The gemera discusses the 39 melochos in the mishkan.I saw that Rashis opinion is that the "SIDURA D'PAS" was the process of producing dye. However I understand that one of the rishonim disagrees and holds it was the process of making the LECHEM HAPANIM.
?- how was it possible to plant plow etc . in the desert ?
Yasher Koach,
Yaakov Fisch, Jacksonville, Florida U.S.A.
In my SEFER YOSHEV OHALIM (beginning of Parshas Vayakhel) I discussed this very question. This question also applies to Kosher (tying) and Matir (untying), as the Gemara says that these Melachos were done when Bnei Yisrael dealt with the nets used to capture the Chilazon whose dye was needed for the Mishkan. The question seems obvious: where were there Chilazon in the desert? The RADVAZ (#685) answers this question by saying that they sent on fishing expeditions to the Yam Suf. Though this does not answer planting and plowing, we can combine the Radvaz with TOSFOS in Chulin (88b, DH "Ela"), that says that when Bnei Yisrael was in the desert the land was able to grow things. RAV SHLOMO KLUGER in HA'ELEF LECHA SHLOMO (#114) talks about this at length. The combination of Tosfos and the Radvaz answers all of these questions.
The PNEI YEHOSHUA in Shabbos (75a) gives an answer to all of these questions as well. He says that the Melachos are not what was neccessarily done in the Mishkan, but represents what would normally have to be done to produce the Mishkan. They actually either bought Chilazon and grain etc. from merchants or took it out of Egypt. The MINCHAS CHINUCH (Mosach Shabbos Charishah #6) agrees with the Pnei Yehoshua, and argues with the understanding of Rav Shlomo Kluger regarding the explanation of Tosfos in Chulin (ibid., see also IGLEI TAL in his Pesichah).
Kol Tuv,
Yaakov Montrose