The commandment of resting on the first day of Pesach: To rest on the first day of Pesach, as it states about it (Leviticus 22:7), “On the first day, a holy occasion.” And about all about which it is stated in the Torah, “a holy occasion,” they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 12:4), “Make it holy.” And the content of its holiness is that no work be done on it, except for that which is specific to eating; as the verse elucidated (Exodus 12:16), “but that which is eaten by every soul, that alone shall be done for you.” And the proof that the rest of the holiday is considered a positive commandment is their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Shabbat 25a), “This ‘shabbaton’ is a positive commandment.” And we learn from now that in every place that shabbaton is stated in the Torah with regards to a holiday, it is a positive commandment. And [what] also appears much in the Talmud is, “The holiday is a positive commandment and a negative commandment.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] in order that we think about the content of the holiday in the miracle that was done for us on it, and that we praise and laud in our thoughts the One, blessed be He, Who commanded us about it and did miracles for us at this time. And if a man is preoccupied in his work, he will not be free to think about anything. And we will further write at length about its root and its laws in the negative commandment of work on the holiday in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 288) with God’s help.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does work not for the needs of food for the soul has violated this positive commandment, besides that he violated a negative commandment - as we will write in its place.
מִצְוַת שְׁבִיתָה בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח – לִשְׁבֹּת בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (ויקרא כג ז) בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ, וּבְכָל מָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ פֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרא יב ד) קַדְּשֵׁהוּ. וְעִנְיַן קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ מְלָאכָה אֶלָּא מָה שֶׁהוּא מְיֻחָד בָּאֲכִילָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאֵר הַכָּתוּב (שמות יב טז) אַךְ אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל לְכָל נֶפֶשׁ הוּא לְבַדּוֹ יֵעָשֶׂה לָכֶם. וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁשְּׁבִיתַת יוֹם טוֹב נֶחְשֶׁבֶת עֲשֵׂה, אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת כה, א): הַאי שַׁבָּתוֹן עֲשֵׂה הוּא, וְלָמַדְנוּ מֵעַתָּה שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה שַׁבָּתוֹן גַּבֵּי יוֹם טוֹב הוּא עֲשֵׂה, וּכְבָר בָּא הַרְבֵּה בַּתַּלְמוּד גַּם כֵּן יוֹם טוֹב עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
The commandment of resting on the first day of Pesach: To rest on the first day of Pesach, as it states about it (Leviticus 22:7), “On the first day, a holy occasion.” And about all about which it is stated in the Torah, “a holy occasion,” they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 12:4), “Make it holy.” And the content of its holiness is that no work be done on it, except for that which is specific to eating; as the verse elucidated (Exodus 12:16), “but that which is eaten by every soul, that alone shall be done for you.” And the proof that the rest of the holiday is considered a positive commandment is their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Shabbat 25a), “This ‘shabbaton’ is a positive commandment.” And we learn from now that in every place that shabbaton is stated in the Torah with regards to a holiday, it is a positive commandment. And [what] also appears much in the Talmud is, “The holiday is a positive commandment and a negative commandment.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. כְּדֵי שֶׁנַּחְשֹׁב בְּעִנְיַן הַמּוֹעֵד בַּנֵּס שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָנוּ בּוֹ, וּנְהַלֵּל וּנְפָאֵר בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ מָה שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָלָיו וְעָשָׂה לָנוּ נִסִּים בַּזְּמַן הַהוּא, וְאִם יִהְיֶה הָאָדָם טָרוּד בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ, לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ פְּנַאי לַחְשֹׁב בְּשׁוּם דָּבָר. וְעוֹד נַאֲרִיךְ בְּשָׁרְשָׁהּ וּבְדִינֶיהָ בְּלָאו דְּאִסּוּר מְלָאכָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁבְּסֵדֶר זֶה (מצוה רחצ) בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] in order that we think about the content of the holiday in the miracle that was done for us on it, and that we praise and laud in our thoughts the One, blessed be He, Who commanded us about it and did miracles for us at this time. And if a man is preoccupied in his work, he will not be free to think about anything. And we will further write at length about its root and its laws in the negative commandment of work on the holiday in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 288) with God’s help.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה שֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה, מִלְּבַד שֶׁעָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּכְתֹּב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does work not for the needs of food for the soul has violated this positive commandment, besides that he violated a negative commandment - as we will write in its place.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מִתְבָּאֲרִים בְּיוֹם טוֹב [הלכ' יו"ט פי"א].
The laws of the commandment are elucidated in [Beitzah]. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Rest on a Holiday 1.)