Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

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Which ‘melachot’ (see above) did women accept upon themselves not to do on Rosh Chodesh’, and which are permitted?

Women accepted upon themselves not to perform activities such as sewing and weaving, (activities which were performed with speed and diligence in the process of building the Mishkan in the desert “and straight after the men came the women – and weaved from the goats,”) laundry, and other time-consuming activities. They did not take upon themselves to refrain from activities involving food preparation and work done for income.

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