Rabbi Joel Roth's influential definition of melakhah (prohibited Sabbath work) as "man's mastery over the earth and constructive exercise of his intelligence and skill" fundamentally misinterprets traditional Jewish law. Through systematic textual analysis of rabbinic sources and halakhic reasoning, eight specific objections emerge that challenge Roth's conceptual framework for Sabbath observance within Conservative Judaism. The comparison between Divine and human rest proves purely symbolic, while the Torah's deliberate omission of an abstract melakhah definition suggests an intent to restrict rather than expand prohibitions. Historical examination reveals that rabbinic tradition consistently sought to lighten rather than increase Sabbath burdens. An alternative definition of melakhah as "the use of physical human energy to change one's environment constructively" better aligns with Conservative Judaism's permissive stance on electricity use and reflects a broader philosophical divide between Orthodox and Conservative approaches to contemporary American Jewish practice. This analysis ultimately advocates for Conservative Judaism to emphasize permitted activities (oneg Shabbat) over additional restrictions, offering a more historically and textually grounded framework for modern Sabbath observance.