Chol HaMoed

Chol HaMoed (Hebrew: חול המועד‎), a Hebrew phrase meaning "weekdays [of] the festival" (literal translation: "the secular [non-holy] (part of) the occasion"), refers to the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot. As the name implies, these days mix features of "chol" (weekday or secular) and "moed" (festival).

On Passover, Chol HaMoed consists of the second through sixth days of the holiday (third through sixth in the Diaspora). On Sukkot, Chol HaMoed consists of the second through seventh days (third through seventh in the Diaspora).

Although it has a unique name, Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot, is part of Chol HaMoed. Prayer services that day combine some usual practices of Chol HaMoed with practices of both Yom Tov and the High Holy Days.

General concepts

Chol HaMoed combines features of weekday (Chol) and festival (Moed).

Weekday (Chol)

Work. On weekdays during Chol HaMoed the usual restrictions that apply to the Biblical Jewish holidays are relaxed, but not entirely eliminated. For example, work that would normally be prohibited on the festival would be allowed to prevent financial loss or if the results of the work are needed for the festival itself. Work for public need is also allowed. If one has the ability to take vacation from work without financial loss during those days, he or she is normally required to do so. Many tasks such as laundry washing, hair cutting and shaving are to be avoided except in some circumstances.
Prayers. Prayers on weekdays during Chol HaMoed are based on the weekday order of prayers, not the festival order of prayers.