Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Moed Katan 9 – What work not to do on the holiday weekdays?

One should not get married on the holiday weekday (chol hamoed) because it is a source of joy. Why would joy be a problem? – Precisely because the Festivals are already joyful occasions, and one should not mix one joy with another. Some say – because to make his wedding a joyful occasion, he will exert himself too much. Yet others explain that if marriages were allowed on the Festivals, then people might postpone their weddings until the Festivals to save on preparations, thus delaying the commandment to be fruitful and multiply.

If one has to mend or make his clothing for the sake of the Holiday, and he is not a professional tailor, he can sew the way he usually does. However, if he is a professional, he should sew with irregular stitches. This distinction between an unskilled worker and a professional applies to other works on holiday weekdays.

Art: Portrait of a Young Married Couple by Jacob Jordaens

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