Siman 535

We learned in a Mishnah in Moed Katan (13a): One may not move from house to house in another courtyard. But in the same courtyard—one may move from house to house. And the explanation of "one may not move"—this means to uproot his dwelling from this place to that place. For it is a great exertion, and his mind will not be at ease, and he will be nullified thereby from the joy of Yom Tov. And it is stated in the Yerushalmi there, and brought in the Tur: One may not move from a fine dwelling to a fine one, nor from an ugly one to an ugly one. And this is when both are his, or both are not his. But from that which is not his into his own, even from a fine one to an ugly one it is permitted, for it is comfortable for a person in his own, and his mind is more at ease. And according to this version it implies that from an ugly one to a fine one—it is permitted even when both are his, or are not his. And so wrote the Hagahot Maimoni (Chapter 8).

But the Rambam in chapter eight, law 16, wrote: One may not move from courtyard to courtyard during the Moed, neither from an unsightly one to a beautiful one, nor from a beautiful one to an unsightly one. And indeed, the version before us in the Yerushalmi is so, that even from an unsightly one to a beautiful one it is forbidden. However, the end of the Yerushalmi, that into his own it is permitted – the Rambam omitted, and his reason is not known. (And the Maggid Mishneh wrote: That if so, why did the Shas not answer when it challenged "and the truth is the first clause..." – that the intent is into his own, see there. And I do not understand: for if so, it should have said "but he may move to his house," just as it began "one may not move from house to house." Therefore it was forced to answer "to a house that is in the courtyard." And it is more likely to say that this was not in his version. And our teacher, the Beit Yosef, established it as the halacha in section 2, and wrote the phrasing "his courtyard," and it is more comfortable to say "his house.")

Just as one may not vacate his dwelling during the moed, so too one may not move his merchandise and his vessels that are not for the needs of the moed from courtyard to courtyard, for he will be distracted by this from the joy of the Yom Tov. And they wrote that the prohibition is only by way of the public domain, but from courtyard to courtyard by way of a doorway between them—even through several courtyards—it is permitted (Bach and Magen Avraham, subsection 1). And if the houses do not open to a courtyard but rather to an alleyway, some say that from a house to the house adjacent to it is permitted. And if he is afraid because of theft in the courtyard where he dwells—it is permitted even from courtyard to courtyard by way of the public domain, when it is protected in the second one. And even from city to city—in a case of financial loss it is permitted, for any case of financial loss is permitted during the moed. But without a loss, one should not exert effort during the moed, even to transfer property from city to city.

In my humble opinion, it would seem that that which is permitted from courtyard to courtyard not by way of a public domain—this is regarding merchandise and vessels, so that the matter does not create a public stir. However, to vacate one's dwelling, as long as it is from courtyard to courtyard even if it is not by way of a public domain—it is forbidden, for his mind is not at ease in another courtyard, and the exertion is very great. Yet it does not appear so from the wording of the poskim. (See Magen Avraham and Bach. And in my humble opinion, it is clear that it is so.) However, regarding the principle of these laws—one should permit according to the perception of the teacher (Magen Avraham at the end of subsection 2). For there is sometimes a necessity to vacate, and then it is permitted in any manner. And every teacher in his place will understand the matter, whether to permit or to forbid.

Manure that is in a courtyard—it is forbidden to remove it during the Moed; rather, one should move it to the sides. But if it increased until the courtyard became like a corral—one may remove it to the dung heap. (The Ba'er Heitev in the previous siman brought from Sha'ar Ephraim that it is forbidden to play musical instruments for an Israelite during Chol HaMoed. And these are astonishing words, and the Sha'arei Teshuva has already rejected his words in the name of Shevut Yaakov.)