שמות פרק לה, לג לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל -מְּלֶאכֶת מַחֲשָבֶת:
If one intended to throw an object 2 amos in a reshus harabim, and the object went 4 amos, in terms of Shabbos, one is not liable, since the Torah only prohibits an intended forbidden activity. This means that an action needs consideration (of thought) at the beginning and at the end of the activity.
Even though this verse is only written concerning the building of the Mishkan and not the laws of Shabbos, this principle is also applied to Shabbos laws since מלאכות of Shabbos are derived from the Mishkan. The activities involved in making the Mishkan required thought and consideration throughout the action of building, so too this applies to the laws of prohibited actions on Shabbos.
The commentators (Shabbos 110b) discussed a Shabbos action which ends in an unintended result. The decision is that one is exempt for the same reasoning, since one did not foresee the activity having such a result. This applies to Shabbos, but not necessarily to other legal actions (because Shabbos actions require מחשבה).
CARRYING ON SHABBOS
שמות פרק לו, ו וַיְּ צַו משֶה וַיַעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בַמַחֲנֶה לֵאמֹר אִיש וְּאִשָה אַל-יַעֲשׂוּ-עוֹד מְּלָאכָה
מסכת שבת דף צו/ב
גמר העברה העברה מיוה"כ כתיב הכא ויעבירו קול במחנה וכתיב התם והעברת שופר תרועה מה להלן ביום אסור אף כאן ביום אסור
[The Gemara derives from the word יעביר that carrying out from the private domain to the public domain is forbidden. Then, the Gemara derives from similar wording in the laws of Yom Kippur that this law of not carrying must be another day where Melacha is also forbidden (Shabbos). Moshe came down on Yom Kippur, the 10th of Tishrei, the second day of the week. Moshe taught the Jews about the Mishkan the next day, the 11th of Tishrei, the third day of the week. The Jews then brought the donations for the Mishkan for the next three days. Then, at the beginning of Shabbos, the 15th of Tishrei, Moshe commanded this verse not to bring any more donations.]
The Gemara (Eruvin 17b) implies that the law of carrying on Shabbos is derived from a different verse (in Beshalach) that says that a person should not go out from one’s place. Tosefos states that both verses are needed, per the first Mishneh in Shabbos that one verse teaches about the “poor” person (outside) and one verse teaches about the “rich” person (inside). Each person is liable when each contribute to the object being brought out from the private domain to the public domain.
Perhaps, the Gemara in Shabbos does not wish to rely only on the verse in BeShalach since the subject there is one who is attempting to gather the Mahn. Whereas this verse is related to the construction of the Mishkan, from which we derive the laws of Shabbos.
שמות פרק לה, ב שֵשֶת יָמִים תֵעָשֶׂה מְּלָאכָה וּבַיוֹם הַשְּבִיעִי יִהְּיֶה לָכֶם קֹדֶש שַבַת שַבָתוֹן לַיהוָֹה כָל-הָעֹשֶׂה בוֹ מְּלָאכָה יוּמָת:
The Torah provides a warning about refraining from מלאכה in eight places, each with different language:
- ששת ימים תלקטוּהו וביום השביעי שבת שמות טז, כו 1
- ששת ימים תעבוד וביום השביעי תשבות שמות כ, ט-י 2
- ששת ימים תַעֲשֶה מעשיך וביום השביעי תשבות שמות כג, יב 3
- ששת ימים יֵעָשֶה מלאכה וביום השביעי שבת שבתון שמות לא, טו 4
- ששת ימים תעבוד וביום השביעי תשבות שמות לד, כא 5
- ששת ימים תֵעָשֶה מלאכה וביום השביעי שבת שבתון שמות לה, ב 6
- ששת ימים תֵעָשֶה מלאכה וביום השביעי שבת שבתון ויקרא כג, ג 7
- ששת ימים תעבוד וביום השביעי שבת דברים יג, יד 8
Basically, the verses are in two groups. One set of descriptions of the work during the week is a manner of “you” doing the work, then the seventh day is referred to as שבת or תשבות (for example, verses above 1,2,3,5,& 8). The second set describes the work during the week in a manner of being done (by oneself or others), then the seventh day is referred to as שבת שבתון (examples, verses above 4,6,& 7).
In the first case of שבת, then the concept is a refraining from מלאכה, as opposed to one’s causative actions doing the 6 days. However, שבת שבתון indicates that the work is done during the week, but on Shabbos one is not just refraining, but is actively involving in crowning the day by engaging in positive activities of pleasure, honor, etc. (the opposite of the rest of the week).
Thus, one can understand the Aggadah (Berachos 35b) that in the time that the Jews do the Will of G-d, then their מלאכה is done by others (like verses 1,2,3,5 & 8); and in the time the Jews do not do the Will of G-d, then they must do their own labors during the week (like verses 4,6 & 7).
שמות פרק לה, ג לֹא-תְּבַעֲרוּ אֵש בְּכֹל משְּבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַבָת:
The Gemara and the commentators offer many reasons why the particular law regarding fire on Shabbos is singled out in this verse from the other 38 categories of melacha. Rabbi Epstein offers another explanation. The concept of the mitzvah of refraining from creative activities is in commemoration of what occurred during the six days that HaShem created the world and then “rested” on the seventh day.
This concept works for the 38 categories but does not for “fire” since fire was not “created” until after the end of the first Shabbos. Therefore, in this first gathering of all the Jews, HaShem (through Moshe) needed to single out this particular law for all to understand that “fire” is part of the forbidden melachos.
