Chapter 38 - THE INTERMEDIATE DAYS OF THE HOLIDAYS

Certain kinds of work are rabbinically forbidden on the intermediate days of Passover and Tabernacles (530:1). In general, work or business (see 539: 1-2,7,13-14;545:11) is permitted if it is needed for the holiday (see 533:1-4;534:3;537:4,8-11,15;539:1,4,6,10-13;541:3-5;544:2;545:1-3), or is necessary for the safety or convenience of the public (see 540:1;544:1-2), or if postponing it until after the holiday would result in loss (see 533: 3,5;535:1;537:1,13,15-16;538:1-6;539:1-5,8-9,13;540:4,7-8;542:1;545:2,4-6, 8-9).

In general, permitted work should not be done publicly (see 533:5;534: 1,3;538:2;539:1,11-12;547:10); should not be done for others for regular pay unless the worker needs the money (see 542:1-2;545:3-6); should be done so as to minimize effort (see 537:1-3,5-8,12;540:2) or in a nonstandard or nonprofessional way (see 537:13,15;540:1,3,5-6;541:1-5;544:1-2;545:1,5-7); and should not be deliberately scheduled for the intermediate days (see 537:16;538:1,6;539:9;540:4). Forbidden work should not be given to a non-Jew to do on the holidays or intermediate days; see 537:14 and 543:1-3.

Examples of types of work to which these rules may apply include improving ground or plants (537:9-14); watering plants (537:1-8); harvesting, grinding, and hunting (533:1-5;537:15-16); washing clothes (534:1-3;541:3); weaving and sewing (541:1-2,4-5); writing (545:1-9) and doing business (539:1-14); making and fixing utensils (540:1-8).

Treatment of the sick and care of animals (except for breeding them and setting birds on eggs; 536:3-4) are permitted (532:2;536:1-2). Cutting the hair or nails and washing clothes are permitted only under special circumstances (see 531:2-8;532:1;534:1-2), but other cosmetic procedures are generally permitted (see 546:5). On moving things from one domain to another see 535:1-3 and 538:3; on judging see 545:10. Betrothal is permitted, but marriage (except for remarriage) is forbidden (see 546:1-2); but celebrations connected with marriages that took place before the holiday, or celebrations of other joyous occasions, are permitted (546:3-4).

Fasting and eulogies are forbidden, and many of the activities associated with burials are forbidden or restricted; see 547:1-2. Eulogies should not be held within 30 days of a holiday for a person who died before then, except on the anniversary of a death; see 547:3-5. It is customary to tear the clothes only for the death of a parent; see 547:6-7. Burial and the preparations for it are generally permitted (see 547:10-12;548:5); on the meal eaten after burial see 547:8-9. Mourning does not begin until after the holiday (see 548:2-3), but the bereaved should be comforted (see 548:6), and the 30 days of mourning begin on the day of the burial (548:1,4). If mourning began before the holiday, the holiday terminates it; see 548:7-16. On a person who hears about a death on a Sabbath or holiday see 548:17-20.

Shulchan Aruch, Copyright (c) 2000 Project Genesis, Inc.