Laws of Chol Hamoed - Rabbi Moshe Kornowitz shlita

00:02 Speaker 1 You’re listening to the “Lemaan Yishme’u” podcast of Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 A class on the laws of Chol Hamoed. We’ll study the foundations of these laws and their details. Let’s begin with the essential nature of Chol Hamoed. As you know, there are two aspects to Chol Hamoed. First, as part of the festival, it carries obligations associated with the festival, including the positive mitzvah of rejoicing, which we’ll discuss shortly. There is also a prohibition against work on Chol Hamoed, whose details we’ll discuss at length later in the class. I want to point out that many Jews—not only in our time, but throughout the generations—have been somewhat lax about the sanctity of Chol Hamoed. The Mishmeres Shalom writes that although the laws of Chol Hamoed allow for leniency in various matters, because leniency in these laws has become so widespread among Jews, someone who sees this happening, and a rabbi issuing rulings, should be stringent in these matters and not be lenient at all. There are serious breaches, and unfortunately, to this day we see many failures to observe Chol Hamoed properly. The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos says: Rabbi Elazar Hamoda’i says, “One who desecrates sacred things, treats the festivals with contempt, humiliates another person in public, repudiates the covenant of Avraham our father, peace be upon him, or interprets the Torah contrary to halacha—even if he possesses Torah learning and good deeds, he has no share in the World to Come.” Rabbi Elazar Hamoda’i groups together one who desecrates sacred things, treats the festivals with contempt, humiliates another person, repudiates Avraham’s covenant, and interprets the Torah contrary to halacha, and says that such a person has no share in the World to Come. What does it mean to treat the festivals with contempt? The Bartenura explains that this does not mean treating Yom Tov with contempt; we do not suspect Jews of doing that. Rather, he says, it refers to the days of Chol Hamoed: doing work on them, or treating them like ordinary weekdays in one’s eating and drinking. In other words, we must be very careful not to treat Chol Hamoed

02:14 Speaker 2 with contempt. How does one do that? By failing to observe the two things we just mentioned: first, not observing the prohibition against work on Chol Hamoed; and second, not being sufficiently careful about the sanctity of the festival and the positive mitzvah expressed through eating and drinking. Instead, one treats it like an ordinary weekday and shows it contempt. These are extremely serious matters. The Bartenura says that this is placed alongside repudiating the covenant of Avraham our father. Perhaps because Jews are somewhat lax about this and do not understand it—thinking that the prohibition is not from the Torah, that it is not written in the Torah, and seeing it as merely a teaching based on a scriptural allusion, which can, G-d forbid, lead them to disregard it—such very severe things were said about someone who disregards the sanctity of Chol Hamoed. So let’s begin briefly with the positive obligations of the festival, though they are not our main focus here. The Alter Rebbe says in section 529, paragraph 4, of the laws of Yom Tov, a section dealing with rejoicing on Yom Tov: “These two mitzvos, honor and delight, also apply on Rosh Hashanah, which we have just celebrated, but they do not apply on Chol Hamoed.” On Chol Hamoed we are not commanded in honor and delight. Why? “For they were not called ‘holy convocations.’” We’ll return to what that means for Chol Hamoed. “But Chol Hamoed has something that Rosh Hashanah does not: throughout all seven days of Pesach and eight days of Sukkos, as well as on Shavuos, a person is obligated to be joyful and glad of heart—he, his sons, his wife, his household, and all those accompanying him. This rejoicing is a positive mitzvah from the Torah, as it says, ‘You shall rejoice on your festival—you, your son, and your daughter.’” The Alter Rebbe is saying that the positive mitzvah of “You shall rejoice on your festival” applies on Chol Hamoed just as it does on Yom Tov. There is no difference between the mitzvah of rejoicing on the first day of Sukkos and the mitzvah one is commanded to fulfill

04:16 Speaker 2 in the middle of Chol Hamoed Sukkos. There is no difference between the mitzvah of rejoicing on Shavuos and the mitzvah of rejoicing in the middle of Chol Hamoed Pesach. It is the same mitzvah, a single mitzvah: “You shall rejoice on your festival—you, your son, and your daughter,” and so on. This mitzvah is to be joyful, and on Chol Hamoed it has considerable practical implications. One must make young children happy with roasted grain and nuts, and buy women clothing and jewelry appropriate for them. When the Beis Hamikdash stood, one had to bring offerings of shalmei simcha for this purpose. Today, we do not have true rejoicing, because we do not have the Beis Hamikdash and cannot bring offerings. As for the primary expression of rejoicing today, “there is no rejoicing except with wine,” for “wine gladdens the heart of man.” Therefore, on Chol Hamoed we are commanded to drink wine, just as we are commanded to drink wine on Yom Tov. Here we find something in the Alter Rebbe’s teachings that is not stated explicitly in the Shulchan Aruch: in Torah Or, the Alter Rebbe’s discourses state explicitly that one must drink a revi’is of wine on Chol Hamoed. This also follows straightforwardly from the reasoning. There is no need to debate the point that a revi’is is a quantity of significance. If a person drinks less than a revi’is, it lacks that significance, and consequently does not fulfill the parameters of the mitzvah. Thus, in the discourses of Torah Or, the Alter Rebbe writes that one must drink at least a revi’is of wine on Chol Hamoed. It is worth noting that the Rebbe cites in his sichos that on Yom Tov one can fulfill the obligation through Kiddush. So on Yom Tov, a person may not need to drink a separate revi’is for the sake of rejoicing, because he fulfills the obligation by drinking a revi’is at Kiddush. But there is no Kiddush on Chol Hamoed, so one must drink a revi’is of wine specifically for the joy of the festival, because we are commanded to rejoice. Later authorities also discuss at length what we mentioned at the beginning of the Alter Rebbe’s

06:02 Speaker 2 words: that the mitzvos of honor and delight do not apply on Chol Hamoed. What practical difference does that make? On Shabbos and Yom Tov there are mitzvos of honor and delight. Honor means honoring the day with clothing and clean garments, as described in the Shulchan Aruch, and so on. Delight is expressed through food and drink. In fact, even regarding Shabbos and Yom Tov, whether the obligations of honor and delight are from the Torah or rabbinic is the subject of a major disagreement between the Rambam and the Ramban, as the Alter Rebbe cites in the Kuntres Acharon to section 242. Rejoicing, by contrast, is from the Torah according to all opinions. That is, everyone agrees that rejoicing on the festival is a Torah obligation. Honor and delight, on the other hand, may well not be from the Torah at all, but only rabbinic; that seems to be the Alter Rebbe’s principal view. And even though the mitzvos of honor and delight do not apply on Chol Hamoed, the halachic authorities explain that a person must nevertheless honor and delight in it. In other words, it is an established Jewish custom, which has the force of Torah, to wear special clothes—Shabbos clothes—on Chol Hamoed. This is stated in the customs of the Maharil and cited by the Magen Avraham and others. I’ll discuss this at greater length in several places. What kind of clothes should one wear on Chol Hamoed? Again, we may not be used to thinking this way, but we should know that everything has its halachos and its halachic parameters. What garment should one wear on Chol Hamoed? The early authorities, including teachings cited in the name of the Maharil, explain that on Yom Tov one should wear a garment more distinguished than one wears on Shabbos. On Chol Hamoed, one need not wear a garment as distinguished as on Yom Tov, but one should wear a distinguished garment, something special to honor the day and show that it is a special time, since it is, after all, part of the festival. And as for delight, what it means is that there is no obligation to have a meal on Chol Hamoed; one is not required to wash one’s hands and eat festive meals. Even though

07:50 Speaker 2 Nevertheless, the poskim explain—and the Magen Avraham cites this—that there is a mitzvah here. In other words, it is not an obligation to eat a meal and wash for bread, but there is still a mitzvah in doing so. A practical difference concerns someone who forgot Yaaleh Veyavo. Someone who did not say Yaaleh Veyavo on Yom Tov must repeat bentching, because he is obligated to eat a meal. If he did not eat a meal, then of course, if he did not say Yaaleh Veyavo—sorry, not if he did not eat a meal. If he ate a meal and did not say Yaaleh Veyavo, he missed something required. By contrast, on Chol Hamoed there is no obligation to eat a meal, so he does not have to repeat it. That is the practical difference. Even so, the Magen Avraham writes in the laws of Yom Tov that there is a mitzvah to do so in the first place. That is, one should eat bread during Chol Hamoed and take pleasure in it. Another point, discussed at length by many later authorities in section 696 of the Shulchan Aruch—sorry, by the Gemara and the early authorities, not the later authorities—is the principle that “we do not mix one celebration with another.” This principle applies to the joy of Chol Hamoed: we are commanded to rejoice on Chol Hamoed, and because of that, we do not mix one celebration with another. What does this mean? It means that we do not hold a wedding on Chol Hamoed. The joy of a wedding is great, and rejoicing with a bride and groom is itself a mitzvah, just as the joy of Chol Hamoed is a mitzvah. So we do not mix the two celebrations, and weddings are not scheduled for Chol Hamoed. But an engagement meal can be permitted on Chol Hamoed. The poskim distinguish between the larger meals that are held—what we today call a vort meal—and a l’chaim. The poskim explain that although it is not quite a celebration like a wedding, an engagement meal at which people wash for bread and write the tena’im, and so on, is

09:47 Speaker 2 a major celebration. It is also explained in the laws of Pesach [unclear] that this is considered a seudas mitzvah. For that reason, it is proper not to schedule a vort meal on Chol Hamoed. But the Mishnah Berurah says that this applies specifically to a meal at which the tena’im are drawn up. As is well known, our custom today is not to draw up tena’im then, so there is room to discuss the status of such a meal nowadays. In any event, I think we will not go into all sides of the question, because ultimately, even for us, who do not actually write tena’im at the engagement meal, there are certainly formal acts of commitment, firm decisions and gifts. Such a meal has the halachic characteristics of an engagement meal. That has practical implications in many areas, and it therefore seems that we, too, should avoid holding what is today called a vort meal on Chol Hamoed. But what is called a l’chaim, where people simply say l’chaim and eat mezonos to celebrate the engagement, is certainly permitted on Chol Hamoed. There are further details to this. The early authorities—the Ritva there, Beis Katan and others—already explain that one may hold a pidyon haben on Chol Hamoed and make a meal for it. All the more so a bris, whose time is fixed; it certainly is not postponed because of the joy of the festival. The point to emphasize here is that the days of Chol Hamoed are festive days. They are part of the festival’s joy—truly part of that joy, part of the very same mitzvah. When the Beis Hamikdash is standing, speedily in our days, amen, a person can bring his peace offerings, burnt offerings and other sacrifices. There may be an advantage to bringing them on the first day of Yom Tov, but he can make up for it on any of the days of the festival, including Chol Hamoed. There is also the well-known sicha of the Rebbe concerning Shehecheyanu: with regard to Pesach, someone who did not say Shehecheyanu on the first day of Yom Tov can make it up

11:40 Speaker 2 on any of the remaining days of the festival, because it is the same mitzvah and the same category of joy, which can be fulfilled throughout the festival. On the subject of the positive things to do during the festivals, it is important to mention what the Rebbe said in Likkutei Sichos, volume 7, additions, page 267: the main, main, main joy of Chol Hamoed, and its central purpose, is Torah study. Simply sit down and learn Torah. On Chol Hamoed, a person is not supposed to be occupied with earning a living, work, business or anything of the sort. He should therefore be entirely free of his business and other concerns during Chol Hamoed. That leaves him with the Torah’s obligation to “meditate on it day and night.” The reason we are not held to that throughout the year is that we are busy with work or other worthwhile matters. But on Chol Hamoed, when the Torah leaves us with none of those demands on our time—because work is forbidden, as we will soon learn—then, as the Rebbe puts it, every single person remains under the command to engage in Torah study literally day and night. Until now we have discussed the mitzvah of rejoicing on Chol Hamoed, its positive aspect and the obligations of Chol Hamoed. There is also a prohibition against work on Chol Hamoed, similar to the prohibition on Yom Tov, but with different halachic parameters. Our early authorities disagree about precisely how to define this prohibition against work on Chol Hamoed. Is it from the Torah? Is it rabbinic? Is it somewhere in between? If it is from the Torah, why are the rules more lenient than on Yom Tov? And if it is not from the Torah, how did the Gemara derive it from verses? So let us read the wording of the Gemara in tractate Chagigah, where the discussion begins. The

13:53 Speaker 2 Gemara in tractate Chagigah says: “Work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed.” The Gemara asks: How do we know that work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed? It answers: Another teaching says, “Six days you shall eat matzos, and on the seventh day there shall be an assembly for Hashem.” Just as work ceases on the seventh day, so too it ceases on the six days. In other words, the Gemara draws a comparison. The verse says, “Six days you shall eat matzos, and on the seventh day there shall be an assembly.” The six days are compared to the seventh: just as work is forbidden on the seventh day, so too work is forbidden on the other six days of Pesach. The Gemara asks: If so, should all work be forbidden on Chol Hamoed, just as it is on Yom Tov? The Gemara answers: The verse says, “On the seventh day there shall be an assembly”—specifically on the seventh day, not on Chol Hamoed. Ah, says the Gemara, then I do not understand. Which way do you want to read it? Are you comparing Chol Hamoed to the seventh day or not? If you tell me that work ceases on the seventh day but not on the other days, then there is no prohibition against work at all. And if you draw the comparison, then work is forbidden. The Gemara answers: “Scripture entrusted this matter to the Sages.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu said in the Torah: I am leaving this open, and the Sages of Israel will determine which days are restricted and which are not, and which types of work are forbidden and which are permitted. Because this is such an unusual formulation, entrusting the matter to the Sages to decide, our early authorities disagree about how to define it. Is it a Torah prohibition? A rabbinic prohibition? What is it? It is worth noting that we find a very similar case concerning Yom Kippur, which is now close at hand. This class is being given in the days leading up to Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, we have prohibitions connected to “you shall afflict yourselves.”

15:58 Speaker 2 We are commanded to afflict ourselves. There are five forms of affliction on Yom Kippur: eating and drinking, wearing leather shoes, washing, applying oils, and marital relations. The Gemara explains that the prohibition on eating and drinking is meant quite literally. But with the other forms of affliction, the Torah left their definition to the Sages. Although the prohibition is from the Torah, not rabbinic, the Sages determine what is permitted and what is forbidden. So on Yom Kippur, for example, they permitted a bride to wash, and similar exceptions, despite the prohibition on washing and applying oils. If it is a Torah prohibition, how can the Sages permit it? We see, then, that something can be from the Torah and still be defined by the Sages. There is a similar dispute about Chol Hamoed: Is the prohibition from the Torah or rabbinic? Or is it from the Torah, with the Sages defining its scope? The Rambam writes in Hilchos Yom Tov, chapter 7, halachah 1: “Chol Hamoed, although it is not described as a day of rest, is called a sacred occasion, and it is a time for bringing the festival offering in the Beis Hamikdash. Therefore, work is forbidden on it, so that it should not be like ordinary weekdays, which have no sanctity at all. One who performs forbidden work on it is given lashes for rebellious conduct, because its prohibition is of rabbinic origin. Not all work…” and so on. Some forms of work are forbidden on it, and some are permitted. So the Rambam’s wording also needs some examination. He begins by saying that the reason work is forbidden is that Chol Hamoed is called a sacred occasion, as we find in the verses that Chol Hamoed is included among the sacred occasions. If it is a sacred occasion, “sacred” means set aside and distinct. So that would mean there is some prohibition on Chol Hamoed. Why, according to the Rambam, is it called a sacred occasion? Because these days are designated for sacred offerings—that is, for bringing offerings. Chol Hamoed is a special time when we are commanded to bring the festival offerings. Which offerings does the Rambam mean? He tells us

18:14 Speaker 2 explicitly: it is “a time for bringing the festival offering in the Beis Hamikdash,” the time to bring the festival’s chagigah offering. And therefore, since this is a special time for our offerings, it is a time when work is forbidden. Nevertheless, the Rambam writes explicitly that a person receives lashes for rebellious conduct. So even from the Rambam’s wording, one can debate whether the prohibition is from the Torah or rabbinic. One could say it is from the Torah, but there are no Torah-prescribed lashes for it, and that is why he calls it a prohibition of rabbinic origin. Why is that? The Rosh, the Rid, Tosafos, the Mordechai, the Tashbatz, and others all say—and some say this in the Rambam’s name—that the prohibition on work during Chol Hamoed is entirely rabbinic. All the verses we find, which the Gemara cites, are merely an asmachta, a scriptural allusion. The prohibition is not actually derived from them as a Torah law. It is only an asmachta, and the prohibition on work during Chol Hamoed is only rabbinic. By contrast, the Rif, the She’iltos, the Eshkol, the Ritz Giat, the Rashbam, and many others—and this is also how Rashi’s position is understood—hold that the prohibition on work during Chol Hamoed is from the Torah, not rabbinic. It is just that its definition was left to the Sages. That does not mean it is no longer a Torah prohibition; it remains a Torah prohibition, and the Sages define for us what work is forbidden. There is a third opinion, that of the Ramban. The Ramban offers a new approach: on Chol Hamoed there is a core prohibition that is unequivocally from the Torah, while the details are rabbinic. The basic prohibition on work in certain circumstances—including deliberately scheduling one’s work for Chol Hamoed, as discussed in the Mishnah—is from the Torah, but the other details are rabbinic. Now, in practice, we must remember that whether it is from the Torah or rabbinic, this is a very serious matter. Rabbinic prohibitions are serious, and no one should, G-d forbid, treat them lightly. But whether the basic law, or its basic definition, is from the Torah or rabbinic makes an important practical difference in cases

20:29 Speaker 2 of doubt and in certain situations where there may be more room for leniency. And indeed, the Alter Rebbe addresses Chol Hamoed several times. Is its prohibition from the Torah or rabbinic? At the beginning of Hilchos Shabbos, there is an annotation that the Alter Rebbe added to his Shulchan Aruch. He writes: “On Chol Hamoed there is no mitzvah to rest from work,” and “Chol Hamoed is called a sacred occasion only with regard to offerings.” It appears from the Alter Rebbe’s wording that he is drawing a distinction from the Rambam’s wording. When the Rambam says it is called a sacred occasion because of the festival offerings, the Alter Rebbe understands this to mean that it is not called a sacred occasion with regard to the prohibition on work. In other words, it is called a sacred occasion only because offerings are brought on it; the prohibition on work during Chol Hamoed is only rabbinic. We also find other places where the Alter Rebbe explicitly uses language that allows for leniency on Chol Hamoed. But again, however we understand it, we should sum up the matter in practical terms. The Gemara cites Torah verses from which we learn that work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. The Gemara says that the prohibition on work then is not absolute or all-encompassing as it is on Yom Tov; rather, the Torah left the matter to the Sages. The Sages define for us which kinds of work are permitted and which are forbidden on Chol Hamoed. To begin looking at this before we get to the details of the laws, I’ll just read Rashi’s words in the relevant passage in Tractate Chagigah. Rashi lays out the starting point and the basic principles of what is permitted and what is forbidden. What does it mean that the Torah left the matter to the Sages? Rashi says it means that the Sages know how to determine which cases should be permitted and which should be forbidden. They determine, based on the sanctification of the new moon, which day is Yom Tov, when all work is forbidden, and which is Chol Hamoed, when not

22:52 Speaker 2 all work is forbidden. And regarding Chol Hamoed, they tell you which work is forbidden—work that does not prevent a loss—and which work is permitted—work that prevents a loss. So Rashi already distinguishes between work that prevents a loss and work that does not. The Sages permitted work that prevents a loss, but did not permit work that does not. And in Hilchos Pesach, the Alter Rebbe explains that this refers to skilled work. With Hashem’s help, later on we’ll define exactly what these details mean—why one kind of work is permitted on Chol Hamoed and another is forbidden. As we learned in the previous class from the Gemara, in principle all the forms of work forbidden on Yom Tov are forbidden on Chol Hamoed, except those that the Sages permitted. In certain circumstances, the Sages permitted work on Chol Hamoed. In practice, though, not every kind of work forbidden on Yom Tov is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. Only work that involves effort and takes time—work that requires some exertion and takes a while—was forbidden on Chol Hamoed. Work that does not involve effort and take time was not forbidden. So carrying from one domain to another was not forbidden on Chol Hamoed; neither were kindling a fire, extinguishing a fire, leading a donkey carrying a load, or tying a knot that does not require a craftsman’s skill. There is no prohibition on traveling beyond the techum on Chol Hamoed, nor do the restrictions of “and speak no mundane words” apply: it is permitted to speak about mundane matters. It is permitted on Chol Hamoed to arrange with workers to do work after Chol Hamoed. The prohibition of muktzeh does not apply, nor is playing music prohibited. The Sages did not forbid the annulment of vows or riding an animal on Chol Hamoed, and so on. But from this we can see that many other kinds of work were forbidden, unless they are done under conditions we will learn about later. We must also remember that forms of work prohibited on Shabbos or Yom Tov only by rabbinic law are likewise forbidden on Chol Hamoed. In other words, the fact that something is forbidden on Shabbos or Yom Tov only by rabbinic law does not make it permissible on Chol Hamoed. Therefore, even asking a non-Jew to do work is forbidden

25:32 Speaker 2 On Chol Hamoed. The prohibition on commerce, on doing business, applies on Chol Hamoed too, not only on Yom Tov, along with many other details. Moving on. There is another special exception: something that is not considered melachah is not prohibited on Chol Hamoed. That is why you may wash the floor, even though it is work and is not for the needs of the festival. We also have to remember that the Sages enacted prohibitions on Chol Hamoed because of how things appear. Since pruning is forbidden, you may not cut branches from trees on Chol Hamoed, even if the work would otherwise fall into a permitted category. So even if someone wants the branches to feed his animal, which is a genuine need, he still may not cut them because of how it appears. The Sages also prohibited things not because they are melachah, but because they involve a great deal of effort, even though they are not melachah. So you may not move house on Chol Hamoed, pack up boxes for a move on Chol Hamoed, or do other things that involve a lot of effort. There are also restrictions on games, as mentioned, and many more details, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch and by the halachic authorities. We will touch on some of these later. But again, the rule is that any melachah unlike the types I mentioned earlier—such as carrying, kindling and extinguishing a fire, driving an animal, or tying a craftsman’s knot—any melachah that does take time and effort, such as cooking or grinding, is in principle forbidden on Chol Hamoed. Unless—and I want to sharpen this point—most things that are forbidden on Yom Tov are also forbidden on Chol Hamoed, unless they are done for the needs of the festival in a way that does not require a skilled craftsman. In other words, the first principle to remember in the laws of Chol Hamoed is that melachah is generally forbidden unless it is for the needs of the festival. I need it, and benefit from it, during the festival

28:04 Speaker 2 itself. If I need it and benefit from it during the festival itself, it is permitted, but with a limitation: it must not be a skilled craftsman’s work, work that requires special training or expertise, but rather something anyone knows how to do. Now, there is a great deal of discussion among the later halachic authorities: what exactly does “for the needs of the festival” mean? I’ll give two examples. Is it permitted to catch fish on Chol Hamoed? I don’t need to fish for the festival. I have fish at home; I don’t need to catch any. I can buy fish at the store. I don’t need to perform the forbidden melachah of trapping in order to have fish. I have no real need to go fishing on Chol Hamoed. What I do have is enjoyment from fishing. The halachic authorities disagree over whether that counts as a need of the festival, and most hold that it does not, because I have no need for it during the festival. The festival doesn’t need it. It brings no benefit to the festival right now. The later authorities do say, though, that if someone is tense and anxious and fishing calms him, then it is a need of the festival, because he needs it in order to relax. But if it is just for amusement and pleasure, the festival is not the time for it. Another example—there is even a written response from the Rebbe on this—is taking photographs on Chol Hamoed. Someone sent the Rebbe a picture he had taken on Chol Hamoed, and the Rebbe wrote that it was surprising: how had they permitted it? What is the basis for allowing photography on Chol Hamoed? Photography is a melachah, the melachah of making a mark. And if it is not for the needs of the festival, then even though it is ordinary work, not skilled work—anyone can do it, and it requires no manual training—it is still not a need of the festival. What need does the festival have for

30:22 Speaker 2 a photograph? The photograph is meant for after the festival, so I will have memories, but it is not a need of the festival. That is why the Rebbe wrote to him that he should not have had his photograph taken on Chol Hamoed. In other words, “a need of the festival” means that I need this thing during the festival itself, on Yom Tov itself—during Chol Hamoed itself. I cook in order to eat; I go shopping in order to eat. If my faucet breaks and I repair it with ordinary, unskilled work so that I have a working faucet during the festival, that is permitted. A need of the festival means a need or benefit at that very time, not a benefit unrelated to that time. Again, what is permitted on Chol Hamoed is only what is called ordinary, unskilled work—something anyone knows how to do, not something requiring special effort. But even something that does not require special effort is not permitted if it is not needed for the festival. For example, if I want to put in a nail to hang a picture, it is permitted if I need that for the festival. But if I have no need for it during the festival, it is forbidden. I may not do it on Chol Hamoed even though it is ordinary, unskilled work, because it is still melachah. Melachah that is not needed for the festival is forbidden. Someone whose only time at home is during Chol Hamoed might say, “Now I’ll make all the repairs around my house.” That is not right. It is actually very serious. It is called scheduling one’s work for the festival, and in some such cases one may even be forbidden to benefit from the work. One must be careful about this. Again, the allowance for ordinary, unskilled work applies only to work an ordinary person, not a craftsman, can do, and only when it is needed for the festival itself. The exception to all of this is what halachah calls needs relating to food and bodily comfort. On Chol Hamoed, unlike on Yom Tov, this includes not only what a person eats, but everything connected with bodily comfort, what a person needs for their body. So it includes everything connected with personal grooming and beautification. We are talking now, of course, about ordinary, unskilled work—or even skilled work, as is straightforward. That is why a woman may put on makeup on Chol Hamoed. She may even go to a makeup artist if she needs to during the festival; there is no prohibition. Things connected with medical treatment, with treating the body, are permitted on Chol Hamoed. Medical matters are not forbidden on Chol Hamoed. As the halachic authorities explain, the generally accepted practice is that treatment is permitted even for a minor ailment. This is unlike what the Biur Halachah in the Mishnah Berurah wrote, that medical treatment is forbidden on Chol Hamoed and was permitted only for someone who is ill, as on Shabbos. Rather, the generally accepted practice is that even a minor ailment permits melachah, and so one may go to a doctor. If someone needs a medical procedure on Chol Hamoed, and it will not detract from the joy of Yom Tov, they may have it done. The halachic authorities also explain that anything essential to the home—if, for example, someone has no oven for cooking and needs to repair it, or the refrigerator has broken down, or, when it is very hot, the air conditioner, or, when it is very cold, the heater—is also considered a bodily need if it is essential to living in the home. So in all those cases, yes, if my plumbing breaks, G-d forbid, during the festival, I may call a plumber, even though it is skilled work and involves considerable effort, because it is classified as a need relating to food and bodily comfort. The Sages did not enact a prohibition on Chol Hamoed for anything in that category. Therefore, matters involving food preparation and caring for the body—apart from haircuts and cutting nails, which we will learn about later, where there is a rabbinic decree

32:32 Speaker 2 “Bodily needs” does not mean only what a person eats. The food-related needs permitted on Chol Hamoed include everything connected with physical comfort—what a person needs for their body. So this includes everything connected with personal grooming, appearance, and beautification. We are speaking here, of course, about work done by an unskilled person—or even by a professional; that is straightforward. So a woman may apply makeup on Chol Hamoed. She may even go to a makeup artist if she needs to during the festival; there is no prohibition against it. Things connected with medical care, with treating the body, are permitted on Chol Hamoed. Medical matters are not prohibited on Chol Hamoed. As the poskim explain, the generally accepted view is that treatment is permitted even for a minor ailment—not as the Biur Halachah in the Mishnah Berurah wrote, that treatment is prohibited during the festival and was permitted only for someone who is ill, as on Shabbos. Rather, the generally accepted view is that even a minor ailment permits work to be done, and therefore one may go to a doctor. If a person needs to undergo some surgical procedure on Chol Hamoed, and it will not detract from their joy of Yom Tov, they may do so. The poskim also explain that the same applies to all essential household needs. For example, if a person has no working oven for cooking and needs to repair it, or the refrigerator has broken down, or, if it is very hot, the air conditioner, or, if it is very cold, the heater. If these are essential household needs that enable a person to live in the home, they too are considered bodily needs. So all the cases mentioned above—yes, if my plumbing breaks, G-d forbid, during the festival, I may call a plumber, even though it involves skilled work and considerable effort, because it is considered a need related to food and bodily well-being. For anything in that category, the Sages imposed no restriction at all on Chol Hamoed. That includes matters involving the preparation of food and care of the body, apart from haircuts and cutting nails, which we will learn later are subject to a rabbinic decree

34:44 Speaker 2 And medical needs, and repairs to a home that are necessary in order to live in it. All of these are classified as basic bodily needs. Again, I mean basic bodily needs: a person’s physical needs, health, appearance, and the essential needs of a home so that one can live in it. For these things, the Sages permitted work on Chol Hamoed, even skilled work involving considerable effort. But, my friends, we need to pay attention: this does not apply to everything. For example, it is very common for someone to have a problem with their car during Chol Hamoed. If repairing it requires skilled work, that was not permitted on Chol Hamoed, because it is not a basic bodily need. A person can manage; his health will not suffer. He can shop, eat and drink, and he has somewhere to live. If he truly will have nothing to eat unless he repairs the car, that is a different matter. But if someone’s car simply breaks down during Chol Hamoed and he needs a repair shop to do skilled work, that is forbidden. A simple car repair, however, is unskilled work. Changing a tire is unskilled work, not skilled work; anyone knows how to change a tire. So if he has a flat, that is certainly permitted on Chol Hamoed, since it serves a need of the festival: he will enjoy being able to drive. Now, the halachic authorities discuss whether going to a tire shop to have a flat repaired—whether they put on a patch, replace the tire, or do whatever else is needed—is considered skilled or unskilled work. At first glance, it seems to be unskilled work. There is no special craft involved. Anyone who knows how to do it and has a power screwdriver can change the wheel or make the repair. There is no special craft involved; it does not require

36:45 Speaker 2 expertise. Still, not everyone does it. So later halachic authorities disagree about whether to classify it as skilled or unskilled work. Several of them therefore suggested having a non-Jew do that kind of repair rather than a Jew. I mean repairing the actual puncture, not changing a wheel. But again, strictly speaking, it appears to be unskilled work, and if no non-Jew can be found to do it, one may be lenient and have a Jew do it. So, again, what is permitted on Chol Hamoed? What counts as a need of the festival? The first condition is that it be unskilled rather than skilled work—unless it involves basic bodily needs. For those needs, even skilled work was permitted, even if it involves effort. And basic bodily needs are things connected with the body itself. Again, a need of the festival means something needed during the festival. The halachic authorities also discuss whether driving is permitted on Chol Hamoed. After all, driving apparently does involve work prohibited during the festival. Is it nevertheless considered a need of the festival? If I drive to shop or to daven, it certainly is. But what if I am just driving? In practice, the halachic authorities say that because I get considerable enjoyment from it—I can drive to visit family and the like—it is considered a need of the festival. People are accustomed to doing this, and it has become part of Chol Hamoed; therefore, it is considered a need of the festival, and driving is permitted. But what if a person drives for something he has no present need for? For example, there is a well-known question discussed by many halachic authorities: a person taking driving lessons. He has no need for that during the festival. He

38:32 Speaker 2 does not enjoy the driving lesson during the festival; he will benefit from it later, when he gets his license. So, as a rule—and as a matter of law—one may not take driving lessons on Chol Hamoed, unless there are complicated circumstances or exceptional cases, in which case he should ask a rabbi. And so on. Someone taking a professional computer course should not do that on Chol Hamoed. It is not appropriate; it is not the time, and so on. On the other hand, if someone simply uses a computer and enjoys doing so during the festival itself, most halachic authorities are lenient and permit it, considering it a need of the festival. So far, we have spoken in general terms. There is a further list of circumstances in which work was permitted on Chol Hamoed. The first category is a case of potential loss. What does that mean? It means any work that, if not done during the festival, would result in a substantial loss of the kind a person would normally make an effort to prevent. In such a case, even skilled work was permitted, provided it does not involve excessive effort. But it is important to emphasize that many, many people misunderstand the concept of potential loss. The halachic authorities explain at length that it does not include missing out on a profit. Suppose I could have made money but will not if I do not do the work. For example, someone says he has a special opportunity right now to install equipment for someone at a factory. It is a golden opportunity: he could make a lot of money because the customer is available now, and he can go and install cameras. That is not considered a case of potential loss. Failing to make a profit is not a loss; it is missing out on a profit. A case of potential loss is like the Gemara’s example of taking flax out of the soaking pool. Someone has put flax in to soak, and if he does not take it out now, he will lose all the flax. That is

40:34 Speaker 2 a case of potential loss: if I do not act, I will suffer a loss—not merely miss out on a profit. Missing out on a profit is not considered a case of potential loss. What might qualify? Say someone has a car that broke down, and if he does not repair it now, he will never be able to use it again. The police give him a deadline of twelve da—well, I don’t know, two days, and if he does not repair it within two days, he will have to take the car off the road. That is a case of potential loss, because he will lose the car he already owns. He will lose something he has, not merely miss out on a profit. Missing out on a profit is not considered a case of potential loss, so this permission is narrow. It is not very broad, and one can rely on it only in particular circumstances. There is one instance in which even missing out on a profit was treated as a case of potential loss: the prohibition known as business dealings, or commerce. On Chol Hamoed, shopping is forbidden. Many people are confused. They think that Chol Hamoed, rather than being given to us for Torah study, as the rabbi says, was given to us for shopping. That is a mistake. Shopping on Chol Hamoed is forbidden. A person who shops during the festival for something not needed during the festival violates a prohibition. What does “needed during the festival” mean? If someone has no clothes to wear or nothing to eat, that is a need of the festival. Otherwise, no. Business dealings are forbidden. Commerce is forbidden. Going shopping is forbidden. Someone who has clothes and has food to eat may not go shopping on Chol Hamoed. This

42:22 Speaker 2 is not the time even to write out and sign a check. The halachic authorities discuss how that is forbidden on Chol Hamoed under the prohibition on business dealings, not only under the prohibition on writing—unless the person needs to do it because his account will be overdrawn or the bank will close it. That is already a need during the festival, a case of potential loss, a bodily need, and so on, as we explained earlier. But otherwise, it was not permitted. In business dealings, however, even avoiding a missed profit was permitted. What kind of missed profit? An exceptional profit—not just any profit, but a large profit from an uncommon opportunity. If an annual fair falls on Chol Hamoed, and unless he buys merchandise for his store now, he will no longer be able to get it at a normal price because prices will rise, that was permitted. By the same reasoning, if there is what people call a sale—a special, exceptionally cheap sale taking place during Chol Hamoed, a one-time, unusual opportunity that will not be available afterward, like the fair—that is a special case. It is considered a case of potential loss. Now, there is an interesting question I was once asked: may a taxi driver work on Chol Hamoed? It is not simple. From the taxi driver’s perspective, he would be violating the prohibition on work and on business dealings. He is going to work, and that is forbidden unless he has nothing to eat. Going to work on Chol Hamoed is a disgrace to the festivals, because working on Chol Hamoed is forbidden. It is a business dealing, commerce, which is forbidden unless he has nothing to eat. The plain meaning of “has nothing to eat” is that he has nothing to eat during the festival, not that he will have nothing to eat after Chol Hamoed. In straightforward halachic terms, if someone is in the middle of Chol Hamoed and has nothing to eat, but he has money in his bank account

44:12 Speaker 2 He has money in the bank, thank G-d, and needs it for something else; he may not go to work on Chol Hamoed to earn money. So what is the law for a taxi driver? I’ll give you some more details about this. But what is the law for a taxi driver? I once asked a Jew who was a taxi driver and was G-d-fearing. He wasn’t sure, and he told me: “If I don’t work on Chol Hamoed, I still pay for the taxi every day. So if I don’t work, I lose money each day.” The poskim explain that this, too, is considered a potential loss, because he has a fixed daily expense with no income to cover it. He has taken on an obligation and needs to bring in income to meet it, so that is also a type of permission to work. There are other examples as well: people who rent stores and have customers and obligations. Every day they do not work, they lose money because they still have to pay, so they may have permission to work to prevent a loss, for example. But an ordinary employee, an ordinary person who goes to work, should in principle arrange for his vacation to fall on Chol Hamoed. The permission discussed by the poskim to go to work on Chol Hamoed applies only when a person knows that if he does not work then, he will lose his job, or, as I said earlier, when he has nothing to eat. Sadly, there may be people whose financial situation is so strained that if they do not work on Chol Hamoed, they will have nothing to eat, or those eight—or six or five—days will harm or destabilize their entire financial situation. That is different. But an ordinary person who can avoid working on Chol Hamoed should not work then. And it is not merely a recommendation; that is the essential halachah and the basic law. Apart from the types of work that are forbidden

45:50 Speaker 2 and the laws concerning the prohibition of work on Chol Hamoed, there are three specific prohibitions that stand on their own during Chol Hamoed. The Sages decreed that a person should not enter Yom Tov looking unkempt, and therefore prohibited haircuts on Chol Hamoed so that people would get haircuts beforehand. Likewise, so that a person would have clean clothing for Yom Tov, they decreed that laundering is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. There is also a prohibition, as the poskim state, concerning cutting one’s nails on Chol Hamoed. So we’ll briefly begin with these laws. As we said, there is a prohibition against haircuts on Chol Hamoed so that one will not enter Yom Tov looking unkempt. Therefore, the Sages decreed that haircuts are forbidden on Chol Hamoed even when they are needed for Yom Tov and involve no particular exertion. In other words, even in cases where the rules governing work on Chol Hamoed would have permitted a haircut—after all, even an unskilled person can cut someone’s hair, it requires no special craftsmanship, and it is for the sake of Yom Tov—they nevertheless decreed that one must not get a haircut on Chol Hamoed at all. The poskim explain that this applies specifically to the hair on one’s head; hair elsewhere on the body is not included in this decree. That does not mean it is simply permitted to cut it, because the prohibition against work still applies, and it must be for the sake of Yom Tov. But if a person needs to trim some body hair for Yom Tov—for example, someone who suddenly finds during Chol Hamoed that his mustache bothers him when he eats, or a woman who finds that she needs to trim hair for reasons of tznius, or a woman who needs to prepare for the mikveh and must trim hair—it is permitted. For this reason, the poskim wrote, and it is also mentioned in the Rebbe’s letters, that there is, in fact, permission to hold an upsherenish on Chol Hamoed. The prohibition is meant to prevent a person from entering Yom Tov looking unkempt, and the decree was imposed on the person himself. Accordingly, the poskim state that the decree was not imposed on a child whose hair causes him discomfort. In other words, this decree is to prevent you from entering Yom Tov looking unkempt. If you entered looking unkempt, you may not

48:29 Speaker 2 get a haircut. But how can that apply to a child who entered Yom Tov looking unkempt? A child is not obligated in the mitzvos. His parents may be at fault, but he is not. He should not have to suffer because his parents did not do what they should have. Therefore, the poskim state that a child who is uncomfortable may have his hair cut on Chol Hamoed. On this basis, the poskim also say that a haircut for a mitzvah, an upsherenish, may be held then. There is certainly no basis for applying the decree to it, so it is permitted on Chol Hamoed, and this is alluded to in the Rebbe’s Igros Kodesh. It should be noted, though, that in actual practice, we see from Jewish custom that holding an upsherenish on Chol Hamoed is not very common; it is not something people have generally been seen doing. It is also important to point out that we are speaking about an upsherenish on Chol Hamoed Sukkos specifically, not Chol Hamoed Pesach. On Chol Hamoed Pesach, haircuts are forbidden not only because of Chol Hamoed, but also because it falls during the days of Sefiras HaOmer. And it is known that an upsherenish is not held during Sefiras HaOmer either. The Pri Megadim is cited there in the laws of Sefiras HaOmer, [unclear], on page 87. It explains that on Chol Hamoed Pesach the restrictions on haircuts during Sefiras HaOmer also apply; those, too, prohibit haircuts and are, in some respects, even stricter than the laws of Chol Hamoed. So we said that the decree does not apply to hair elsewhere on the body, such as a mustache or eyebrows and the like. We also said that it was not imposed on a child who is uncomfortable, and that there is a discussion concerning an upsherenish, a haircut for a mitzvah. The Sages also decreed that haircuts are forbidden except in very, very unusual cases. For example, if a person began a haircut before Yom Tov and something went wrong, leaving him halfway through it, the decree was not applied to him, and he was permitted to finish the haircut on Chol Hamoed. A person who needs a haircut for medical reasons is also permitted to get one

50:38 Speaker 2 on Chol Hamoed. In other words, if someone has a particular skin condition or another special need that requires a haircut, he is permitted to get one. The Pri Megadim discusses whether perhaps anyone who suffers greatly because of his hair might also be permitted to cut it as a medical need. But again, as a rule, haircuts are not permitted, even for someone who is suffering or uncomfortable. If a person is very, very uncomfortable because of his hair, he should ask a rabbi whether his situation qualifies. Chazal themselves identified several people whom they permitted to get a haircut. One is someone released from prison: he was released right before Yom Tov and had no time, because he came out so close to Chol Hamoed and was preoccupied. Even though he could have had a haircut in prison, Chazal said that a person in prison is distressed and does not have the peace of mind to get a haircut. If he had no time afterward and was preoccupied, he is considered to have been prevented by circumstances beyond his control, and they permitted him to get a haircut. Likewise, someone who vowed not to get a haircut and whose vow was annulled on Chol Hamoed, or so close to Yom Tov that circumstances beyond his control left him no time, may get a haircut on Chol Hamoed. So, too, someone who returned from a long journey, provided his return is publicly known and everyone knows he has come from a journey, and circumstances beyond his control prevented him from getting a haircut before Yom Tov. He may get a haircut, on condition that his trip abroad was not prohibited, as explained by the poskim. It is important to point out and emphasize that although one element underlying the permission in these cases is that circumstances prevented him from getting a haircut, in each of the three cases, the reason he did not get one may sometimes be beyond his control. He might technically have had an opportunity to get a haircut beforehand. If he arrived on the eve of Yom Tov, perhaps he could have gotten one, but circumstances beyond his control prevented him. Nevertheless, they did not permit

52:38 Speaker 2 In other cases of circumstances beyond one’s control. Only in those three cases did they permit a haircut. If someone was prevented by some other circumstance, they did not permit him to get a haircut. This is stated explicitly by Chazal and the poskim. Those are major, well-known circumstances that the Sages recognized as such: someone released from captivity, someone who had taken a vow, or someone who arrived from a distant journey. But someone who was simply unable to get a haircut in time has, strictly speaking, no permission to get one. For example, someone who was terribly busy on Erev Yom Tov—he was taking his wife to give birth and was completely caught up in it. That is not one of the three cases Chazal permitted. Again, the poskim discuss this extensively, but in practice they permitted it only in those three situations, not in other cases of unavoidable circumstances. Of course, the prohibition applies only to an actual haircut. Washing one’s hair, even though some hairs may sometimes fall out, certainly presents no concern or prohibition, because they prohibited only an actual haircut. There is also extensive discussion among the poskim about whether cutting one’s nails is prohibited during Chol Hamoed. The Alter Rebbe mentions this too, in the laws of Pesach, in the laws of Erev Pesach: there is a dispute over whether cutting nails during Chol Hamoed is prohibited. The poskim disagree on this, and according to the Rema, cutting nails during Chol Hamoed is certainly prohibited, both fingernails and toenails. The poskim discuss a number of cases in which it is permitted. First, the Magen Avraham and other poskim explain that someone who regularly cuts his nails every Erev Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov, and did so on Erev Yom Tov as well, may cut his nails during Chol Hamoed as part of that practice, on Erev Shabbos

54:35 Speaker 2 and Erev Yom Tov. Another way it may be permitted is to do it in an unusual manner, such as starting with one’s hand or mouth. It has already been pointed out that doing it with one’s mouth is not recommended on Pesach, because there may be a concern involving gebrokts or chametz. But as far as the laws of Chol Hamoed are concerned, it can be done in an unusual manner. The poskim write that if someone needs to cut his nails because they bother him, it is best to combine both grounds for permission: to do it on Erev Shabbos or Erev Yom Tov, and in an unusual manner. In a year like this one, when there is no Shabbos during Chol Hamoed, if someone finds it very difficult to wait until Erev Shemini Atzeres, he may do it in an unusual manner. Of course, there are clearly situations in which a person must cut his nails for the sake of a mitzvah. What does that mean? Someone has dirt under his nails and cannot wash his hands properly, so he must cut them. Or a woman needs to immerse and must cut her nails; she needs to cut them. Here it is worth mentioning the Ben Ish Chai, who writes that according to Kabbalah, nails must not extend beyond the flesh. Since that is prohibited because it is a matter of... the Ben Ish Chai argues emphatically, as a practical halachic ruling, that cutting nails on Chol Hamoed is always permitted because it is for the sake of a mitzvah. In my opinion, it is difficult for everyone to rely on this, since we see that many ordinary people do not observe this practice of the kabbalists: they do let their nails grow and do not cut them immediately. So, in my opinion, one cannot rely on that. But again, in practice it may be done in an unusual manner, and it is preferable to combine that with Erev Shabbos or Erev Yom Tov. A third prohibition that the Sages instituted

56:19 Speaker 2 during Chol Hamoed—again, an additional decree apart from the prohibitions on work during Chol Hamoed—is the prohibition against doing laundry. It is important to note that this prohibition, too, was instituted so that a person would not enter the festival looking unkempt. A person should make sure he has clean clothes for the festival and wash everything beforehand. So the arguments some poskim have tried to make nowadays—that perhaps a washing machine is more lenient because it involves no effort—are entirely beside the point. They have nothing to do with it. This is not about work or effort. It is about the Sages’ decree that a person should not enter the festival looking unkempt, but should prepare for it. He must therefore do his laundry before the festival so that he is properly prepared. For that reason, they did not permit it even in a washing machine. What did they permit? In which situations did they permit it? Everyone who was permitted to get a haircut was also permitted to do laundry. They permitted someone who has only one garment—someone who literally has nothing to wear. Yes, if a person has one shirt and it gets dirty, and he really has nothing to wear, they permitted him to wash it. They also permitted washing things that normally get dirty quickly. The decree about not entering the festival unkempt does not apply to those things, because even if an ordinary person washed all his clothes beforehand, he still would not have enough. So they permitted washing them, provided one did not deliberately leave the work for Chol Hamoed. Some say that this is why one may wash underwear, socks, towels in public places, and the like, or wash things for hygiene and health. But again, the need must be genuine: these must really be things that normally get dirty quickly, and an ordinary person who prepared in advance truly would not have enough. Someone who did not prepare and did not do his laundry is in a difficult position, and it requires

58:19 Speaker 2 consideration as to what he should do during Chol Hamoed. The same applies to young children’s clothes. As we said earlier regarding haircuts, they permitted haircuts for young children who are uncomfortable during Chol Hamoed. Similarly, the poskim say that washing young children’s clothes is permitted. Which children are we talking about? Children who tend to get their clothes very dirty—six- or seven-year-olds, or even slightly older children if they are more hyperactive. Clothes of children who tend to get dirty quickly may be washed during Chol Hamoed, provided, of course, that they are needed for Chol Hamoed. When doing laundry during Chol Hamoed, strictly speaking, one should wash only what is needed. So for young children, one should wash only what is needed. But the poskim say that when using a washing machine, since it is all one action anyway, there is no need to be exact about how many items are needed. One should also remember not to do it publicly, but only discreetly. The whole world does not need to know that we have just done laundry during Chol Hamoed. Nevertheless, they did not impose prohibitions based on appearances, so it is permitted to hang clothes up to dry during Chol Hamoed. That would only raise a concern about appearances, and no such decree was made for Chol Hamoed. Of course, one may iron clothes and polish shoes with shoe polish and the like; these are not prohibited forms of work during Chol Hamoed. As for writing during Chol Hamoed, which does concern the prohibitions on work, it is important to note that, strictly speaking, the prohibition on writing applies to writing that requires a skilled hand. Simple, ordinary writing does not fall under that prohibition on Chol Hamoed. But even such ordinary writing is permitted only when needed for Chol Hamoed itself. So if a person suddenly has an insight into Torah and needs to write down his chiddushei Torah, why may he write them during Chol Hamoed? After all, they are not needed for Chol Hamoed. The poskim explain that this is considered something that would be lost, because if he does not write it down

1:00:08 Speaker 2 Now, if he does not write down these Torah insights, he may forget them, and some say that not writing them down would even cause him personal distress. Ordinary writing that is not artistic is considered unskilled work, which is permitted only for a need of Chol Hamoed or a public need. Even so, the accepted Jewish custom, for various reasons, is that someone writing in an ordinary hand should make some indication that it is Chol Hamoed. For example, people commonly write “Because of the sanctity of the festival” at the beginning or end of a page. As many know, there are remarkable examples of this from the Rebbe: letters on which the Rebbe wrote “Because of the sanctity of the festival” and signed the secretary’s name, all in the Rebbe’s holy handwriting, rather than signing his own name. It is a way of marking and remembering that it is, after all, Chol Hamoed. Artistic writing, though—artistic lettering, including all forms of writing used for STaM—is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. The same applies to drawing: what is forbidden is artistic work that requires a trained hand. Simple drawings are unskilled work and are not forbidden. So there is no problem with children making simple drawings or cutting paper on Chol Hamoed. Simple children’s crafts are permitted. But complicated projects, things kept for a long time, or projects requiring a trained hand—special constructions or elaborate drawings by older children or adults, and the like—are considered skilled work and are forbidden on Chol Hamoed. As for writing on a computer, the later halachic authorities have discussed at length whether electronic writing is considered writing for the laws of Chol Hamoed. The practical difference is whether it must be for a need of Chol Hamoed. In practice, here too it is proper to do it only for such a need. Here is a question we are often asked: May someone write an assignment on a computer? Seminary students have assignments to submit, and they

1:02:04 Speaker 2 have free time now. May they work on them on Chol Hamoed or not? Again, if writing on a computer is not considered work at all, perhaps it would be permitted. But if it is considered work, an assignment is not a need of Chol Hamoed, and it is forbidden. So, ideally, Chol Hamoed is not the time to write assignments on a computer. As for photography, we mentioned in earlier classes the Rebbe’s response that taking photographs is not appropriate on Chol Hamoed. Nevertheless, later halachic authorities discussed it and were more lenient. They argue that today, when everything is electronic and nothing tangible is produced, there is much more room for leniency, even where there is no actual risk of loss, provided the activity brings pleasure or enjoyment. This can apply to writing and to sending text messages and the like. If someone enjoys sending text messages on Chol Hamoed, that can be considered a need of Chol Hamoed for this purpose, and it is permitted. The same applies to taking pictures with an ordinary digital camera, where no paper or film records the image; there is room to be lenient. Let us give a few more examples of work on Chol Hamoed and the laws that apply. Regarding upkeep of the home and yard, as we mentioned earlier, things needed for the basic use of the home are permitted because they are considered a personal need. So one may clean the house for Chol Hamoed, provided there is a genuine need. If the house is dirty and unpleasant, one may wash the floors, clean it and sweep it. But skilled work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. If I have booked a floor-polishing service or some special cleaning—a thorough cleaning that is not done regularly—or I decide this is the time to clean the oven, which I do only once a month, I should not do it on Chol Hamoed. Whitewashing or painting the house is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. But if a light fixture has fallen,

1:03:51 Speaker 2 I may put it back and repair it. If an electrical outlet comes loose and I need it, I may fix it, because it is needed for Chol Hamoed and is a personal need. But simply whitewashing or painting the house is an unnecessary extra and is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. Watering plants is among the forms of work explicitly discussed as forbidden on Chol Hamoed in the Mishnah in Maseches Moed Katan. It is permitted only when failing to water would damage the plant. If it can be watered sufficiently before Yom Tov, that is what one should do. We also need to remember that picking, pruning and similar activities are forbidden on Chol Hamoed. Today, there are outings called “pick-your-own,” where people go to pick fruit or cherries for fun. That kind of recreation is very problematic on Chol Hamoed: picking is work, and it is not a need of Chol Hamoed or a physical or emotional need. I am not picking the fruit to eat it. If I pick it to eat, that is permitted, but if I go simply for the amusement of picking, it is forbidden. As for a garment that tears on Chol Hamoed, a simple repair may be permitted if it is not skilled work. If a button falls off and I need it during Chol Hamoed, I may sew it back on. But if the repair requires skilled work, it is forbidden. There are many, many more examples in the laws of work on Chol Hamoed. We cannot cover every example and every detail. Perhaps we should just repeat what we discussed earlier: commerce is forbidden on Chol Hamoed, and it was permitted only in cases such as avoiding a major loss of potential profit. The halachic authorities therefore wrote that wholesale stores should not open on Chol Hamoed except discreetly. Only stores serving individual customers for their Chol Hamoed needs, or stores that would genuinely lose customers if they did not open, were permitted to open.

1:05:45 Speaker 2 As we said, an individual who needs to work should not work on Chol Hamoed unless he would lose his job or he has nothing to eat. There are many, many other examples and laws. We will end here and wish each and every one of you moadim lesimchah, chagim uzmanim lesasson. Above all, may we merit to celebrate every festival and every occasion in its fullness, with the true and complete Geulah, immediately, right now.