Laws Of Yom Tov

 

(1) FORBIDDEN LABOR ON YOM TOV: The Torah forbids labor on Yom Tov as it does on Shabbat.  However, an exception is made for "whatever is eaten for every spirit" (Shemot 12:16).  The word "spirit" refers to an individual human being, and the verse permits us to prepare and cook food on Yom Tov, even when such preparation is forbidden on Shabbat.  But the expression "food for the spirit" also hints at the fact that when we eat on Yom Tov we are nourishing our spirits and not only our bodies.

 

This halakhic difference reflects a fundamental conceptual difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov.  On Shabbat, rest is an end in itself; on Yom Tov, it is a means to an end.

 

We first encounter Shabbat as a commemoration of the Creation (Shemot 20:9-10).  By resting on Shabbat, we recall that God rested from creation on the seventh day.  Inextricably bound with this commemoration of the past is the anticipation of the future: since the world is finite and limited, created in a limited period, the work of human repair is limited and will one day be completed, at the time of the final redemption.  So our rest testifies to the fact that our own efforts will cease permanently one day, as they cease temporarily every Shabbat day.

 

The Torah does not connect Yom Tov to the Creation but rather designates it as a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt (Shemot 12, Vayikra 23:43, Devarim 16:12).  In order to commemorate the Exodus, in which we were freed from crushing bondage to occupy ourselves with God's service, on Yom Tov we rest from creative labor in order to occupy ourselves with honoring the holiday.  This rest is a means to an end.  Only by refraining from everyday activities do we have sufficient time and a proper frame of mind to celebrate.

 

(Shabbat is also considered a commemoration of the Exodus - Devarim 5:14-15.  So this instrumental aspect of rest is present on Shabbat also.  But the rest as an end in itself is unique to Shabbat.)

 

On Shabbat, rest is an objective.  This kind of rest does not recognize any exceptions, since any kind of labor contradicts the character of the day as one of desisting from labor per se.  But on Yom Tov, refraining from labor frees us to honor the day.  But labor that contributes to the honor of the day, such as cooking a festive meal, is permissible and appropriate.

 

LABORS PERMITTED FOR ANY NEED: In general, the usually forbidden labors are permissible only for food preparation, or for other bodily needs that resemble the need to eat.  The two exceptions: transferring fire and carrying are permitted even if they are not needed for food.

 

One reason mentioned for these exceptions is that it is very common for these two activities to contribute to our Yom Tov joy even when food preparation is not involved.  Warmth and light always create a joyous atmosphere, and being able to carry anything we need encourages us to make large gatherings.  But other labors are seldom needed for comfort, except if they are needed for preparing food, which is permissible in any case.  (Bach OC 495.)

 

We could add that igniting a flame from an existing fire and carrying outside the eiruv are labors that are done almost passively, since it is the nature of fire to spread, and since objects borne in pockets and so on are carried more by default than by intent.  Even on Shabbat these labors are considered somewhat "weaker" than the others (fire: Shabbat 70a; carrying: Tosafot Shabbat 2a), and it is logical that these should be the ones that are more lenient on Yom Tov.

 

(11) CHALLA ON YOM TOV, AND THE NATURE OF RABBINICAL COMMANDMENTS: We learned in chapter 35 that if we make a large quantity of bread, it is necessary to separate out "challa" - the "first" of the bread, which is reserved for the "first" of the Jewish people, the Kohen.  When making bread on Yom Tov we may take challa as well.

 

However, if the bread was made before Yom Tov, the halakha differs between the land of Israel and abroad.  Outside of Israel, we may leave a small portion aside and designate it as challa after the holiday.  But in Israel, we are unable to separate challa at all.  Taking challa repairs the loaf, and such a "repair" is forbidden on Yom Tov.  (As we explain in the next section, even preparing food is forbidden on Yom Tov when it could have been done beforehand.) Here is one way of understanding this distinction:

 

Many halakhic authorities have suggested that there is a fundamental difference between Torah commandments and Rabbinical ones.  While the Torah tells us what things are (cheftza), the Rabbis usually tell us only what to do (gavra).

 

In Israel, separating challa is a Torah obligation.  Dough that has not had challa taken is tevel, a forbidden object.  We may not repair the dough on Yom Tov if we had the chance beforehand, and so we may not eat it.

 

Outside of Israel, challa is a Rabbinical prohibition.  The Rabbis didn't designate the dough as a forbidden substance, they merely obligated us to perform the act of taking challa.  This can be done after Yom Tov, and in the meantime it is permissible to eat the bread.

 

(31) IGNITING A NEW FIRE ON YOM TOV: We have already mentioned that lighting a new fire on Yom Tov is forbidden.  This is surprising, since on Shabbat there is no difference between starting a fire (from a match, spark, etc.) and transferring fire (lighting something from an existing flame).  And in fact the reason given in the Talmud for this prohibition is not because of forbidden labor (melacha) but rather because of making a "new creation" (molid).  "One may not extract fire from wood, from stones, from earth, or from water" (Mishna Beitza 33a, Shulchan Arukh OC 502).

 

Many authorities connect this prohibition to a general principle: Even labors that are permitted on Yom Tov - those related to preparing food - are forbidden if they could have been done before the holiday.

 

This fits in with our original explanation of Yom Tov rest.  Preparing food on Yom Tov was permitted only to the extent that it contributes to holiday joy.  But if we can do something before the holiday, then putting it off until Yom Tov only detracts from our celebration.

 

(32) PLEASURES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR EVERYBODY: A Yom Tov pleasure is only considered "food for the spirit" if it is appropriate for any spirit (shaveh lekol nefesh) - something that most people enjoy.

 

This points out another important difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov.  Shabbat includes a mitzva of "oneg Shabbat" - Sabbath delight.  Yom Tov includes a mitzva of "simchat ha-regel" - holiday rejoicing.  There is an important difference between delight and joy, and many halakhic distinctions are based on it.

 

Delight is exactly what the word implies: anything that a person delights in.  But joy is an atmosphere.  The Shabbat meal is meant primarily for our enjoyment; the Yom Tov meal is to honor the day. 

 

A TESTIMONIAL DINNER

We can compare the Yom Tov meal to a testimonial dinner.  Even though delicious food is served at such a dinner, the object is not to have a party but to honor the guest.  Even someone who is not hungry eats at such an affair, since the meal is not meant primarily to be enjoyed but rather as a sign of the importance of the event.  Yom Tov is like the "dinner" of the Holy One, blessed be He.

 

Indeed, the Shulchan Arukh rules that even though it is a mitzva to have a Shabbat meal, someone who actually enjoys fasting may do so.  Yet he does not mention such a leniency regarding Yom Tov.  (Shulchan Arukh OC 288:2; see the Darkhei Moshe.)  Fasting may be enjoyable, but it is not a way of honoring somebody.

 

By the same token, Yom Tov rejoicing focuses on those pleasures that are universal.  Having "prestigious" dishes is even more important than having tasty ones.  Filet mignon is served at a fancy dinner, even if most of the diners really prefer hamburger. 

 

GIVING CHARITY

This metaphor also gives us insight into another difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov.  On Yom Tov, giving charity to the poor is not merely a good deed but rather an essential part of the joy of the holiday, as we will learn in chapter 103.  But this is not true of Shabbat (Zohar Yitro, II:88b).  Explaining this in the context of our metaphor, the organizers of a testimonial dinner will be certain to invite the close friends of the honoree, even if they can't afford the thousand dollar a plate donation - and every Jew is a beloved friend of God.

 

PRIVATE ENJOYMENTS

Here is another example.  It is a mitzva for married couples to be together on Shabbat (Shulchan Arukh OC 280).  But this private delight does not contribute to the honor of the day, and no such mitzva exists for Yom Tov.  Indeed, in the time of the Temple the men were commanded to visit Yerushalaim, but the women were not.  And Yom Tov is set aside for visiting one's Rebbe (Rosh Hashana 16b) - a mitzva that is often fulfilled by leaving one's family for the holiday.

 

This fits in with what we said above, that the "rest" of Yom Tov is a means to an end.  Labor is permitted on Yom Tov to the extent that it contributes to the honor of the day, and this is done through joy - things that are generally perceived as enjoyments.  This limits the permission to those enjoyments that are appropriate for every Jew.

 

(35) PREPARING FOOD FOR ANIMALS: Animals do not partake of the holiday joy, and so one may not perform forbidden labors in order to feed them.  However, one is always obligated to take proper care of one's animals (Shulchan Arukh OC 523), and indeed we should generally feed our animals even before we eat ourselves (as we explained in chapter 42).

 

(36-37) COOKING FOR A NON-JEW: Cooking for a non-Jew is forbidden on Yom Tov.  One may also not invite a non-Jew for a meal, since one would be tempted to cook for the guest. 

 

This fits in with the theme of Yom Tov mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.  Shabbat is a commemoration of the Creation, which is relevant to all mankind.  But Yom Tov is a commemoration of the Exodus, which was unique to the Jewish people.  Thus, inviting a non-Jew is appropriate on Shabbat, but out of place on Yom Tov.

 

 

CHAPTER 99 - MUKTZEH ON YOM TOV

 

According to many early authorities, some kinds of muktzeh - objects that are not prepared for use before Yom Tov - are forbidden to move on Yom Tov even though they are permissible on Shabbat.  Our custom is to rule like those authorities who make no distinction between Shabbat and Yom Tov; even so, Rav Ganzfried thought that the stringent opinion was important enough to devote a special chapter to it.

 

In chapter 88, we explained that the laws of muktzeh, which allow us to move and use only those items that were ready for use before Shabbat, serve to make Shabbat dependent on the days of the week.  In this way we strengthen the symbiotic connection between work and rest, giving and receiving, mundane and holy.  For this purpose, a minimal amount of weekday preparation is sufficient.  Food that was prepared for sale can be eaten on Shabbat, since without the weekday preparation it would not be fit to eat.

 

However, we explained in the last chapter that the guiding principle of Yom Tov is honor.  It is not enough that the weekdays prepare for Yom Tov; they must specifically honor it.  For this purpose, it is not enough to have food that was prepared for sale; instead, we would require food that was specifically prepared for Yom Tov.  This explains the opinion that is especially stringent regarding muktzeh on Yom Tov.

 

Returning to our "testimonial dinner" metaphor, at such a dinner it would be quite tactless to serve leftovers, no matter how delicious.  We expect that a fuss be made to prepare food especially for the occasion.