Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 538

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 538 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 11. Some Things with a Potential Loss, 6 Seifim: If one turned his olives or had wine in the pit and then something forced him [to not finish the process] or he forgot or he neglected to do it because he thought that it could wait until after the holiday, and he thus did not finish the process before the holiday, because there is potential loss involved, he may empty the vats [into the press], both big and little ones, and cork (meaning to put in the stopper) the vats as usual with no change [in the way it is done]. Rem"a: It is also the case that he can fix the vats by fixing them with wicker (Mordechai). However, he should not plan to do this work on hol hamoed. Rather, he should do everything before the holiday if he knows that it will end up being necessary on the holiday (Hagahot Maimoni and Trumat Hadeshen). He can also take his flax out of the retting, and any other similar case that involves a potential loss, as long as he does not plan to do this work on the holiday.
2. 22. It is permitted to bring fruit in because of [fear of] theft if they are not in a protected place. However, this should be done in secret, for instance, at night. If it is something that will be more public during night than during the day, like if it will need to be done with torches and noise, he should bring them in during the day. Rem"a: If it is only possible to do this publicly, everything is allowed when there is potential loss (the Magid chapter 7 and Mordechai chapter "Mi sheHafach").
3. 33. It is forbidden to transport money between cities if there is no potential loss involved.
4. 44. If one had figs lying in the field to dry and he worries about rain, he is allowed to cover them with straw. The cover can even be thick.
5. 55. If somebody has merchandise that will be ruined if it is not flipped, it is permitted to flip it on Chol Hamoed.
6. 66. If one planned his work such that it would be left for hol hamoed and did it on hol hamoed, the court destroys what he accomplished, repossesses it, and renders it ownerless. Rem"a: If he did work for others such that it is impossible to penalize him, like if he is a tailor or a scribe who does work for others, they would excommunicate him and lash him (Beit Yosef and Rabbenu Yerucham). If he died, his son should not be penalized. [His son] is permitted to do the work if there is a potential loss involved.

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