בס”ד 20 April 2024 - י״ב בניסן ה׳תשפ״ד‎

Chol Hamoed

question markQuestions on Chol Hamoed:

  1. What does Chol Hamoed mean?
  2. Why do we only find Chol Hamoed by Pesach and Sukkos and not by Shavuos?
  3. What is the default of Chol Hamoed – is it a weekday with some restrictions or is it a Yom Tuv with some leniences?
  4. Why are four people called up for the reading of the Torah on Chol Hamoed?
  5. Why is the Mussaf tefilla added on Chol Hamoed something that is usually reserved for special days as well as the reading from the Sefer Torah?
  6. Why do only some people wear tefillin on Chol Hamoed?

Ideas for answers on Chol Hamoed:

  1. Chol Hamoed literally means “the mundane of the moed” meaning the more weekday-like of the days of Yom Tuv.
  2. Chol Hamoed are the days found sandwiched between the days of Yom Tuv. Since the days of Yom Tuv apart from each other only happen by Pesach and Sukkos therefore Chol Hamoed only happens by them. Shavuos only has the first day(s) of Yom Tuv.
  4. This again illustrates the status of Chol Hamoed. On a weekday, three people are called up to the Torah. On a Yom Tuv, five people are called up to the Torah. Since Chol Hamoed is a mixture of weekday and holy days therefore it has four people called up – one more than a weekday but still one less than Yom Tuv.
  6. The reason not to wear tefillin on Shabbos and Yom Tuv is because they are אותות, symbols, and therefore the ois of tefillin is not needed. The question is the status of Chol Hamoed if it also designated as an ois, the difference being whether or not to wear tefillin. This is an argument amongst Rishoinim. This has resulted in different customs as to whether to wear tefillin during Chol Hamoed.

Questions on Shabbos Chol Hamoed:

  1. What is specially read on Shabbos Chol Hamoed?
  2. Why are different Megillas read on Shabbos Chol Hamoed?
  3. Why is there an abbreviated Kabbolas Shabbos?
  4. Why does Shabbos Chol Hamoed not have the regular Parshas Hashovua that is read like on a regular Shabbos?
  5. Why do people not sing the usual zemirous on Shabbos Chol Hamoed by meal times?

Ideas for answers on Shabbos Chol Hamoed:

  1. On Shabbos Chol Hamoed Pesach then the Megilla of Shir Hashirim is read while on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkos the Megilla of Koheles is read.
  2. Koheles is read on Sukkos that is a time of simcha. In order that people should not carried away that might lead on to sin therefore Koheles with the sad theme is read to remind people about the true picture of life. Shir Hashirim is read on Pesach since it aptly describes the close relationship between Hashem and the Jews that started by the leaving of Mitzrayim. (The question is why then is there also not a reminder not to get carried away with the simcha of Yom Tuv of Pesach? You must say that Sukkos as Zman Simchoseinu has more of a dangerous element of simcha that needs Koheles to put things in perspective. Perhaps it also is due to the fact that it follows on after Yom Kippur with the cleansing of sins that a person feels more open to doing things.)
  3. Perhaps this is the same idea that Chol Hamoed retains a level of kedusha and therefore the usual transition from weekday to holiness on Shabbos is not needed as much.
  5. Perhaps this is the idea that it is not just Shabbos but is Shabbos plus part of the moed. It is this that changes the day reflected in the change from the usual zemirous. Why though?