1,087. Labor on Erev Yom Tov

Shvisas Yom Tov 8:16

On chol hamoed, it is not permitted to relocate from a house in one courtyard to a house in another courtyard, neither from a less pleasant dwelling to a more pleasant one, nor vice versa. One may, however, move from one house to another within the same courtyard. Items that will be used on chol hamoed, such as pillows, blankets and cups, may be brought from the craftsman’s residence. Things that are not needed for yom tov, like a plow from a blacksmith or wool from the dyer, may not be brought on chol hamoed. If the craftsman has no food, one may pay him for his work, leaving the object to be picked up after yom tov. If the buyer doesn’t trust the craftsman, the item may placed in another house in the courtyard. If one is concerned that his purchase may be stolen, it may be moved to a house in another courtyard but it should not be brought home unless one can do so discreetly.

Shvisas Yom Tov 8:17

One is not permitted to perform acts of labor on the day before a holiday starting from the time of “mincha ketana” (9.5 halachic hours), the same as on a Friday afternoon. If one does perform labor at this time, he will see no sign of blessing from it. He should be reprimanded and compelled to cease his labors but one is not punished with the lashes given for acting rebelliously, nor is one excommunicated for this. The exception is after midday on Passover eve. One who works at that time should be placed under a ban; if he was not, it goes without saying that he should be given lashes for acting rebelliously. This is because 14 Nisan is different from the days preceding other holidays because this was the time when the holiday offering was brought and the Passover offering was slaughtered.