| Halakhic texts relating to this article | |
|---|---|
| Mishneh Torah: | Hilkhot Shevitat Yom Tov6:22–24,7, and8. |
| Shulchan Aruch: | Orach Chaim 530–548. Theoriginal and auser-contributed partial translation are available online. |
| Other rabbinic codes: | Kitzur Shulchan Aruch104[usurped],105[usurped], and106[usurped]. |
Chol HaMoed (Hebrew:חול המועד), aHebrew phrase meaning "mundane of the festival", refers to the intermediate days ofPassover andSukkot. As the name implies, these days mix features ofchol (mundane) andmoed (festival).[1]
On Passover,Chol HaMoed consists of the second day through to the sixth day of the holiday (the third through to the sixth in theDiaspora). On Sukkot,Chol HaMoed consists of the second day through to the seventh day (the third through to the seventh in the Diaspora).[1][2]
The special mitzvahs for the entire holiday are observed during the Chol HaMoed. During Chol HaMoedSukkot, the commandments of dwelling in a Sukkah, taking the Lulav, and reciting Hallel apply, and during Chol HaMoed Pesach, there is a prohibition onChametz.[2]
Although it has a unique name,Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot, is part ofChol HaMoed. This day is only on Sukkot, not on Passover.Prayer services that day combine some usual practices ofChol HaMoed with practices of bothYom Tov and theHigh Holy Days.[1]
Chol HaMoed combines features of weekday (Chol) and festival (Moed).
Work
On weekdays duringChol HaMoed the usualrestrictions that apply to the BiblicalJewish holidays are relaxed, but not entirely eliminated. For example, work that would normally be prohibited on the festival would be allowed to prevent financial loss or if the results of the work are needed for the festival itself. Work for public need is also allowed.[3] If one has the ability to take vacation from work without financial loss during those days, he or she is normally required to do so. Many tasks such as laundry washing, hair cutting and shaving are to be avoided except in some circumstances.
Prayers. Prayers on weekdays duringChol HaMoed are based on the weekday order of prayers, not the festival order of prayers.[4]
The principal customs of the respective festivals continue throughout the festival:
Ya'aleh v'Yavo is added to the Amidah andBirkat HaMazon on these days.Hallel and Mussaf prayers are said on these days, as onYom Tov, although on Chol Hamoed of Passover, an abridged form ofHallel is recited.Hoshanot are recited on Sukkot. Thetachanun prayer is omitted.[5]
On weekdays duringChol HaMoed there are fouraliyot at theTorah reading in synagogue, as opposed to the standard three of weekdays, pointing to the festive nature ofChol HaMoed.
On weekdays duringChol HaMoed, there are variant customs regarding whethertefillin should be worn, reflecting the dual nature of the day. Many streams ofAshkenazi Jews andYemenite Jews do wear them (as on weekdays) as well as those following the non-Hasidic Lithuanian tradition.Sephardic Jews, Ashkenazi followers of theVilna Gaon and most Chassidim, or those with Hasidic ancestry, do not (as on festivals). However, in some Hasidic communities, such as Sanz, Bobov Sanzklausenbarg, and many in Satmar, men who were never married (known as bachurim) - or in some communities until the age of eighteen when considered of marriageable age - do weartefillin; in all Hasidic communities (with the exception of some of those who never really accepted Hasidic custom such asErlau) married (or formerly married) men do not weartefillin duringChol HaMoed. In the United States, and most of the Diaspora, both customs are widely seen in practice. In Israel however, the customs of the Vilna Gaon have a stronger influence, so few Jews in Israel weartefillin onChol HaMoed, and most of those who do only do so privately before public prayer services unless they go to aminyan that does; nevertheless, in recent years a number of "tefillin minyanim" have started in Israel.[6]
Among those who do weartefillin onChol HaMoed, some omit or recite the blessings, depending on one's ancestral custom. Most of those who weartefillin onChol HaMoed remove thetefillin beforeHallel out of respect for the festive nature ofChol HaMoed which is especially palpable during the recitation of Hallel. The exception to this practice is the third day of Passover, when the Torah reading (which follows Hallel) discusses the mitzvah oftefillin, so many only remove thetefillin after the Torah reading is completed and the Torah scroll has been returned to the Ark.[6]
Shabbos Chol HaMoed orShabbat Chol HaMoed,[7] aSabbath that occurs duringChol HaMoed, is observed like any other Sabbath in almost every respect. In particular, the usual restrictions on work apply fully, as on any other Sabbath.
Shabbos Chol Hamoed differs from an "ordinary" Sabbath in the following ways:
Prayers:
Meals: Use ofmatzo instead of regular bread on Passover; meals eaten in thesukkah on Sukkot.
