Laundry chol hamoed

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 8:12 pm

I do not understand this Halacha. I washed all my laundry on erev yuntiv. I do not have clothing left. My baby spits up a lot. Why is this simchas yuntiv ? I don’t have 10 skirts / dresses for YT.

amother

Cantaloupe

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 8:14 pm

I agree.
I washed some of my clothing along with a load I did for my kids clothing this morning. Otherwise I will not have what to wear for the rest of Yom Tov

amother

↑ OP

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 8:51 pm

So I have to pick out all the spit up clothing from the laundry? Should we wear dirty clothing even if it’s not spit up? 100 years ago they had minimal clothing. Were they just dirty everyday?
This gets me so upset every year. It’s 2024 - so easy to throw in laundry. It’s not a tircha.
I’m so frustrated.

happy chick

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:00 pm

This is an area where many people are not so machmir. We need clean clothes. Laundry is the push of a button and on with the show.

I don't see anyone lining up to do my mounds and mounds of laundry after yom tov.

notshanarishona

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:10 pm

Same. Its a very expensive time and many people don’t have enough clothes for 9 days without laundry, especially needing 6 days worth of Shabbos clothes. As far as as I understand their is a heter to wash things that get dirty easily and to wash if you run out of clothes but ask your own shayla.

amother

Natural ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:10 pm

happy chick wrote:

I am doing what is needed. I feel guilty but my mental health... I can't deal with the mountains of laundry

amother

Pearl

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:15 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes, they were MUCH dirtier and less hygienic 100 years ago. They wore the same shirt or dress days in a row, and they were much more physically active.

Trust me, you don't want to live back then.

It's better to buy on Chol Hamoed than do laundry so take advantage and buy something new! (Attitude is everything :-)

And of course you can wash for the baby. Ask a rav if you can throw in your baby-related clothing that you care for baby in.

Eishes Chaim ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:19 pm

I face this hardship every year chol hamoed....
I usually end up throwing some of my things (that I need for second days) with the kids load...

amother

Stone ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:27 pm

I sent my husband to ask: if we can’t afford enough clothes to not do laundry, is it ok to do laundry?
The rav’s first response was to wear clothes twice which I said I am not comfortable with. Then he said we would be allowed to accept tzedakah to be able to afford this. I explained how it wasn’t that simple as a few hundred dollars helping as it would mean 5 more outfits for a few of us and not just outfits but bras , underwear, tzisis, suit, socks and then he said it’s ok to do laundry once we run out.

amother

Wine

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:35 pm

amother Stone wrote:

I don't know why. But this general attitude really bothers me.
You asked your Rav, so I'm not talking to you.
But Chol Hamoed has serious halachos. It's not just made up.
We may not understand it, but it's really there. In the Shulchan Aruch, the Mishna Brurah.
It bothers me that we can just not be "comfortable" wearing clothing twice and essentially not giving the Rav a choice but to give a heter.

amother

Violet

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:38 pm

I do laundry as normal, I have to. I have hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and need to change 2-3x daily usually. And I can’t afford a massive wardrobe right now, so I’ll be doing laundry every day chol hamoed and no way around it

↑ TravelHearter

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:40 pm

In answer to your question about how to have enough clothes-
Why I usually do is combine summer plus winter and add some outfits I don’t love on the days I’m not going out much.

tweety1

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:41 pm

So my little brain does this thinking. Wrong? Probably. But it is what is. I really don't know why laundry is not allowed. For the sake of this conversation it's because it's yt and now work should be done. Now, on yt you're allowed to cook לצורך יום טוב. What is needed on yt. For me clean laundry is לצורך יום טוב. If something got dirty and I need it I wash it. Of course not on yt but chol homoed for me it's the same לצורך יום טוב. Furthermore, if I would to have to wear dirty laundry on yt then it would take away from the עונג יום טוב and that is why I wash laundry whatever I need for whoever I need.

↑ Eishes Chaim

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:42 pm

tweety1 wrote:

This...

amother

↑ Stone

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:44 pm

amother Wine wrote:

I can’t feel gross and wear dirty sweaty clothes , especially on yom tov when we are already not showering and pretty dirty. I need to enjoy yom tov and feel comfortable going out, not being self conscious that I stink.

amother

Bluebell

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 11:30 pm

amother Natural wrote:

Everyone was already re wearing clothes. I was not able to do as much laundry as I wanted to do before yom tov.

That sounds like a lack of preparedness, not a problem with the Halacha

amother

Chocolate

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 11:31 pm

There are lots of Halachas chol hamoed that we evolved on such as taking pictures it’s like writing but we all do it because it’s digital and enjoyable but I know some real frum who do it.

The reason why you are not supposed to do laundry chol hamoed is because in the olden days they washed once a month (or less) and they didn’t want people to take advantage of the free time on yom tov to wash. If you washed all your laundry before yom tov and are throwing in a load or two for second days it’s not a avoda and many poskim allow it.

giftedmom

Mon, Oct 21 2024, 12:32 am

I don’t get how anyone can not wash on a schedule like this year. I already bought extra just so we have for the three days. Everyone here gets dirty bas/bar mitzvah or not. Male and female. Not just sweat but mud and food stains of all colors.