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SUMMARY
It is permitted to make a fishnet but not a bird net on Chol ha'Mo'ed.
It is permitted to make an oven on Chol ha'Mo'ed it there is sufficient time for it to dry out and be used by the end of the Mo’ed.
It is permitted to build a fence for a roof or a balcony in an unprofessional manner on Chol ha'Mo'ed. (1)
It is permitted to close off cracks in an oven using a hand or a foot but it is forbidden to use a professional roller.
Up until the time of Yochanan Kohen Gadol it was permitted to use hammers to fix items on Chol ha'Mo'ed (if leaving them unfixed will cause a financial loss), but Yochanan Kohen Gadol decreed that it is forbidden. (2)
If a person had prepared his olives for the olive press and a close relative died before he had a chance to press them, there is a dispute between the Amora’im whether he may proceed with the pressing of the olives during his mourning period. (3)
During the mourning period it is permitted for others to do certain types of essential work for the mourner. (4)
A person that was hired by a mourner to do a job may not do the work in the house of the mourner.
A BIT MORE
1. Rebbi Yosef says a fence may be built using palm branches and wooden planks. The Beraisa says that it may be built normally with stone but plaster may not be used.
2. Rebbi Chisda says that the Mishnah only permits fixing broken parts of a door if a tool that does not make noise is used. Rebbi Papa says that the Mishnah was stated prior to the decree of Yochanan Kohen Gadol. Rebbi Ashi says that the Mishnah is in accordance with Rebbi Yosi who holds that it is permitted to fix an item in the normal way if leaving them unfixed will cause a financial loss.
3. Rebbi Shisha holds that one may not proceed with the pressing of the olives during the period of mourning. Even though on Chol ha'Mo'ed it is permitted if there are extenuating circumstances, the period of mourning is more stringent. Rebbi Ashi holds that Chol ha'Mo'ed is more stringent than the period of mourning and therefore since it is permitted on Chol ha'Mo'ed it is likewise permitted during the mourning period.
4. Rebbi Shimon Ben Gamliel says that if the mourner does not have anyone to perform certain types of essential work for him he may do it himself discreetly. Additionally if a mourner provides essential services for the public it would be permitted for the mourner to continue to provide these services even during his mourning period in the days prior to Yom Tov.
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BRIEF INSIGHT
The Mishnah says that a fence may be built on a roof or balcony but it must be built differently than normal. The Ritva says that the Mishnah is only referring to a roof or balcony that does not pose a Torah obligation for the owner to build a fence (for example it is rarely used). Since the owner is not obligated to build a fence and is only doing so for his own purposes he may not do it in the normal way. However if it is a roof that is frequently used and there is a Torah obligation to build a fence it may be built in the normal way. The Meiri disagrees and he says that the Mishnah is referring even to roofs that pose a Torah obligation to build a roof. However since the roofs were usually used for work purposes and thus were not frequently used on Chol ha'Mo'ed, it is prohibited to build them in the normal manner on Chol ha'Mo'ed.
QUICK HALACHAH
It is permitted to build a trough for an animal to eat in if it is done in an unprofessional manner. It is permitted to build a platform in an unprofessional manner for the purpose of sitting or sleeping on it. (Shulchan Aruch OC 540: 5,6)
Anything that is not for the purpose of preparing food even if it is a necessity for the Mo’ed is forbidden to be done in a normal manner. (Mishnah Berurah)
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