Siman 531

Shaving and haircutting are forbidden on chol hamoed. And even though this is a need of the Yom Tov, for it is a degradation for him to walk with overgrown hair, and it is also a source of distress for one who is not accustomed to this – nevertheless, he could have shaved before the Moed. And on the contrary, for this very reason they forbade it, for it is a mitzvah to shave and to cut hair on the eve of the festival for the sake of the honor of the festival, and if you permit him on chol hamoed – everyone, due to his preoccupation before the festival, would leave it for chol hamoed.

And for this reason they forbade it even if he shaved before the festival, and according to his nature he needs to shave once more during Chol HaMoed – it is forbidden, so that they do not see one who shaves during Chol HaMoed. Therefore, even if he was under duress, such that he was unable to shave before the festival, or if he was ill such that shaving was difficult for him, and he recovered during Chol HaMoed, even though according to the essential law it would be possible to permit it for him – nevertheless, because of mar'it ha'ayin it is forbidden. For not everyone knows that he was under duress or ill, such that he was unable to shave, or that he is compelled to shave once more. And they forbade it even in such a case.

Nevertheless, there are those whom the sages permitted to shave during Chol HaMoed, specifically in matters where everyone knows the reason why he did not shave before the festival, and there will be no ruinous consequence for others if we permit it, as we learned in the Mishnah of "And these may shave." And these are those who may shave during the Moed: one who emerged from captivity, and one who emerged from prison and did not have the time to shave beforehand. And even if he was in a prison of Israel, where they would have allowed him to shave, nevertheless everyone knows that one who sits there has a heavy heart, and it is not on his mind to shave because of his distress. And so too the excommunicated person who is forbidden to shave, and they rescinded his excommunication during the festival. And even though he could have requested before the festival that they rescind it, namely by complying with the law, and he did not request it until the festival, nevertheless it is permitted according to the opinion of the Rambam. However, the Tur ruled that this is specifically when it was not possible to rescind it for him before the festival, such as when the duration of his excommunication extended into the festival. But if it was possible to rescind it beforehand, and he did not request it beforehand – it is forbidden. And this is the approach of the Yerushalmi.

And so too one who vowed not to shave, and was released from his vow during Chol HaMoed. And likewise according to the Rambam even if he was able to be released before the festival, and according to the Tur specifically when he was not able to be released before the festival, such as if he did not find anyone to permit it for him. But if he found someone and was not released – he may not shave. And it appears to me that this is when it remained his intent before the festival to permit his vow. But if before the festival it was his intention to fulfill his vow, but during the festival the vow became heavy upon him and he was released – even the Tur admits in this case, for this is not called being able to permit it before the festival. But there are those who wrote that even in such a case the Rosh and the Tur hold that it is forbidden (Magen Avraham subsection 5 and Darkhei Moshe in the name of Rabbenu Yerucham). And they wrote that in this it appears the opinion of the Rambam is primary (ibid.). And it appears to me that in such a case even the Rosh and the Tur admit. And so it is implied in the Yerushalmi that we are dealing with when it was his intention before the festival to be released from his vow, but he sought an opening and did not find one, see there.

And so too one who arrives from a distance during Chol HaMoed, for the matter is well-known. But from a nearby path – he is forbidden to shave, for not everyone knows. And even if he arrived from a distance on Erev Yom Tov before nightfall, but did not have time during the day to shave – he is permitted to shave during Chol HaMoed. And specifically when he did not have an inhabited place before Yom Tov, or even if he did, such as if he passed through inhabited places, but on Erev Yom Tov he did not have an inhabited place where he could shave. But if he had an inhabited place on Erev Yom Tov where he could have shaved – he is forbidden to shave during Chol HaMoed (Magen Avraham subsection 6). And so too specifically that he did not come on this journey of his from Eretz Yisrael to outside the Land for the sake of business, or to see the face of his friend, and certainly for a d'var mitzvah, but rather for a mere stroll. For regarding a mere stroll from Eretz Yisrael to outside the Land, they did not permit him to shave, for he should not have gone out for a mere stroll from Eretz Yisrael to outside the Land. But from outside the Land to Eretz Yisrael, or from Eretz Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael, or from outside the Land to outside the Land – even for a mere stroll he is permitted to shave. And so too these, even though they permitted them to shave, nevertheless they shall not shave themselves in public but rather in private, for perhaps there are those who do not know the matter, and they will come to treat shaving during Chol HaMoed with disrespect.

And so too a minor who was born during the Moed with hair and needs to be shorn, or even an ordinary minor who is less than thirteen years and one day, since he is not a bar mitzvah—it is permitted to shave him even in public, because everyone sees that he is a minor. And this is when he has much hair and is in pain, which is called a necessity of the festival. But otherwise it is forbidden. And for a non-Jew it is forbidden in any case, unless he has nothing to eat, as with all labors, as I wrote in siman 542 (ibid. subsection 8). And so too a mourner whose seventh day falls on Shabbat the eve of the festival—he is permitted to shave during Chol HaMoed, and it will be further explained in siman 548. And so too penitents whose way is to shave upon entering into repentance—it is permitted to shave him during Chol HaMoed, because of the mitzvah of repentance. And this too is a matter publicized to the many, and they will not come through it to a pitfall of treating the matter of shaving during Chol HaMoed lightly.

The nazir and the metzora whose time for shaving has arrived, whether before the festival or during the festival—are permitted to shave, so that they do not delay their sacrifices. And anyone who emerges from impurity to purity is permitted to shave during Chol HaMoed. And the men of the priestly watch in the Beit HaMikdash whose watch ended during Chol HaMoed are permitted to shave, because they are forbidden to shave during their watch. And these too are as ones publicized to the many.

Any person is permitted to trim the mustache on Chol HaMoed, whether it is hair that hinders eating or whether it does not hinder, whether with a razor or with scissors, for this is not the shaving that they prohibited on Chol HaMoed. And it is permitted even in public for this reason. And all the more so for the needs of a wound, that it is permitted to shave. And it is permitted to wash and comb the head on Chol HaMoed, even though it removes hair, for this is not shaving regarding the matter of Chol HaMoed.