Commentary for Shabbat 7:2

אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת. הַזּוֹרֵעַ. וְהַחוֹרֵשׁ. וְהַקּוֹצֵר. וְהַמְעַמֵּר. הַדָּשׁ. וְהַזּוֹרֶה. הַבּוֹרֵר. הַטּוֹחֵן. וְהַמְרַקֵּד. וְהַלָּשׁ. וְהָאוֹפֶה. הַגּוֹזֵז אֶת הַצֶּמֶר. הַמְלַבְּנוֹ. וְהַמְנַפְּצוֹ. וְהַצּוֹבְעוֹ. וְהַטּוֹוֶה. וְהַמֵּסֵךְ. וְהָעוֹשֶׂה שְׁנֵי בָתֵּי נִירִין. וְהָאוֹרֵג שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. וְהַפּוֹצֵעַ שְׁנֵי חוּטִין. הַקּוֹשֵׁר. וְהַמַּתִּיר. וְהַתּוֹפֵר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַקּוֹרֵעַ עַל מְנָת לִתְפֹּר שְׁתֵּי תְפִירוֹת. הַצָּד צְבִי. הַשּׁוֹחֲטוֹ. וְהַמַּפְשִׁיטוֹ. הַמּוֹלְחוֹ, וְהַמְעַבֵּד אֶת עוֹרוֹ. וְהַמּוֹחֲקוֹ. וְהַמְחַתְּכוֹ. הַכּוֹתֵב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. וְהַמּוֹחֵק עַל מְנָת לִכְתֹּב שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת. הַבּוֹנֶה. וְהַסּוֹתֵר. הַמְכַבֶּה. וְהַמַּבְעִיר. הַמַּכֶּה בַפַּטִּישׁ. הַמּוֹצִיא מֵרְשׁוּת לִרְשׁוּת. הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת:

The avoth melachoth are forty less one: sowing, plowing [the reason we are not taught "plowing" first, and then "sowing" in the normal order, is to be apprised that if the soil were hard, and he plowed and sowed and then plowed again, he is liable for the second plowing by reason of "plowing."], harvesting [One who harvests what has been sown and one who picks (the fruits of) trees is liable by reason of "harvesting."], piling [collecting plants that have been uprooted and piling them in one place], threshing, winnowing [with a winnowing shovel to the wind], separating [chaff with one's hands or with a sieve], grinding, sifting [with a sifter. Even though all of these have one end — to separate the unwanted matter from the food — because all of them obtained in the sanctuary, even though they are similar to one another, each is listed separately. Or, because they do not take place at the same time, but one after the other.], kneading, baking [This did not obtain in the sanctuary, baking obtaining only with a loaf, which does not relate to the work of the sanctuary. But our tanna lists the order (of labors in advance) of (baking) a loaf; and cooking, similar to baking, did obtain in the sanctuary with the dyes for blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. And one who stirs a pot or places a cover upon a pot standing on the fire transgresses by reason of "cooking." And all of the aforementioned labors of the Mishnah: sowing, harvesting, threshing, etc. — all obtained with (the preparation of) dyes for the work of the sanctuary.], shearing wool [ and all of its associated labors obtain with the blue wool in the work of the sanctuary], whitening it [i.e., cleaning it in the river], beating it [with a stick, or else, combing it with a comb], dyeing it, spinning, tightening (threads of the warp), making two loops [by passing two threads into a loop], dividing two threads [i.e., removing the threads of the woof from the warp, or the reverse, for weaving], tying and untying [The trappers of the chilazon, from which the blue dye was made, would tie and untie. For sometimes they would have to take strands from one net to attach to another, untying from the one and tying to the other], sewing two stitches [and tying them; for if he does not tie them, they do not hold. And he is liable twice, by reason of "tying" and by reason of "sewing."], tearing in order to sew [Tearing also obtained (in the sanctuary) with the curtains. For if a curtain became moth-eaten with a small round hole, it was necessary to tear the hole upwards and downwards so that the sewing not cause creases.], hunting a deer [All the work of its hide obtains (in the sanctuary) with the hides of the t'chashim], salting it, processing its hide [The gemara questions: Are not salting and processing the same? And it answers: Take out one and insert "tracing" (outlines for cutting on the hides), tracing being one of the avoth melachoth], rubbing it [scraping its hair], cutting it [trimming and cutting it for thongs and sandals], writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters [This obtained in the sanctuary. They would mark the boards in order to match them, writing a letter on the one and on the other; and sometimes, they erred and erased them.], building, razing, extinguishing [the fire under the dye vat], lighting (that fire), striking with the hammer [upon completion of a labor. For an artisan strikes the anvil at the end of the labor. And there is liability for striking with the hammer only at the completion of a labor.], carrying from one domain to another. These are the avoth melachoth — forty less one. [The count in the beginning — "The avoth melachoth are forty less one" — even though each labor is mentioned individually, apprises us that even if one performed all the labors in the world on one Sabbath in one (period of) forgetfulness, it is impossible that he be liable for more than forty sin-offerings. For all of the other labors are toldoth of these avoth, so that he might have performed an av and its toldah, for which he would be liable for only one sin-offering.]

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