מלאכה

Contracted from *מְלְאָכָה (*məlʾāḵā́), related to מַלְאָךְ‎ (mal'ákh, “messenger”).

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מְלָאכָה • (məlāḵā́) f (plural indefinite מְלָאכוֹת‎, singular construct מְלֶאכֶת־‎, plural construct מְלָאכוֹת־‎)

1. sending, commission
   • Tanach, Jonah 1:8:

     ‏וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הַגִּידָה־נָּ֣א לָ֔נוּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר לְמִי־הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑נוּ מַה־מְּלַאכְתְּךָ֙ וּמֵאַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֔וא מָ֣ה אַרְצֶ֔ךָ וְאֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עַ֖ם אָֽתָּה‎

     And they say unto him, “declare to us, we pray thee, on what account is this evil on us? What is thy sending, and whence comest thou? What is thy country, admitting that thou art not of this people?”

   • Tanach, Proverbs 18:9:

     ‏גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתֹּ֑ו אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית‎

     Also, one that is slack in being true to his mandate is brother to him who is a wastrel.

   • Tanach, Proverbs 22:29:

     ‏חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֗ו לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים‎

     Seest thou a man diligent in performing his assignment? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

2. occupation, business; work, labor; service
   • Tanach, Leviticus 23:31, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏כָּל־מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם׃‎‎

     Kol m'lakhá lo ta'asú; ḥukát olám l-dorotekhém b-khol moshvoteikhém

     Ye shall do no manner of work; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

3. handicrafts
4. (Jewish law) Any activity forbidden on Shabbat and other holy days
5. matter, stuff, thing

• אב מלאכה‎
• תולדות מלאכה‎
• מְלָאכוּתִי‎ (melakhutí) (resultant of reformative work rather than natural process)

• עֲבוֹדָה‎ ('avodá)
• אומנות / אֻמָּנוּת‎ (umanút)

מלאכה • (melokhe)

1. (nonstandard) Unpointed form of מלאָכה‎ (melokhe).