Since Chol HaMoed has an aspect of the mundane, through it holiness is drawn into and revealed in the weekdays * In Israel, the prevalent custom among all communities is not to put on tefillin * It is a mitzvah to study Torah on Chol HaMoed, for this purpose the Holy One, blessed be He, gave festivals to Israel * This is the reason why work is forbidden on Chol HaMoed * To establish two meals on each day of Chol HaMoed, one in the evening and one during the day
Often, in the shadow of the Festivals, the significance of Chol HaMoed is overlooked, but its importance is great, as it serves as a connecting link between the holiness of the Festival, and the weekdays. I will mention some of what I wrote about Chol HaMoed in “Peninei Halakha” (Moadim 10:7).
The mitzvah of Chol HaMoed is unique. Seemingly, it would be appropriate that after elevating to the level of Yom Tov, one should not descend from it until the end of the Festival. However, the mitzvah is that after the first day of Yom Tov, we observe the days of Chol HaMoed, and only at the end of the Festival days do we elevate again to the level of Yom Tov. I will explain a bit about the meaning of this based on the wonderful explanations of Rabbi Nathan, the student of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
The Baal Shem Tov gave a parable: Just as we teach a child to walk, at first we assist him and then we leave him, and he tries to stand and walk and falls, until finally he succeeds in walking on his own. Similarly, at the beginning of a person’s spiritual ascent, he is given a great illumination from Heaven that is above his level, and then it is removed from him, and he falls. He must then strive to hold onto his path and withstand trials, and through this, he will succeed in meriting that great illumination again. This time he will not fall from it, because he has acquired it through his spiritual work, and it is appropriate to his level.
Based on this, we can understand the concept of Chol HaMoed: At the beginning of the Festival, God illuminates us with a light greater than our level, and as Yom Tov ends, He removes it from us. Our task is to strengthen ourselves during Chol HaMoed in Torah study and in the joy of the Festival, and through this, we merit again the Yom Tov at the end of the Festival. And since we have already merited to prepare for it during Chol HaMoed, we attain a higher level in it. As our Sages said, the level of the Splitting of the Red Sea, which occurred on the seventh day of Passover, was higher than the Plague of the Firstborn, which occurred on the first day of Passover. They also said that a maidservant saw at the sea what Isaiah and Ezekiel did not see (Mechilta Beshalach). Also on Shemini Atzeret, the joy is greater, for during all seven days of Sukkot our rejoicing with God is shared with the other nations, while on Shemini Atzeret, God rejoices with us alone (Sukkah 55b). (Likutei Halachot Chol HaMoed 1:1; 2:1).
A Connecting Link between Shabbat and the Festival to the Weekdays
There is another aspect to the days of Chol HaMoed: since they have an aspect of the mundane, through them holiness is drawn into and revealed in the weekdays. For the more holy a day is, the more the divine influence is evident in it, and consequently, the prohibition to work on it is more severe. Conversely, the further we move away from divine influence, the more we need to toil and be enslaved in hard work for the sake of livelihood, as happened to us as a result of Adam’s sin. Our task is to reveal God’s word in all our handiwork, and through this, in a gradual process, we will be freed from the yoke of earning a livelihood, and we will merit that all our work will be for the sake of Heaven, with ease and joy.
Shabbat is the foundation of the sanctity of time, and its holiness is fixed and established from the Six Days of Creation, therefore it is forbidden to do any work on it. From the holiness of Shabbat, Israel was commanded to extend holiness to all times, up to the weekdays as well. In the first stage, holiness extends to the Festivals, which are weekdays that were sanctified by Israel, and became holy days (as explained above 1:3). And since these days were sanctified by Israel, it is permissible to do work on them for the sake of food preparation for Jews. However, the weekdays still remained distant from holiness, and for this purpose, God gave us the days of Chol HaMoed, which are intermediate days, where some work is permitted and some is forbidden.
Through those permitted works done during the Moed for the sake of Heaven, holiness is drawn into all the works that we need to do during the weekdays throughout the year. This is the main rectification of the world – that even work for livelihood will be for the sake of Heaven, to repair the world and improve it, to increase charity, and to set times for Torah study. Through this, we rectify the 39 types of work, so that they will no longer contain sin and curse that cause man to be enslaved to materialism, but rather, they will be sanctified to establish in them a tabernacle and a house for the dwelling of the Divine Presence (Likutei Halachot Chol HaMoed 4:8).
Prayers of Chol HaMoed
Since the days of Chol HaMoed combine holiness and mundane aspects, the prayers of Chol HaMoed also combine the holy and the mundane. In the morning, afternoon, and evening prayers, we pray a weekday prayer, and add “Ya’aleh VeYavo” in the blessing of “Retzeh” to mention the festival. One who forgets to say it in one of the prayers, as long as they have not finished the prayer, should return to the beginning of the blessing of “Retzeh” and say “Ya’aleh VeYavo” and continue praying from there straight through until the end of the prayer. And if they finished the prayer, even if they have not yet taken three steps back, they should repeat the prayer to mention “Ya’aleh VeYavo” (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 490:2).
Immediately after finishing the Amidah prayer of Shacharit, we say Hallel. On Chol HaMoed of Sukkot – full Hallel, and on Chol HaMoed of Passover – half Hallel. It was instituted to read from the Torah on the days of Chol HaMoed about the matter of the day with four aliyot, and in this too, there is an expression of the status of the day. For on weekdays, three people are called up, on Chol HaMoed four, and on Yom Tov five (Megillah 21a). Just as on Yom Tov we pray Musaf, so too on Chol HaMoed, because the Musaf prayer corresponds to the additional sacrifices that were offered on the festival, and in this, Chol HaMoed is equal to Yom Tov.
Tefillin on Chol HaMoed
The Rishonim (early authorities) disagreed regarding putting on tefillin on Chol HaMoed. As is known, on Shabbat and Yom Tov it is forbidden to put on tefillin, because tefillin are a sign of the connection between the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel, and since Shabbat and Yom Tov are also a sign of this, there is no need to put on tefillin on them, and one who puts on tefillin on them is found to be disregarding the sign of the holy days. Regarding Chol HaMoed, some poskim say that since some work is permitted on it, it is not considered a sign, and one is obligated to put on tefillin (Rosh, Rema). And so was the custom of many in Ashkenaz. And some say that the prohibition of chametz on Chol HaMoed of Passover, and the mitzvah to sit in the sukkah on Chol HaMoed of Sukkot – these are the sign of the connection between the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel, and in order not to disregard the sign of the festivals, it is also forbidden to put on tefillin on Chol HaMoed (Rashba; Shulchan Aruch 31:2). This was the custom in Sepharad, and also the custom of some Ashkenazi Jews.
In practice, outside of the Land of Israel it is proper for each community to continue its custom, but in Israel, since the prevalent custom among all communities is not to put on tefillin, all ethnic should join the custom of the Land of Israel.
Torah Study on Chol HaMoed
It is a mitzvah to study Torah on Chol HaMoed, for this purpose the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Festivals to Israel, that Israel should engage in Torah with joy and ease. And this is the reason why work is forbidden on Chol HaMoed, as written in Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 323). Our Sages instructed that one should divide the time of Sabbaths and Festivals, half for God and half for oneself, “half for eating and drinking, and half for the study hall” (Pesachim 68b). And if this is so on Yom Tov, when it is a mitzvah to have larger meals that take a long time, all the more so on Chol HaMoed one should dedicate at least half a day to Torah study (Peninei Halakha: Moadim 1:5-6; 10:6). Therefore, our Sages added and prohibited commerce, even though it does not involve complete work, because commerce can disturb and worry, and harm the joy of the Festival and Torah study (Aruch HaShulchan 539:4).
It is brought in the Jerusalem Talmud (Moed Katan 2:3): “Rabbi Abba bar Memel said: If there was someone who would agree with me, I would permit doing work on Chol HaMoed! Is work forbidden except so that they should eat and drink and rejoice and toil in Torah, and now they eat and drink and are frivolous.” Thus we learn that the prohibition of neglecting Torah study on Chol HaMoed is more severe than the prohibition of work (Kolbo 60).
The Mitzvah of Joy in Meals
It is a mitzvah for every person to rejoice with their family members and all who accompany them in the meals of Chol HaMoed. Therefore, it is a mitzvah to set two meals on each day of Chol HaMoed, one in the evening and one during the day, and it is a mitzvah to eat bread and enjoyable foods at each meal, and it is a mitzvah to drink delightful wine at these meals. And one who prefers another alcoholic beverage can fulfill the mitzvah with that as well. One who rejoices in eating meat should preferably eat meat from animals or poultry at the Chol HaMoed meals, and those who does not enjoy them, should eat other foods that gladden their heart.
However, since the days of Chol HaMoed are not as important as Yom Tov, establishing honorable meals with bread is a mitzvah, but not an obligation, and one who does not want to eat bread at meals – is permitted. Likewise, one who does not want to eat so much, and does not wish to drink wine – is permitted – as long as their meal on Chol HaMoed is more sumptuous than their meal on a weekday. And if one equates their eating on Chol HaMoed to their eating on a weekday, they are disgracing the Festival, and our Sages said: “One who disgraces the Festivals – has no portion in the World to Come” (Avot 3:11; Rashi and Bartenura).
Since there is no obligation to eat bread at the meals of Chol HaMoed, one who ate bread and forgot to mention “Ya’aleh VeYavo” in the Grace After Meals does not repeat it. For this is the rule, at a time when there is no obligation to eat bread, one who forgets to mention the day does not need to repeat (Shulchan Aruch 188:7; Peninei Halakha: Moadim 10:3).
Clothes of Chol HaMoed
It is a mitzvah to wear nice clothing that brings one joy on Chol HaMoed. Especially meticulous people wear Shabbat clothes on Chol HaMoed, but this is not an obligation. Rather, it is obligatory that there should be a noticeable difference between the clothes of Chol HaMoed, and the clothes of weekdays.
In order that people should not be negligent in wearing nice and clean clothes on the Festival and Chol HaMoed, our Sages forbade laundering clothes on Chol HaMoed. That is, although according to the basic law it is permissible to launder clothes on Chol HaMoed for the purpose of wearing them during the Festival, since this is a simple labor for the need of the Festival, our Sages prohibited this, so that a situation should not arise where people postpone laundering clothes to Chol HaMoed when they are free from work, and thereby disgrace the Festival by entering it when they are unkempt (dirty).
For more on the prohibition of laundering on Chol HaMoed, which clothes are permitted to be laundered, and what is the law when all clothes have become dirty, see Peninei Halakha: Moadim, Chapter 11, Sections 11-12.
This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew.
