What Hebrew term means the intermediate festival days of Passover?

Chol HaMoed is the Hebrew term for the intermediate festival days of Passover.

The phrase combines chol, meaning “ordinary” or “weekday,” with moed, meaning an appointed festival time. It describes days that retain important holiday observances but do not have quite the same status as the opening and closing festival days. Passover’s central prohibition on chametz continues throughout Chol HaMoed.

In Israel, Passover lasts seven days, with the first and seventh days treated as major festival days; the intervening days are Chol HaMoed. Outside Israel, traditional communities observe eight days, so the intermediate period generally runs between the opening and closing festival days. Work restrictions are typically lighter than on yom tov, though they are not simply ordinary weekdays.

A common mix-up is treating Chol HaMoed as a term exclusive to Passover. It also names the intermediate days of Sukkot. Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur are fast days, while Rosh Chodesh means the beginning of a Hebrew month.