Editing Jewish holidays (section)

==={{anchor|work}}"Work" on Sabbath and biblical holidays===
{{Main article|39 Melakhot}}
The most notable common feature of Shabbat and the biblical festivals is the requirement to refrain from the [[39 Melakhot]] on these days.<ref group=Note>This "negative" (refraining) requirement is paired with a positive requirement to honor and enjoy the Sabbath or festival day.  For information on the positive requirements, see [[Shabbat#Rituals|Shabbat: Rituals]] and [[Shabbat#Encouraged activities|Shabbat: Encouraged activities]].</ref> ''Melakha'' is most commonly translated as "work"; perhaps a better translation is "creative-constructive work".  Strictly speaking, melakha is defined in [[halakha]] (Jewish law) by 39 categories of labor that were used in constructing the [[Tabernacle]] while the [[Stations of the Exodus|Jews wandered in the desert]]. As understood traditionally and in [[Orthodox Judaism]]:
*On Shabbat and Yom Kippur all melakha is prohibited.
*On a holiday other than Yom Kippur which falls on a weekday, not Shabbat, most melakha is prohibited. Some ''melacha'' related to the preparation of food is permitted.{{refn|group=Note|Carrying items needed for the holiday in a public domain—more technically, [[Melacha#Transferring between domains|transferring items between domains]]—is considered to be a ''melacha'' related to food preparation.<ref>[[Beitza]] 12a and {{cite wikisource |wslink=Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/495 |title=Shulchan Aruch OC 495:1 |postscript=.}}</ref>}}{{refn|group=Note|Burials are also permitted on a yom tov, although not on Shabbat nor Yom Kippur. On the first day of yom tov, burial is prohibited unless the bulk of the associated ''melacha'' is done by non-Jews. On the second day of yom tov, including Rosh Hashanah, burial is permitted even if the bulk of the associated ''melacha'' is done by Jews. In modern times, it is extremely unusual for a yom tov burial to occur, except on the second day of Rosh Hashanah in Jerusalem.<ref>See [[Beitza]] 6a and [[Igrot Moshe]] OC III, 76.</ref> Further details are beyond the scope of this article.}}
*On weekdays during [[Chol HaMoed]], melakha is not prohibited ''per se.'' However, melakha should be limited to that required either to enhance the enjoyment of the remainder of the festival or to avoid great financial loss, or several other categories.
*On other days, there are no restrictions on melakha.<ref group=Note>There is a practice for women to refrain from some types of labor on Rosh Chodesh; see [[Rosh Chodesh#Rosh Chodesh and women|Rosh Chodesh and women]].</ref>

In principle, [[Conservative Judaism]] understands the requirement to refrain from melakha in the same way as Orthodox Judaism. In practice, Conservative rabbis frequently rule on prohibitions around melakha differently from Orthodox authorities.<ref>See, for example, {{Citation|last=Nevins|first=Daniel|title=The Use of Electrical and Electronic Devices on Shabbat|url=http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/electrical-electronic-devices-shabbat.pdf|access-date=October 23, 2012}}, as an illustration both on general concepts and on specific rulings.</ref> Still, there are some Conservative/Masorti communities around the world where Shabbat and festival observance fairly closely resembles Orthodox observance.<ref group=Note>This is especially, though not exclusively, true outside the US.  For example, Masorti Judaism in Israel and the UK rejects North American Conservatism's position to permit [[Driving on Shabbat#Conservative|driving to synagogue on Shabbat]].</ref>

However, many, if not most, lay members of Conservative congregations in North America do not consider themselves [[Shomer Shabbat|Shabbat observant]], even by Conservative standards.<ref>This is widely recognized as true. The best objective source is probably ''Jewish Identity and Religious Commitment: The North American Study of Conservative Synagogues and Their Members, 1995–96,'' edited by [[Jack Wertheimer]], 1997, Ratner Center for the Study of Conservative Judaism. But reliable, updated figures are difficult to come by.</ref>  At the same time, adherents of [[Reform Judaism]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]] do not accept traditional halakha, and therefore restrictions on melakha, as binding at all.<ref group=Note>See, for example, [[Reform Judaism#Reform Judaism's Position on Jewish Law|Reform Judaism's Position on Jewish Law]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism#Jewish law and tradition|Reconstructionist Judaism (Jewish Law and Tradition)]], and references in those articles.</ref> Jews fitting any of these descriptions refrain from melakha in practice only as they see fit.

Shabbat and holiday work restrictions are always put aside in cases of [[pikuach nefesh]], which are actions to save a human life. At the most fundamental level, if there is any possibility whatsoever that action must be taken to save a life, Shabbat restrictions are set aside immediately, and without reservation.<ref group=Note>The Babylonian Talmud (see at ''[[Sotah (Talmud)|Sotah]] 20–21'') describes one who fails to do so as a ''chasid shoteh,'' a foolishly pious individual.</ref>  Where the danger to life is present but less immediate, there is some preference to minimize violation of Shabbat work restrictions where possible. The laws in this area are complex.<ref>[[Yeshiva University|YU]] Torah ''shiurim'' on ''Pikuach Nefesh:'' [http://www.yutorah.org/_shiurim/Pikuach%20Nefesh%20Part%20I.html Part I], [http://www.yutorah.org/_shiurim/Pikuach%20Nefesh%20Part%20II.html Part II], and [http://www.yutorah.org/_shiurim/Pikuach%20Nefesh%20Part%20III.html Part III], accessed July 11, 2013.</ref>