Hamoed

Hamoed, also rendered as Chag HaMoed, is a Hebrew term meaning the festival’s intermediate days. It refers to the days within certain Jewish holidays that lie between the first and last Yom Tov days. The concept is most commonly applied to Passover (Pesach) and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). On these holidays, a portion of the days are designated as full festival days (Yom Tov) with the most stringent restrictions, while the days in between are observed as Hamoed, a semi-festive period with more limited restrictions.

Observance during Hamoed is less strict than on Yom Tov. Work is not wholly prohibited as on Shabbat or Yom Tov, but many types of work remain restricted or discouraged. The allowed activities typically accommodate the needs of the festival and its celebration, such as cooking for the festival, travel, attending to holiday preparations, and enjoying the festival atmosphere and associated customs. The exact rules can vary by community and tradition, and some practices are more lenient in secular or modern settings.

Historically, the categorization into Yom Tov and Hamoed comes from Talmudic and Halachic discussions and is codified in classical Jewish legal codes. In contemporary practice, Hamoed days are often observed with a focus on communal and family celebration, festive meals, and participation in related customs, while balancing practical daily needs.

Geographically, differences exist between Israel and the diaspora. In Israel, fewer days of Yom Tov are observed, which affects how Hamoed is reflected in calendars and daily life. In the diaspora, additional Yom Tov days influence the length and character of the Hamoed period.