall be holy to you - Why is this said? So that the priests won't say, "Since we are permitted [to do work] in the Temple, we are also permitted outside [in the rest of the country].” The Scripture says, "But the seventh day shall be holy to you" - it is holy for you, but secular for the Temple.
A sabbath of complete rest for the LORD - It is entrusted to God, not to the court.
Anyone who does any work on it shall be put to death - Not on this [Sabbath] and another [such as Yom Kippur]. Suppose someone wrote two letters, one on the Sabbath and one on Yom Kippur, or wove two threads, one on the Sabbath and one on Yom Kippur. Would he be liable for each individually? The Scripture says, "Anyone who does any work on it shall be put to death", meaning not on this [Sabbath] and another.
Just as [the laws of] Sabbath and Yom Kippur are before him and he did work during twilight, could he be liable? The Scripture says, "Anyone who does any work on it" [meaning] until the day is established.
I only know about the primary forms of prohibited work and their derivatives. How do I know to also prohibit rabbinic decrees? The Scripture says (Ex. 20:10), "any work". Could one be liable for a sin offering for violating a rabbinic decree? The Scripture says "work", referring to the specific work for which one is liable, and not for violating a rabbinic decree.
How do I know [that the prohibition includes] buying and selling, lending, and deposits, which are called "work"? The Scripture says (Ex. 22:7), "If he did not lay hands on his neighbor's property".
How about legal cases, claims, appeals, and all matters of the court, which are termed "work"? The Scripture says (1 Chronicles 26:29), "Beniniah and his sons were in charge of the external affairs over Israel, for officers and judges".
How about betrothals and divorces, which are called "work"? The Scripture says (Ezra 10:13), "But there are many people, and it is the rainy season; we cannot stand outside, and the work cannot be done in a day or two".
What about calculations, which are termed "work"? It is written (Genesis 39:11), "He entered the house to do his work".
But the seventh day shall be holy to you - Why is this said? So that the priests won't say, "Since we are permitted [to do work] in the Temple, we are also permitted outside [in the rest of the country].” The Scripture says, "But the seventh day shall be holy to you" - it is holy for you, but secular for the Temple.
A sabbath of complete rest for the LORD - It is entrusted to God, not to the court.
Anyone who does any work on it shall be put to death - Not on this [Sabbath] and another [such as Yom Kippur]. Suppose someone wrote two letters, one on the Sabbath and one on Yom Kippur, or wove two threads, one on the Sabbath and one on Yom Kippur. Would he be liable for each individually? The Scripture says, "Anyone who does any work on it shall be put to death", meaning not on this [Sabbath] and another.
Just as [the laws of] Sabbath and Yom Kippur are before him and he did work during twilight, could he be liable? The Scripture says, "Anyone who does any work on it" [meaning] until the day is established.
I only know about the primary forms of prohibited work and their derivatives. How do I know to also prohibit rabbinic decrees? The Scripture says (Ex. 20:10), "any work". Could one be liable for a sin offering for violating a rabbinic decree? The Scripture says "work", referring to the specific work for which one is liable, and not for violating a rabbinic decree.
How do I know [that the prohibition includes] buying and selling, lending, and deposits, which are called "work"? The Scripture says (Ex. 22:7), "If he did not lay hands on his neighbor's property".
How about legal cases, claims, appeals, and all matters of the court, which are termed "work"? The Scripture says (1 Chronicles 26:29), "Beniniah and his sons were in charge of the external affairs over Israel, for officers and judges".
How about betrothals and divorces, which are called "work"? The Scripture says (Ezra 10:13), "But there are many people, and it is the rainy season; we cannot stand outside, and the work cannot be done in a day or two".
What about calculations, which are termed "work"? It is written (Genesis 39:11), "He entered the house to do his work".