1. Unlike Shabbos, you are allowed to do melachos on Yom Tov for ochel nefesh.
   1. This means that you are allowed to do anything that is needed for the preparation of food for a Jew.
   2. There is an isur D’Oraysa to cook for a non-Jew on Yom Tov.
      1. This applies only if a special pot of food was put on the fire for the non-Jew or additional food was added to the pot after the pot was placed on the fire. Adding additional food to the pot before the pot is placed on the fire is not an isur.
      2. According to many Poskim, you are not allowed to cook for a non-Jew on Chol HaMoed.
      3. In order to make certain that we would not cook for non-Jews on Yom Tov, Chazal instituted a special prohibition against inviting non-Jews to eat by us on Yom Tov. They were afraid that if the non-Jew would be a guest by a Jew, the Jew would come to cook for him. This prohibition is not present on Shabbos.
      4. In cases where there would be great ill feeling or possible loss a job if the non-Jew would not be invited, you are allowed to invite him. However, the cooking for him must be done as explained in #b1 above.
      5. Similarly, you are not allowed to cook on Yom Tov for a Jew who is mechalel Shabbos (and according to certain Poskim, the same is true for Chol HaMoed). You also are not allowed to invite him to eat by you on Yom Tov. There are sometimes special circumstances that allow the Jew to be invited over (perhaps kiruv work or some family member who would be badly insulted). The cooking, however, must be done in the special manner explained above. This would mean that if you want to make a cup of tea for the guest who is a Mechalel Shabbos, you would make it the same way as you would make tea on Shabbos.

3. This applies only to cooking on Yom Tov for use on the same day.
   1. You are not allowed to cook on Yom Tov for use afterwards, even from one day of Yom Tov to the other.
   2. Therefore, you have to be careful not to cook or warm up any food for the second night of Yom Tov (even Rosh Hashana) until after tzes hakochavim.
   3. You are allowed to cook food for one day of Yom Tov and then have some left over for use on another day or for use during the week. You would be able to even intentionally add more food to the pot before you put the pot on the fire, but not afterwards (see above).

2. Anything done on yom tov for ochel nefesh must be "shaveh lechol nefesh."
   1. This means that it must be something that the average person needs and not something that is needed only by people who are used to luxuries.
   2. This is the reason that many Poskim say that you are not allowed to smoke on Yom Tov.
   3. You are allowed to heat water on Yom Tov in order to be able to wash the dishes in hot water since this is considered "shaveh lechol nefesh."
      1. According to many Poskim, you are also allowed to remove water from a solar heater for use on Yom Tov.
      2. This is even according to those Poskim who hold that a solar heater should not be used on Shabbos.
      3. This is even if by the removal of water from the solar heater you cause additional water to enter and this additional water will be heated on Yom Tov, but not used that same day (see above).
      4. The reason this is permitted is because this is the only way for you to get the water that you require on Yom Tov and is therefore included in the category of ochel nefesh.

4. You are not allowed to heat up water on Yom Tov for bathing use since this is not considered "shaveh lechol nefesh."

3. The creation of fire on Yom Tov.
   1. You are not permitted to create a new fire on Yom Tov even for ochel nefesh. You are permitted, however, to light a new fire from an existing one.
      1. This includes lighting a match from an existing fire. You are also permitted to light a match from a cigarette.
      2. This is only if the light is required for cooking or to provide illumination. Lighting a fire for no purpose is prohibited.
      3. You are also permitted to carry a candle or other source of fire from one place to the other making certain not to extinguish it.
      4. Matches are probably not muktza on Yom Tov.

2. Generally speaking, you are not allowed to extinguish a fire on Yom Tov.
   1. Therefore, you have to be very careful when using matches not to blow them out. They should be gently placed into an ash tray where they will go out by themselves.
   2. The same is true for those who smoke: Cigarettes can not be extinguished on Yom Tov. They should also be placed into an ashtray where they will go out by themselves.
   3. Similarly, you are not allowed to lower a fire on Yom Tov.
   4. In principle, you are allowed to lower a fire for ochel nefesh reasons. You have only one burner on your stove and the recipe for the food requires first a higher flame and then a lower flame. The same is true as far as extinguishing a fire for ochel nefesh reasons, however, you can generally solve the problem by removing the pot from the fire and there is no need to put the fire out.
   5. If you are faced with the choice of either lowering the existing flame or lighting an additional, smaller flame for ochel nefesh, there is a machlokes:
      1. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach: You should light the additional flame and not lower the existing flame. This is more or less the minhag here in Israel. This is also the proper thing to do according to the Mechaber.
      2. Rav Moshe Feinstein: You should lower the existing flame and not light an additional flame.

6. Reb Moshe also has a very big chiddush in regard to gas flames. He holds that you are allowed to extinguish gas flames on Yom Tov for whatever reason you want. This applies only to gas flames. Even according to Reb Moshe, you are not allowed to extinguish matches on Yom Tov.
7. Some people have a minhag to indirectly extinguish the gas flame on Yom Tov by letting a full pot of water overflow and put out the fire. Many Poskim disagree with this minhag for the following reasons:
   1. It is good only if the hot water will be used on Yom Tov.
   2. Sometimes people "help" the water overflow by shaking the pot, which is obviously not allowed.
   3. It is not clear that you are allowed to indirectly extinguish a flame in this manner.

4. Candle lighting on Yom Tov.
   1. Some women light candles on Yom Tov early just as they do on Shabbos. Others light the candles when the husband comes home from the Tefilla.
   2. On Yom Tov it is proper to first make the bracha before lighting candles.
   3. You are not allowed to melt the bottom of the candles in order to make them stick in the candlesticks. You are also not permitted to shave down the end of the candles. However, you can force the candles into the candlesticks even if this does cause them to become narrower at the ends.
   4. Wax that has dripped from a candle is muktza on Yom Tov.
      1. You are allowed to clean out the candlesticks from excess wax in order to be able to use them on Yom Tov.
      2. This should be done via a screwdriver, knife, etc.
      3. It should be done directly into the garbage because the wax is muktza.
      4. You are not allowed to pour hot water on the candlesticks in order to melt the excess wax.

5. Preparation of food on Yom Tov.
   1. While the general rule on Yom Tov is that one is allowed to do all that is needed to prepare food, there are exceptions and qualifications to this rule. We will try to deal with these exceptions and at the same time compare Shabbos and Yom Tov as far as the various m'lachos are concerned.
   2. Squeezing of fruit for their juice on Yom Tov.
      1. Some Poskim allow the squeezing of fruit (i.e. oranges and grapefruit) for their juice on Yom Tov. Other Poskim prohibit this just like on Shabbos.
      2. As on Shabbos, you are allowed to squeeze fruit on to food:
         1. If the majority of the juice will be absorbed in the food.
         2. If the purpose of the juice is to enhance the taste of the food even if it isn't absorbed (lemon juice on fish).
         3. You are not allowed to squeeze juice into liquid (lemon into water).
         4. According to the Mishna Berura, you are allowed to squeeze fruit onto food and then place the food in liquid (lemon onto sugar and then into tea). The Chazon Ish does not permit this.
         5. The squeezing must be done by hand and not with a utensil, and must be done directly onto the food and not first into a cup and then to the food.
         6. There are certain cases where squeezing is permitted like on Shabbos:
            1. You are allowed to squeeze out excess liquids in order to improve the taste of the food (i.e. excess vinegar or brine from sour pickles).
            2. You are allowed to suck out fruit juice directly into your mouth (i.e. to such on an orange). You should not do so when eating grapes, but put the entire grape into your mouth and spit out what you don't want to eat.
            3. You are allowed to eat grapefruit even though while you eat you cause some of the juice to be squeezed out, assuming that this isn't your intention.

3. Grinding and mashing food on Yom Tov.
   1. Mashing, grinding or dicing uncooked fruits and vegetables:
      1. On Shabbos: The above is prohibited, however you can cut pieces that are larger than normal. This should be done only immediately before the meal.
      2. On Yom Tov: If the food won't taste good if prepared before Yom Tov (mashed potatoes or bananas, diced onions, etc.), you may do as you would normally do, using the normal utensils for this purpose.
      3. If the food will only lose a bit of its sharpness, but will taste okay (grinding spices or horseradish), a "shinuy" should be used: Instead of grinding it onto a plate, do so onto a napkin or the tablecloth.
      4. If preparing the food before Yom Tov will make no difference (dicing nuts), it should be prepared before Yom Tov. If for some reason it wasn't, you may prepare it on Yom Tov with a shinuy (as above).

2. Mashing, grinding or dicing cooked fruits and vegetables:
   1. The above rules mentioned in regard to Yom Tov apply here as well.
   2. On Shabbos (and also on Yom Tov) if the cooking has caused the food to begin to fall apart you can do whatever you want.
   3. If the food hasn't reached this stage, but has at least gotten soft and is now easily mashed, it can be mashed with a shinuy (using a fork instead of a potato masher).

3. Mashing, grinding or dicing foods that aren't fruits or vegetables:
   1. This is permitted both on Shabbos and Yom Tov assuming that a meat-grinder isn't used.
   2. Foods that are generally ground in meat-grinders should be prepared before Yom Tov. If this wasn't done, a home, non-electrical grinder may be used and a shinuy should be done as well.
   3. Food that was ground once may be ground again as on Shabbos (sugar cubes, chocolate, bread, etc).

4. Sorting and separating on Yom Tov.
   1. You are not allowed to "sort" on Yom Tov foods that are generally sorted in large quantities. This is because it looks like you are sorting for many days in advance.
   2. This is prohibited even if now it is for immediate use and there was no opportunity to do the sorting before Yom Tov.
   3. Therefore: You may not sift flour on Yom Tov. If you sifted the flour before Yom Tov and some dirt fell in, you can re-sift it on Yom Tov with a shinuy, i.e. turn the sifter upsides down.
   4. Other foods (generally sorted in small quantities for use shortly after the sorting) can be sorted on Yom Tov according to the following rules:
      1. A utensil used for sorting large amounts of food may not be used.
      2. A potato peeler is not included in this category and may be used.
      3. The same goes for a strainer: You can strain noodles, macaroni, etc.

5. If the food could have been sorted before Yom Tov, it is proper to follow the same rules for sorting on Yom Tov as on Shabbos: Take the food from the dirt, with your hand, for immediate use.
6. Unlike Shabbos, you are allowed to sort for later use as long as it will be used on Yom Tov.
7. Unlike Shabbos, you don't have to take the food from the dirt, but you should take that which involves less bother. This generally means taking that which is less in quantity, but if there is less bother in removing the dirt even if there is more of it than the food, you can still remove the dirt on Yom Tov. If the bother is equal, you can remove any one that you want.

6. Showers on Yom Tov.
   1. There is a rabbinical prohibition against taking hot showers or baths on Yom Tov. Chazal were concerned that if they allowed one to bathe with hot water, he might come to heat up water for this purpose, an act which is prohibited on Yom Tov.
   2. There is a minhag not to bathe even with cold water on Shabbos or Yom Tov. This minhag is a result of the many technical problems associated with bathing on these days – particularly the problem of sechitah (squeezing water from one’s hair while drying it).
   3. Since this is only a minhag, in cases where a person is suffering (from the heat, for example), the poskim allow him to bathe with cold or lukewarm water. The following rules should be kept in mind:
      1. One should use cold or lukewarm water only.
      2. No washcloths or sponges may be used.
      3. One may use liquid soap but not solid soap.
      4. Be very careful when drying off, especially the hair, to do so gently in order to avoid squeezing out any water.
      5. Wet towels should not be hung out to dry.

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