There is a mitzva to rejoice with family members and guests, and to have at least two meals each day, one at night and one during the day. Fine food and alcoholic beverages should be served at these meals. Since these days are not Yom Tov, having complete festive meals is a mitzva, but not an obligation. What is obligatory is for the meals to be better than weekday meals.
Similarly, on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed it is a mitzva, but not an obligation, to wear quality clothing that one enjoys wearing. There should be a noticeable difference between the clothes worn on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed and those worn during the week.
It is also a mitzva to study Torah on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed, just as there is on Shabbat and Yom Tov. This is why God gave us the festivals, and this is why working on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed is forbidden. Therefore, one should dedicate half of each festival day to Torah study.
The mitzva of rejoicing on the festivals includes doing pleasurable activities, such as singing, dancing, and going on outings. However, this permission is limited to short trips, which contribute to holiday joy and are not exhausting or burdensome. They should not be at the expense of the half-day dedicated to Torah study. Nevertheless, one may make a long trip on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed to visit the holy city of Jerusalem (and the Temple Mount), or to visit one’s rabbi, even if this means one will not be able to dedicate half of that day to studying Torah.
Weddings are not held on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed, as the mitzva is to celebrate the festival and nothing else.
When someone passes away during a festival, the relatives are allowed to take care of all the burial needs on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed. However, since there is a Torah obligation to rejoice on these days, eulogies are not delivered, as they may make people cry.
Even on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed, the mourners tear their clothing during the funeral. After the funeral, they resume wearing holiday clothing. The shiva does not take place until after the festival, since the joy of the festival defers the mourning. Even though the mourners do not sit shiva during the festival, their close friends are allowed to visit and support them.
