This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes…
Question:
I have a question regarding laundry on chol hamo'ed. I know that we can wash children's clothing that is needed for the chag if there's no replacement. We're in that position – the kids are growing so quickly that we don't buy replacements. We wash what they have and their clothes get dirty all the time. When they will outgrow what they have we will buy new clothes. The bottom line is that our children have a small wardrobe and we end up washing their clothes on chol hamo'ed. My question is if we're washing the children's clothing on chol hamo'ed (which I know is permissible), can my wife and I add our own clothing to the wash as well?
Answer:
You are correct that children's clothing can be laundered on chol hamo'ed.[i] The full gezeira of washing clothing on chol hamo'ed was not inclusive of garments that soil quickly and are washed frequently. Therefore, items such as dish towels, handkerchiefs, socks and stockings have the same halachos as children's clothing. It is not necessary to purchase new clothing for the children in order to have a supply for the whole chag. Nonetheless, by erev yom tov all the children's clothes should be laundered, so that you minimize the number of loads done on chol hamo'ed. Using this principle, it is also best to wait for a full load of children's clothes to wash so that you don't just wash load after load on chol hamo'ed.
The heter for washing children's clothing is broad enough to include a child's garment that is dirty even if there is a different garment that could be worn, provided there is a reason to prefer the dirty garment over the clean one. For example, if the dirty garment is nicer or more suitable for an activity planned for Chol Hamoed, one may wash the dirty garment even though there is a clean one available.[ii]
While the washing machine is going for the kids' clothes, you might think that you could drop in adult clothing to fill the load, since you are not doing any extra washing. Such an idea is found regarding cooking. If you only need a cup of hot water cooked on yom tov, you can add a liter or more of water to the pot since one act of cooking (turning on the fire) is sufficient for both amounts.[iii] Washing clothing on Chol Hamoed, however, has a different logic than other melachos on yom tov. The reason for the issur is to make certain that one enters the chag with clean, laundered clothes.[iv] Therefore, on chol hamo'ed one cannot add adult clothes to a load of children's clothes that is being washed anyway.[v] Nevertheless, one is permitted to add to the load all children's clothing that could conceivably be needed during the chag.[vi]
Adult clothing is different in that it can only be washed immediately before it is needed and only if there is no alternative.[vii]
May we be able to join in the korban Pesach this year.
BookID: 1 Chapter: 534
[i] סימן תקל''ד ס''א, ועיין מ''ב סק''ז.
[ii] פסקי הלכות של הרב משה פיינשטיין זצ''ל אות י''א בספר זכרון שלמה.
O.C. 503:2[iii]
[iv] עמ''ב תקל''ד סק''א. ומה''ט נראה דלא התירו פוסקי זמנינו כיבוס ע''י מכונת כביסה אע''פ דודאי ליכא הטורח שיש בכביסה בזמן התקנה, דאין איסור כיבוס במועד מחמת הטורח אלא כדי שלא יכנס למועד כשהוא מנוול, ובזה אין לחלק בין כביסה ביד לכביסה במכונה. אבל מ''מ אפשר דגדר האיסור הוא כשאר מלאכות בחוה''מ, והיכא דליכא טרחא מעיקרא לא היה בכלל הגזירה, ושמעתי ממו''ר הרב שלמה פישר שליט''א דיש מקום להקל האידנא במכונות כביסה וחזי לאיצטרופי בדאיכא עוד צדדין להקל. ועפ''ז מבוסס מש''כ לקמן בהערה הבא. וגם לפי סברא זו יש לאסור לכבס בגדי גדולים יחד עם בגדי קטנים בחוה''מ, די''ל דגדר האיסור הוא טרחא, אבל היכא דסברת מיעוט טרחא יגרום לבטל כל סבת התקנה לא היו מקילים חז''ל בכה''ג, משא''כ בהערה 4 כביסת בגדי קטנים שרי, ואין כאן ביטול סבת התקנה ולכן יש למעט כמה שיותר בטירחא.
[v] פסקי הלכות של הרב משה פיינשטיין זצ''ל אות ט' בספר זכרון שלמה. אמנם אם חושש להפסד המים ואבק הכביסה שילך לאיבוד יש לדון מטעם דבר האבד, אולם לענ''ד אין דוחק העניות בדר''כ גדול עד כדי כך. וכשיקרה דבר כזה ויוכרע שיש כאן היתר של דבר האבד, מ''מ נראה דיאסר ללבש בגד המכובס בחוה''מ דאל''כ חוזרת הגזירה שמא יכנס לרגל מנוול. וע''ע בשש''כ פס''ו ס''ק רנ''א.
[vi] In fact, it is preferable to fill one load with all the children's clothing that will likely be needed over the chag, rather than washing the children's clothing as needed. The logic being that one large load requires less melacha and less involvement in non-mo'ed activity, than multiple smaller loads.עשש''כ פס''ו ס''ק רנ''ד, ובפסקי באר משה אות כ''ו בספר זכרון שלמה.
[vii] Immediately is defined as the amount of time necessary to make the garment fit for use. Therefore, you can calculate the time necessary for drying and ironing the garment as well. (Using a dryer and ironing are permissible activities on chol hamo'ed, see O.C. 541:3.)