What are the 39 categories of work forbidden on Shabbat?
Torah-level prohibitions derived from the types of work done in building the Mishkan (portable Tabernacle) in the desert
Source: Mishnah Shabbat 7:2
In detail
The 39 melachot (categories of creative work) are derived from the types of labor used to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the desert. They are grouped into: agricultural work (11: plowing through baking), textile work (13: shearing through tearing), writing-related work (9: trapping through erasing), and construction/fire/transport (6: building, demolishing, lighting fire, extinguishing, finishing, carrying). Each 'father' category has 'offspring' — derivative activities that are equally prohibited.
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