These notes are intended solely to aid in the learning process and should not be considered authoritative halachic conclusions
Please do not rely on these notes l’maaseh
הChelek 5
- As a rule, you are not allowed to accept monetary wages for doing melachos that are permitted on C.H. – it’s like uvda d’chol. Below are the exceptions. (ShA – MB )
- You are allowed to eat meals by your employer in lieu of set wages. (ShA )
- You are allowed to charge for professional work that saves someone from financial loss. (If the baal habayis can find non-Jews to do the work, he shouldn’t employ Jews.) (Rama – MB )
- Melacha for Ochel Nefesh – if you cannot find people that are willing to do the melacha for free, you can be lenient to pay them. (BeH “afilu”)
- A poor Jewish worker with no food to feed his family is allowed to be employed without any job restrictions on C.H. He should keep the work in seclusion if possible. Some poskim allow him to work as long as he does not have money to buy all that he needs for Yom Tov. But in this case, he is not allowed to do melacha out in the open. (ShA – MB – ShaH 14 – BeH “al y’day”)
- This poor worker need not sell household items before working. However, he mustn’t work if he has merchandise to sell. (MB ) #