Siman 530

In Chagigah (18a), the Gemara brought several derivations that Chol HaMoed is forbidden for melakhah. And so too in Torat Kohanim, Parashat Emor, it is stated, and this is its wording: "And you shall do no melakhah" — this comes to teach regarding the days of the Moed that they are forbidden for melakhah. Might they be forbidden for "melakhet avodah"? The verse states "it" — it is forbidden for melakhet avodah, but the days of the Moed are not forbidden for melakhet avodah. And it is a printing error, and so it must be said: "It is an Atzeret, you shall do no melakhet avodah," for the verse "And you shall do no melakhah" was not written regarding the festivals. And this is the same derivation as in Chagigah, see there. And it derives from "it" — it is forbidden for melakhet avodah, meaning the Yom Tov itself, and not Chol HaMoed. For if not so, let it write "all melakhet avodah" regarding all seven days. And what is the matter of "melakhet avodah"? This refers to a davar ha'aved, meaning that the Torah permitted melakhet okhel nefesh on Yom Tov, but melakhet avodah at all — not at all, even a davar ha'aved. And even what is a need of Yom Tov, such as a garment to wear on Yom Tov is forbidden, or a house to dwell in is forbidden to build. And this is what is written, "You shall do no melakhet avodah." But on Chol HaMoed, there are those you are permitted to do, and there are those you are forbidden to do. And this is what they said in Chagigah ibid., that the verse handed them over to the sages. Meaning: since it is necessary that on Chol HaMoed there are forbidden melakhot and there are permitted melakhot, perforce it handed them over to the sages to understand the intent of the Torah, which it forbade and which it permitted.

And the opinion of our teachers, the Tosafists there in Chagigah, and the Rosh and the Nimukei Yosef at the beginning of Moed Katan, is that all of this is a mere asmachta, and the essence of its prohibition is rabbinic. And there is a proof for this from the Yerushalmi which says there that they prohibited labor so that they would engage in Torah. And this is the opinion of the Rambam, who wrote at the beginning of the seventh chapter of Yom Tov, and this is his wording: Chol HaMoed, even though "shabbaton" was not said regarding it, since it is called "mikra kodesh" and it is a time of celebration in the Temple—it is prohibited to perform labor, so that it should not be like the rest of the weekdays which have no holiness at all. And one who performs prohibited labor on it—they strike him with makkot mardut, because its prohibition is from the words of the scribes. And not every labor of work is prohibited on it like Yom Tov, for the end of the matter regarding the things that were prohibited on it—is so that it should not be like a weekday in every respect. Therefore, there are labors prohibited on it, and there are labors permitted on it. Thus far his words.

But the opinion of the Ramban and the Rashba, and as is also explained from the words of the Rashbam (Tosafot ibid.), and such is the opinion of the Rif at the beginning of Moed Katan according to what the Tur wrote in siman 536, is that there are melachot prohibited by the Torah. That is, anything that is not a davar ha'aved and is not for the necessity of the moed. And there are those who raised a difficulty: are there such distinctions in the Torah? It is well according to the one who expounded that the verse handed them over to the sages—it is settled. But according to the other Tanna'im who expound generally for a scriptural prohibition—from where do we have the basis to distinguish in this manner (the Rosh ibid.)? But in truth it works out well, for of necessity it must be so: for if we say that the prohibition is like on Yom Tov, why is it written only regarding the first and seventh days? And the prohibition is compelled from expositions, and automatically this is the explanation: that on the first and seventh days "you shall do no laborious work." But on Chol HaMoed it is not "all laborious work," but rather some are forbidden and some are permitted. And it stands to reason that a davar ha'aved and the necessity of Yom Tov are permitted, and the rest are forbidden. And that which they said in the Yerushalmi "so that they should engage in Torah"—it is because in any event there are some melachot that from the Torah are permitted because they are a davar ha'aved, and the sages forbade them because of the excessive exertion as will be explained, and regarding these they said this (the Maggid Mishneh ibid.). And see the beginning of siman 539.

Chol HaMoed is an obligation to honor somewhat with food and drink, and a garment that is not of the weekday. And according to the opinion of the Ra'av in the third chapter of Avot, that which we learned in the Mishnah, "one who profanes the Moedot" — refers to Chol HaMoed, see there. And although they are not like Shabbat and Yom Tov, nevertheless it is required to be superior to the weekday. And such is the custom, that the tablecloth should be placed on the table all the days of Chol HaMoed as on Yom Tov. And at the beginning of the fourth chapter of Sukkah (42b) they said: The Hallel and the joy are eight days, and it is forbidden to fast on them. And there is no obligation to eat bread specifically. Nevertheless, one should eat bread, as it is more the way of honor (see Magen Avraham). And a sage should strengthen the prohibition of melakhah if he has the power. And the sage who forbade a matter of loss because they were unrestrained in all melakhot — another sage cannot permit it to them (ibid.).