Chapter 36 - WORK ON HOLIDAYS

All types of work that are forbidden on the Sabbath are also forbidden on holidays, except for making fire and moving things from one domain to another (495:1). Work that is necessary for preparing food for the holiday and that could not have been done before the holiday is also permitted, but if there is no disadvantage in doing it before the holiday, it should not be done on the holiday except in a nonstandard way (495:1). Hunting, harvesting, threshing, squeezing (to extract liquids from food), and grinding are rabbinically forbidden (495:2).

Food preparation should be done on a holiday only if at least some of the food is needed on that day; see 503:1-2 and 527:23-24. When a holiday occurs on Friday, some food should be prepared for the Sabbath before the holiday (this food is called an ERUV TAVSHILIN); preparation of food for the Sabbath may then be continued on Friday (see 527:1-6,13) as long as some of the ERUV remains (see 527:14-18). The ERUV may be prepared by one person on behalf of others; the person who prepares it recites the blessing "...Who commanded us about an ERUV" (see 527:7-12). On what may be done if no ERUV was prepared see 527:19-22. An ERUV CHATZEROS for the Sabbath (see Ch.31) must not be collected on the holiday (528:2).

Outside the land of Israel, where holidays are observed for two days, the holiday laws apply on both days (496:1); but care of the sick (even when there is no danger to life) is permitted on the second day (except for the second day of ROSH HA-SHANAH) if it involves only rabbinical prohibitions (496:2-3). The dead may be handled by Jews and buried by non-Jews even on the first day of a holiday if necessary, but must not be handled even by non-Jews on the Sabbath or on YOM KIPPUR; see 496:2 and 526:1-12.

Food preparation is permitted only if the food is consumable by Jews; see 506:6 and 512:1-3. On moving things from one domain to another for the benefit of a non-Jew see 518:2. It is forbidden to benefit from work done by a non-Jew or to handle things that result from such work; see 515:1-9 and 517:1. On acquiring things from a non-Jew see 517:1-2.

Things that were not intended for use on the holiday, or that did not exist before the holiday, must not be handled unless necessary (see 495:4;509:7); for examples see 507:2;513:1-8;518:3-4,6-9. Repulsive objects may be removed (518:5), and objects may be covered to protect them (521:2-3).

A person should honor the holidays and rejoice on them as be does on the Sabbath (529:1-2). Half of his time should be spent on Torah study and half on eating and drinking (but not excessively; see 529:1,3-4). He should prepare for a holiday in advance (531:1) and should celebrate it with extra food and fine clothes (529:1). He should use two loaves of bread and drink wine at every meal, but it is not customary to eat a third meal (529:1). He should light a candle, and recite the blessing "...Who commanded us to light a holiday candle" (514:11). day of Sivan (494:3).

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