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“There is a mitzvah of simcha on Chol Hamoed, as on Yom Tov. Therefore, men should eat meat or drink wine, children should be given treats, and husbands should gladden their wives with gifts of new clothing or jewelry (Kitzur Halachos: Yom Tov & Chol Hamoed by Rav Zev Hofstedter)”
So what is a single girl who doesn’t have anyone buying her clothes or jewelry supposed to do?? (It’s a good thing that I like meat and wine!).
1. Treat yourself to stuff!
2. Try to be misameach someone in an even lonelier matzav.
3. Do all the things that bring YOU kosher simcha!!!
4. Call someone funny, who always makes you laugh:)
5. Ask Hashem to “notice” your valiant efforts to be b’simcha and help you maintain it, and that the next yom tov should be with family: your OWN!
So eat meat and drink wine. Or go to Century 21 and buy yourself stuff. I’m a man and buying stuff always makes one happy.
Lilmod, I bought me and my kids some great Jewish books to read over yom tov, def enhanced yom tov:) I reread “Galia”, which really makes one a better Jew!
Maybe, as you’re still the child of your parents, one of them should buy you candy? 🙂
You can buy things on sale. Anyway try learning a sefer with friends, or going out to do something with them.
anyhow, it’s assur to go shopping on Chol Hamoed.
It’s assur to make general, blanket, statements that may or may not apply to people reading the CR.
Two of my daughters work in retail in Yerushalayim, and I guarantee you, they have plenty of business from all sorts of customers over chol hamoed, including chareidim. If shopping is assur, perhaps someone forgot to tell them.
The father or the husband is suppose to provide Simchas HaChagfor his duaghter or wife. A stranger should not be providing these delicacies as it can be misinterpreted as Kiddushin money if the female is unmarried.
Swap gifts with another single female.
Don’t rely on anyone else to provide your happiness and joy of life.
Nice one, Goq.
The Gra says that one of the most difficult mitzvos to fulfill is that of v’samachta b’chagecha. It’s not as easy as buying a new top. Hashem gave each of us the means to find true happiness within ourselves. That’s why it’s so difficult – because it’s inside of us, and we need to bring it out by arousing our neshamos through tefillah or talmud torah or hisbodedus, thinking of the beauty in creation or the incomprehensible wisdom of Hashem visible throughout everything in the world. Perhaps the above-mentioned halachos are meant as an aid for people unable to extract such simcha without external help. Just a thought.
Be happy!
Money is hard these days and it’s hard to find stuff you like. If chol hamoed is when you finally get paid/money/coupons from chesed organazations that you did not have time to use before chag and things are on sale (pre-winter/and want buisness on chol hamoed) there’s no wonder why chareidi people do go shopping on chol hamoed.
lilmod ulelamaid – if we think about it a little deeper we’ll understand that the halacha is explaining what materialistic items bring people simcha. For Men – good food. For Kids – Candies and treats. For Women – dresses and jewelry. It shouldn’t be understood that women must receive clothing from men (and if not they won’t be happy), rather it is stating that men MUST buy their wives presents for the Chag even if financially tight. Of course, if a woman is not married and independent she should buy herself a nice dress or jewelry for the Chag (even if she’s trying to save money). Hopefully, girls in such situation should be zoche to get married soon and have the extra joy of receiving a present from their husbands.
halacha question: may someone buy a new outfit for second days of yom tov if they really need and was no time before yom tov?
never mind, I forgot: clothes cost money. Ha ha 🙂
Yes you can buy a new outfit and likewise you can wash clothing on Chol Ha Moed if you need it for the last days.
ty
What’s the great idea of someone buying you something? Is that all what simchas Yom Tov is about? You can’t just get it yourself? You need a husband just so that “someone” is going to buy you something? I’m missing some here.
lilmod, that is a true sign that Hashem loves you and understands every individual persons needs !!! Wow!!!!!
I like your last line!
Lilmod, she can by it herself and rely on Rambam’s opinion (http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14276&st=&pgnum=265) that she has her own obligation of simcha. The Shaagat Arieh, in teshuva 65 (http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1832&st=&pgnum=119), says that anything that gladdens a person is part of the mitzva (he also rules that a woman has her own mitzva).
lilmod ulelamaid- I would like to thank you for posting this question…it is the foundation for a great deal of Torah learning, for both myself and my congregation. In fact, the sermon and shiur on Shmini Atzeres will be about the commandment to be joyful on holidays.
We all know the words “V’Samachta B’Chagecha”…in fact, we turned them into a popular song that is known all “over the world (VSamachta B’chagecha v’hayisah ach samaeyach). However, that is not actually a verse in the Torah…it is really a blending of two different verses:
“VESAMACHA BECHAGECHA ata u’vanecha u’vitcha v’avdicha v’amahsecha v’ha’Levi v’ha’ger v’ha’yasom v’ha’almanah asher b’shaarecha. Shivas Yammim Tachog L’Hashem Elokecha ba’makom asher yivchar Hashem ki yivarechicha Hashem Elokecha bechol tevuascha u’vechol maasey yadecha V’HAYISAH ACH SAMEYACH” (Devarim 16:14-16:15).
On the surface, this seems to be a commandment to be happy on the holidays, including Chol HaMoed. However, if that was the Torah’s only intent, it could have simply said “V’samacha Bechagecha lifney Hashem Elokecha”, or words to that effect. IMO, the fact that it specifically mentions the Ger, the Widow, the Orphan, etc teaches us that true joy comes from being b’simcha with others; when we include others in our celebrations, we reach a high level of joy that gladdens us even if there are troubles in our lives (ach samayach- “nevertheless, be happy”). Helping someone else enjoy the holiday (ex. visiting the sick, giving tzedakah to help people buy meat for yom tov, etc) is a conduit to being able to experience true joy.
You made someone else happy at the Kotel and Hashem blessed you with happiness as well. May He continue to bless you and bring you and happiness and may he fulfill the wishes of your heart for the good.
Wow lilmod, Hashem must love you a lot!!! I’m so happy for you!!! Such Hashgata Pratis
keychain?
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