[For] six days, work may be performed, but on the seventh day, it is a complete rest day, a holy occasion; you shall not perform any work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places. גשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֘ תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ כָּל־מְלָאכָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ שַׁבָּ֥ת הִוא֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל מֽוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
Vayikra (Leviticus)23:3
SABBATH, SHABBAT OR SHABBOS
"More Than Jews Have Kept Shabbat, Shabbat Has Kept The Jews."
The first group of 11 acts are related to process of making bread, from ploughing, sowing and reaping to kneading and baking. The second group is comprised of 13 steps needed to create garments, from shearing to tearing. Third come the 9 stages of scribal arts (using parchment), from trapping to writing and erasing.
The last group of acts is comprised of building and destroying, burning and extinguishing, finishing a product and transporting things in the public domain.
Since each of these 39 acts (or melachot in Hebrew) have many subcategories and interpretations, you really need to learn some of the ins and outs of Shabbat observance by reading some good books and observing Shabbat in action.
FIELD WORK
Sowing
Plowing
Reaping
Binding Sheaves
Threshing
Winnowing
Selecting
Grinding
Sifting
Kneading
Baking
MAKING MATERIAL CURTAINS
Shearing Wool
Cleaning
Combing
Dyeing
Spinning
Stretching the Threads
Making Loops
Weaving Threads
Separating the Threads
Tying a Knot
Untying a Knot
Sewing
Tearing
MAKING LEATHER CURTAINS
Trapping
Slaughtering
Skinning
Tanning
Smoothing
Ruling Lines
Cutting
MAKING THE BEAMS OF THE MISHKAN (TABERNACLE)
Writing
Erasing
THE PUTTING UP AND TAKING DOWN OF THE MISHKAN
Building
Breaking Down
THE MISHKAN’S FINAL TOUCHES
Extinguishing a Fire
Kindling a Fire
Striking the Final Hammer Blow
Carrying
Source: chabad.org
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