Simhat Yom Tov, also on Hol HaMoed and Shavuot

(16) Just as it is a mitzvah to honor the Sabbath and to take delight in it, so too, do [these obligations apply to] all the holidays,38The B'nei Binyamin notes that several later authorities differ with regard to whether a holiday could be termed a Sabbath or not. (See P'nei Yehoshua, et al., at the conclusion of the fourth chapter of Beitzah.) Nevertheless, the Rambam's emphasis is not that the holidays are "Sabbaths," but that they are sanctified. as [implied by Isaiah 58:13], "...sanctified unto God and honored."39Although the proof-text states, "And you shall call the Sabbath 'A delight, sanctified unto God'...," it also applies to holidays, for they are also called "sanctified" by the Torah. [This applies to] all the holidays, for they are called, "holy convocations." We have explained the obligation implied by honor and delight in Hilchot Shabbat.40Chapter 30. Honor involves preparing one's home and one's garments for the Sabbath. Delight involves partaking of fine foods, and carrying out other activities that lead to physical satisfaction.
Similarly, it is proper for a person not to partake of a [significant] meal on the day before a holiday from mid-afternoon onward, as on Friday.41See Hilchot Shabbat 30:4, which explains that this restriction was instituted so that one will enter the Sabbath (in this instance, the holiday) with an appetite.
Mid-afternoon refers to nine seasonal hours after daybreak - i.e., 3 PM, on a day that begins at 6 AM and ends at 6 PM. This time will change throughout the year, becoming later in the summer and earlier in the winter. For this is also an expression of honor.
Everyone who treats the holidays with disrespect is considered as if he became associated with idol worship.42Pesachim 118a notes that Exodus 34:17 states, "Do not make molten images for yourselves," and continues "observe the festival of matzot," establishing a connection between the two mitzvot.
Significantly, the Rashbam interprets this as referring to someone who works on the intermediate days of a festival. (See also Hilchot Teshuvah 3:14, which states that such a person is not granted a portion in the World-to-Come.)

(17) It is forbidden to fast or recite eulogies43For these activities run contrary to the spirit of rejoicing that must be encouraged on the festivals. The laws of mourning on the festivals are discussed in Hilchot Eivel, Chapter 10. on the seven days of Pesach, the eight days of Sukkot, and the other holidays.44With this wording, the Rambam emphasizes that this prohibition also applies on the days of Chol HaMo'ed of Pesach and Sukkot. The other holidays the Rambam refers to are Rosh HaShanah and Shavuot.
The designation of Rosh HaShanah as a day of rejoicing - despite the fact that it is "the day of judgment" when we join in the collective acceptance of God as King - is reflected in Nechemiah 8:10, which records the charge Ezra and Nechemiah gave to the people: "Eat sumptuously, drink sweet beverages, and send portions to those who have none... for the joy of God is your strength" (based on a responsum of the Rambam's grandson, Rav Yehoshua HaNagid). On these days, a person is obligated to be happy and in good spirits; he, his children, his wife, the members of his household, and all those who depend on him, as [Deuteronomy 16:14] states: "And you shall rejoice in your festivals."
The "rejoicing" mentioned in the verse refers to sacrificing peace offerings, as will be explained in Hilchot Chaggigah.45Hilchot Chaggigah 1:1 explains that in addition to the peace offerings referred to as korban chaggigah, other peace offerings should be sacrificed, so that one will partake of sacrificial meat during the holiday. These are referred to as shalmei simchah (peace offerings of joy) and the Rambam associates partaking of them with the mitzvah to "rejoice on your festivals." Nevertheless, included in [this charge to] rejoice is that he, his children, and the members of his household should rejoice, each one in a manner appropriate for him.

(18) What is implied?46I.e., what are the activities that will arouse happiness? Cognizant that an emotion cannot be commanded at will, our Sages required that on the holidays a person work on creating a setting that will naturally spur happiness to ensue. Children should be given roasted seeds, nuts, and sweets. For women, one should buy attractive clothes and jewelry according to one's financial capacity. Men should eat meat and drink wine, for there is no happiness without partaking of meat,47The commentaries have raised questions on the Rambam's statements, based on Pesachim 109a, which states that during the time of the Temple, "there is no happiness without partaking of meat," this referring to sacrificial meat, as Deuteronomy 27:7 states, "And you shall sacrifice peace offerings... and you shall rejoice." After the destruction of the Temple, "there is no happiness without partaking of wine." No mention is made of the importance of eating non-sacrificial meat on the holidays.
Shulchan Aruch HaRav 529:7 explains that at present there is a greater obligation to drink wine than to eat meat. Nevertheless, since most people derive pleasure from eating meat, it is proper to partake of meat on the holidays.nor is there happiness without partaking of wine.48The intent is not that one's festive pleasure should be eating and drinking, as indicated by the following halachot. Instead, the intent is that a person should create an atmosphere of rest, relaxation, and happiness so that he can direct his attention to spiritual matters.
When a person eats and drinks [in celebration of a holiday], he is obligated to feed converts, orphans, widows,49When relating the command to rejoice on the festivals, Deuteronomy 16:14 states, "You shall rejoice on your festival together with your son and your daughter, your male and your female servants, the Levite, the convert, the orphan, and the widow." The Torah thus links the happiness one shares with the members of one's household with one's generosity in inviting the unfortunate to join in this rejoicing.
See also Hilchot Megillah 2:17, which states:
There is no greater and more splendid happiness than to gladden the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts.
One who brings happiness to the hearts of these unfortunates resembles the Divine Presence, which [Isaiah 57:15] describes [as having the tendency] "to revive the spirit of the lowly and... those with broken hearts."
and others who are destitute and poor.50The Mishnah Berurah 529:17 mentions that in addition to inviting guests to one's festive table, a collection should also be made before the holiday to provide for the holiday needs of poor people who are too embarrassed to ask for hospitality. In contrast, a person who locks the gates of his courtyard and eats and drinks with his children and his wife, without feeding the poor and the embittered, is [not indulging in] rejoicing associated with a mitzvah, but rather the rejoicing of his gut.
And with regard to such a person [the verse, Hoshea 9:4] is applied: "Their sacrifices will be like the bread of mourners, all that partake thereof shall become impure, for they [kept] their bread for themselves alone." This happiness is a disgrace for them, as [implied by Malachi 2:3]: "I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your festival celebrations."

(19) Although eating and drinking on the holidays are included in the positive commandment [to rejoice], one should not devote the entire day to food and drink. The following is the desired practice:
In the morning, the entire people should get up and attend the synagogues and the houses of study where they pray and read a portion of the Torah pertaining to the holiday.51See Hilchot Tefillah, Chapter 13, where the Torah portions associated with each holiday are mentioned. Afterwards, they should return home and eat. Then they should go to the house of study, where they read [from the Written Law] and review [the Oral Law] until noon.
After noon, they should recite the afternoon service and return home to eat and drink for the remainder of the day until nightfall.52The Rambam's statements follow the general guidelines given by Beitzah 15b, which states: Deuteronomy 16:18 refers to the festivals as "a gathering for God, your Lord," while Numbers 29:35 uses the expression, "A gathering for yourselves." What should be done? Divide them, half to God, and half to yourselves.

(20) When a person eats, drinks, and celebrates on a festival, he should not let himself become overly drawn to drinking wine, mirth, and levity, saying, "whoever indulges in these activities more is increasing [his observance of] the mitzvah of rejoicing." For drunkenness,53With regard to drunkenness, note the Rambam's statements in Hilchot De'ot 5:2, and in the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. III, chapter 8. profuse mirth, and levity are not rejoicing; they are frivolity and foolishness.
And we were not commanded to indulge in frivolity or foolishness, but rather in rejoicing that involves the service of the Creator of all existence. Thus, [Deuteronomy 28:47] states, "Because you did not serve God, Your Lord, with happiness and a glad heart with an abundance of prosperity." This teaches us that service [of God] involves joy. And it is impossible to serve God while in the midst of levity, frivolity, or drunkenness.54There are two dimensions reflected by the Rambam's statements:
a) the absolute negation of the hollow elation of frivolity;
b) the appreciation of the positive value of genuine happiness as an element of the service of God.
The latter concept receives greater focus in the conclusion of Hilchot Lulav, where the Rambam states:
The happiness with which a person should rejoice in the fulfillment of the mitzvot and the love of God who commanded them is a great service.... There is no greatness or honor other than celebrating before God.

(21) The [Jewish] court is obligated to appoint officers who will circulate [among the people] on the festivals and check the gardens, orchards, and river banks to see that men and women do not gather there to eat or to drink, lest they [conduct themselves immodestly and come to] sin.
Similarly, they must warn the people that men and women should not mix at festive gatherings in homes, nor should they overindulge in wine, lest they be led to sin.

(1) The commandment to rejoice on the festivals: To rejoice on the festivals, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 16:14), “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And the first matter that is hinted in joy is that we offer peace-offerings regardless [of one’s circumstances] at the Choice House. And [this] is like the matter that is written (Deuteronomy 27:7), “And you shall offer peace-offerings” and it continues, “and you shall rejoice on your holiday.” And [concerning] the offering of peace-offerings, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chagigah 6b), “Women are obligated in joy” — meaning that even they are obligated to bring peace-offerings of joy. And they, may their memory be blessed, also said (Chagigah 8a), “Rejoice in all types of rejoicing.” And included in this is the eating of meat and the drinking of wine, to wear new clothes, the distribution of fruit and types of sweets to the youths and the women and to play musical instruments in the Temple alone — and that is the joy of the drawing house (simchat beit hashoevah) that is mentioned in the Gemara (Sukkah 50a). All that we mentioned is included in “And you shall rejoice on your holiday.” ...

(2) It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because man is designed in [such] a way that his nature requires rejoicing occasionally, [just] like it requires nourishment in any case, and rest and sleep. And God wanted to give us — “His people and the flock of His grazing” — merit and [so] commanded us to make the rejoicing for His sake, so that we could merit in all of our deeds in front of Him. And behold, He fixed for us times during the year for holidays, to remember upon them the miracles and the goodnesses that He granted us. And He commanded us then at those times to support the physical with something of joy that it needs. And it comes out as a big remedy for us that the satiation of joyous occasions be for His sake and to remember Him; as this thought will be a fence, that we do not go further out than is enough from the straight path. And the one who has reflection without a desire to argue will find reason in my words..... And in the way that we mentioned did they, may their memory be blessed, say (Avot 2:17), “All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven.”

(3) It is prohibited to fast immediately after the holiday of Shavuot. Ramah: And we do not say Tachanun from the beginning of Rosh Chodesh Sivan until the 8th day, which is after the post-holiday day (Hagahot Maimoni, Hil' Tefillah Umnagim). We have the custom to spread out plants on Shavuot in the synagogue and in houses, as a memory for the happiness of the receiving of the Torah. We have a custom everywhere to eat dairy food on the first day of Shavuot. And it seems to me that the reason is: It is like the two foods that are taken on the evening of Pesach, a reminder of the Korban Pesach and a reminder of the Korban Chagiga, so too we eat a dairy food followed by a meat food, and we bring with them two loaves on the table in place of the Mizbeach, and thus there will be a reminder of the two loaves that were brought on "The day of the Bikkurim."

(11) .. In many places to eat.. And in regards to whether it is permissible to fast a fast due to a dream on Shavuot see...

(12) Dairy foods - See Magen Avraham and I also heard in the name of a Gadol who said a correct reason for this: that when Bnei Yisrael stood at Har Sinai and accepted the Torah(When the 10 commandments were revealed, and through this all the parts of the Torah were also revealed to them, like that Rav Sadya Gaon writes, that the 10 commandments sustain the whole torah) and they went down from the mountain to their homes they found nothing to eat immediately except for dairy foods because for meat they would need much preparation to slaughter with a checked knife like Hashem commanded... And to clean out the strings of forbidden fats and blood, and to rinse and salt (the meat). Also to cook in new vessels because their previous vessels had been used to cook meat (that they now discovered was actually trief) had been used in the last 24 hrs (which is what is forbidden Biblically) so their old vessels were forbidden to them, therefore they choose on account of the time to eat dairy foods and we do this as a commemoration of this.

(13) ....On the first day..." - In some places there is also a custom to eat honey and milk because the Torah is likened to them, as it says "honey and milk under your tongue...".

(14) ...Like the two that we cook... What this means to say is that on Passover we make a remembrance of the Koraban passover (on our seder plate with the bone) thus we do on Shavout by remember the "Shtei Halechem" that was brought, and therefore we eat a dairy meal and afterwards we eat a meat meal and we need to bring with the meal 2 different breads because it is forbidden to eat Milk and Meat from the same bread and this serves as our remembrance (having 2 breads we force ourselves to have by having a dairy meal then followed by a meat meal) "Shtei ha lechem

(22) The days between the first and the seventh days of Pesach and [the days between] the first and the eighth days of Sukkot are called Chol HaMo'ed55Chol means "ordinary" or "weekday" in Hebrew and HaMo'ed means "the festival." Thus, the term means "the ordinary days of the festival." For the Torah tells us that the festivals of Pesach and Sukkot should be celebrated for seven and eight days respectively, but states that only the first and last days should be regarded as holidays. The observance of these "ordinary days of the festival" is the focus of the remainder of the text. and are also called mo'ed. In the diaspora,56Where the first day of each holiday is celebrated for an extra day. there are four days during Pesach and five days during Sukkot.
Although we are obligated to celebrate on these days, and it is forbidden to deliver a eulogy or to fast,57See Hilchot Ta'aniot 1:7. it is permitted to deliver a eulogy before the corpse of a Torah sage. After he is buried, however, it is forbidden to deliver a eulogy on these days.58See Hilchot Eivel 11:5. The Ra'avad adds that a eulogy may be recited on the day when a community hears about a sage's death. The Rambam mentions this concept in Hilchot Eivel.
Needless to say that on Rosh Chodesh, on Chanukah, and on Purim we may deliver a eulogy before the corpse of a Torah sage, although it is forbidden to fast or deliver a eulogy on these days.59See Hilchot Megillah 2:13; Hilchot Chanukah 3:3. After the burial, however, it is forbidden to deliver a eulogy on these days.

(1) Although Chol HaMo'ed is not referred to as a Sabbath,1Which, as mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 2, is the proof-text requiring us to cease the performance of work on the holidays. since it is referred to as "a holy convocation" and it was a time when the Chagigah sacrifices were brought in the Temple, it is forbidden to perform labor2As evident from the continuation of the Rambam's statements, here the definition of labor is not - in contrast to the Sabbath and holidays - the 39 labors necessary to build the Sanctuary, but rather labor in the conventional sense: mundane activity that will prevent one from appreciating the festive mood of the holidays. during this period, so that these days will not be regarded as ordinary weekdays that are not endowed with holiness at all. A person who performs forbidden labor on these days is given stripes for rebelliousness, for the prohibition is Rabbinic in origin.3There are several Talmudic passages (e.g., Jerusalem Talmud, Pesachim 4:1) that quote verses from the Torah prohibiting the performance of work on Chol HaMo'ed. Nevertheless, according to the Rambam (and his position is shared by the Tur, Orach Chayim 530), these verses are merely asmachtot, allusions cited by the Rabbis as support for the decrees they instituted. [Significantly, however, the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Mo'ed Katan 1:1) contains an expression that indicates that he conceives of the prohibition against work on Chol HaMo'ed as part of the Oral Tradition given to Moses on Sinai.]
There are, however, other authorities [Yereim (the conclusion of section 304), the Ramban, and the Rashba] who maintain that the prohibition against work on Chol HaMo'ed is Scriptural in origin. The Be'ur Halachah 530 quotes the opinions of many authorities who accept this view.
The difference between these two perspectives is not merely theoretical in nature. One of the basic principles of Torah law is that when there is a doubt with regard to a question of Scriptural law, the more stringent view must be adopted. When, by contrast, there is a doubt with regard to a question of Rabbinic law, the more lenient view may be adopted. If the prohibition against working on Chol HaMo'ed is Scriptural in origin, then the more stringent view must be adopted in cases of doubt. Should, however, the prohibition be Rabbinic in origin, a lenient view may be adopted.
Not all the types of "servile labor" forbidden on a holiday are forbidden on it, for the intent of the prohibition is that the day not be regarded as an ordinary weekday with regard to all matters. Therefore, some labors are permitted on it, and some are forbidden.

(2) These are [the labors that are permitted]: Any labor may be performed if it would result in a great loss if not performed, provided it does not involve strenuous activity.
What is implied? We may irrigate parched land on [Chol Ha]Mo'ed,4The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 537:1) rules more stringently, stating that this is permitted, only when one had already begun irrigating the land before the commencement of the holiday.but not land that is well-irrigated. For if parched land is not irrigated, the trees on it will be ruined.
When a person irrigates [such land], he should not draw water and irrigate [the land, using water] from a pool or rain water, for this involves strenuous activity.5For he will have to carry water in buckets continually to irrigate the entire field [Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Mo'ed Katan 1:1)]. He may, however, irrigate it [using water] from a spring:6For the water in the spring flows on its own accord (Ibid.). whether an existing spring, or a spring that must be uncovered anew. He may extend the spring and irrigate [his land using this water]. The same applies in all similar situations.