Dear Rabbi,
I have a Chasuna on Sunday for a close friend and I am worried I will have no clean shirts left after Yom Tov.
At home we have a non-Jewish housekeeper who is paid a fixed wage for the job and not paid per hour.
My family is regularly somech on the heter brought down in Shemiras Shabbos KeHilchasa 20:28 that allows us to leave work for the housekeeper before shabbos, with the expectation that it is done by Sunday afternoon, even though we know she will do the work on Shabbos.
My question is whether I can do the same thing by Yom Tov / Shabbos Acharon Shel Pesach? Can I leave the shirt with the housekeeper and tell her I need it by Sunday morning, knowing that she will probably wash the shirt on Shabbos or Yom Tov instead of staying later on Motzei Shabbos or Sunday morning, and then I will have my shirt early for the Chasuna?
Thank you,
Kol Tov,
Answer:
Under the circumstances it is permitted to give your housemaid the clothing to clean.
Best wishes.
Sources:
It is generally forbidden to give clothes for laundry on Chol HaMoed, even if the laundry person might do it after Yom Tov.
However, this is because of a maris ayin issue of giving clothes publicly for laundry.
When this is done privately, with a housemaid, the heter you mention will apply here, too.
