What are the 39 categories of work forbidden on Shabbat?

Question

Accepted Answer

Torah-level prohibitions derived from the types of work done in building the Mishkan (portable Tabernacle) in the desert

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.

What are the 39 categories of work forbidden on Shabbat?

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