Introduction to Hilchos Yom Tov

How is it that certain melachos are permitted on Yom Tov and others are prohibited?

With respect to Yom Tov the Torah repeatedly states– כל מלאכת עבודה לא תעשו, [1] (you shall not do any work) and being a negative commandment, its violation carries a penalty of lashing.

Not performing melachos on Yom Tov is a mitzvas aseh – a positive commandment, learned from the words shabbaton in the possuk – which means to rest. [2]

How do you define מלאכת עבודה?

מלאכת עבודה refers to procedures with non-food items. For example, turning off a light (we will see the halacha when turned off in relation to eating); construction and demolition; digging a pit etc.

On the other hand, direct melachos with food [3] such as reaping, threshing, gathering, winnowing, sorting, grinding, kneading, baking, shechting, cooking, picking fruit, capturing animals and transferring from one domain to another, are מלאכת אוכל נפש – melachos and performed for eating purposes on Yom Tov. The Torah permitted these melachos with food for the sake of eating on Yom Tov, as it says אך אשר יעשה לכל נפש הוא לבדו יעשה לכם – melachos performed for the sake of the physical part of a person (eating and drinking) are permitted.

It is noted that this is mid’oraisso (biblically permitted) but mid’rabanan there are many restrictions, as we will see. [4]

So why is lighting a fire permitted?

That is true, but since one cooks food with fire it is also called אוכל נפש and permitted for cooking. [5] We will also learn be”H that one may light a fire from an existing fire and may not strike a match to light a fire. However, it is ossur to turn on an electric light, because amongst other problems, one is starting a fire from scratch and not passing fire from one place to another.

But I believe one may light a fire for warmth and to read even though it is not for food?

Also correct, but for another reason. The gemora Beitza 12a tells us that a concept called מתוך is employed. Namely, any melacha that may be performed for אוכל נפש (eating and drinking) may be performed and even not for אוכל נפש, provided that:

• the benefit derived is slightly necessary on Yom Tov [6]
• it brings physical benefit or pleasure – צורך הגוף or for a mitzvah that must be done on Yom Tov. [7]
• the physical comfort benefits most Jews. (This excludes burning incense, for example, a pleasure limited to a select portion of the populace).

Can you give an example of direct physical benefit?

Carrying an item from a reshus hayachid to a reshus harabim, such as carrying one’s child in the street to take him for a walk or carrying a lulav through a reshus harabim to shul is direct benefit from the melacha of carrying.

Lighting a fire or candle to read or for warmth is permitted, even though it is not food related.

And indirect benefit?

Conversely, performing a melacha that is one step away (or more) from physical benefit is prohibited, for example, to craft a skewer or spit to roast meat. The physical benefit attained is from the roasted meat and not from the spit. A sharp knife is most appreciated for carving meat, but sharpening the knife is an indirect benefit because one physically enjoys eating the meat, not the sharp knife. [8]

Even though these actions and similar ones are performed to prepare food necessary for Yom Tov, since the melachos are not done to the food, rather stages preparatory to preparing the food, they are not אוכל נפש. They are known asמכשירי אוכל נפש , where  מכשירי means preparatory.

But aren’t there different types of מכשירין?

Yes there are, and the concept is as follows. מכשירין that can be done before Yom Tov may not be done on Yom Tov. מכשירין that cannot be done before Yom Tov, or due to extenuating circumstances could not be performed before Yom Tov, may be performed on Yom Tov.

Since one can sharpen a knife, fashion a spit and chop wood for firewood before Yom Tov one may therefore not do so on Yom Tov.

The Shulchan Aruch HaRav writes that, if however, the knife became blunt on Yom Tov or the spit lost its point, one may sharpen the knife and the spit because these actions of מכשירין could not be done prior to Yom Tov. [9] The Mishna Berura [10] however cites Rishonim who disagree and say that sharpening is always ossur on Yom Tov. We will be”H discuss this at a later stage.