נחמיה, פרק י״ג, פסוק ט״ז

The steady arrival of foreign merchants into the heart of the Jewish community eventually led to a public breakdown of the holy day of rest. Traders originating from the coastal city of Tyre came and settled in and around Jerusalem [רש״י, רלב״ג, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because these merchants were gentiles, they felt no obligation to observe the restrictions against buying and selling on the Sabbath. Since this specific restriction is not explicitly detailed in the Torah, they felt completely free to set up an active, bustling market on the day of rest [מלבי״ם].

These traders brought in massive quantities of fish, along with various other goods, to sell to the local Jewish population [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although the written account of this event contains a minor spelling variation regarding the fish, which functions simply as a standard grammatical root [אבן עזרא], this subtle change carries a deeper conceptual message. It hints at the concept of worry, teaching that violating the Sabbath ultimately brings sorrow and distress to the world [רס״ג].

The location of this market made the situation significantly worse. The buying and selling took place directly inside Jerusalem. This highlights the severe nature of the offense, as the public desecration of the Sabbath occurred right in the middle of the holy city, the very place where the Temple stands [מצודת דוד].