Yoma 79 - How much to eat on Yom Kippur?

How much does one have to eat on Yom Kippur to be liable? - The volume of food equal to a large date.

Rav Pappa wondered, “Date with the pit or without?” A similar question was asked by Rav Ashi about a human bone the size of a barley seed, which makes one ritually impure. Rav Ashi asked, “Dry seed or moist? With the shell or without?”

Note that each of the Sages did not have any problem with the other one’s question. Rav Ashi would tell you that “large date” implies as large as it can be, that is, with the seed. In turn, Rav Pappa would retort that a fresh barley seed has a different name, “shibboleth,” and one with the shell is called “ushla.” So the choice of the words itself in the rule already gives them the answer.

And why specifically, a large date is used as a measure of prohibition for Yom Kippur? After all, it is less than an egg and is thus not considered a meal!? - The Sages estimated that this volume cools off the hungry person's mind, although it does not satisfy him completely.

Art: Still Life Of Porcelain Bowls Containing Sugared Dates, Grapes, And Oranges By French School

Yoma 78 - Shoes

One is not supposed to wear shoes on Yom Kippur. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why wading through a river is allowed - because one won’t come to carry his shoes, should they fall off? What about Shabbat - can one cross the river, given that now he has shoes and might potentially carry them? Nehemiah saw Rav Ami and Rav Asi cross a pool of water on Shabbat. The actual incident with someone trustworthy is the best proof, and so this is accepted. What about sandals that slip off easier? - there, it is preferable not to cross the river in them. Here is an actual story about it.

A Jewish ruler (Exilarch) n Babylonia came to the city of Hagronia and lectured there. All the Sages came to his lecture, except Ravina. Since Ravina may have offended the Exilarch, Rafram came to exonerate him and asked him why he missed the lecture. Ravina answered that his foot was hurting. “Then you should have put on a shoe!” - “It was the top of the foot.” “Then you should use a (loose) sandal!” - To this Ravina answered, “There was a pool there, and it is preferable not to cross a pool in a sandal on Shabbat.”

The standard material used for making shoes is leather. When talking about not wearing shoes on Yom Kippur, do we mean only leather shoes or perhaps any kind of shoes? Again, an actual story helps: Rav Yitzchak saw Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi wearing shoes made out of rush (reed) on Yom Kippur. And yet, some say that all kinds of shoes were meant.

Art: Still life, a pair of shoes by Vincent Van Gogh

Yoma 77 - Crossing the river to see one’s teacher

To prove that abstaining from washing and anointing oneself is called an affliction, the Talmud quotes Daniel, who afflicted himself in this way. It then continues with these verses, which tell the story of the angel Gabriel being expelled from the Heavenly court but brought back “because of the words of Daniel.”

Daniel was shown in a vision that twenty-five people were standing in the Temple, bowing to the sun in the east, with their backs toward the Temple on the west. Since their faces were to the east, we already know that their backs were to the west; why is this mentioned? The real story was that they bared themselves and defecated toward the Temple as an additional sign of contempt. The Holy One Blessed be He said to the angel Michael, “Your nation has sinned!” Michael suggested to spare the nation because of the good ones among them, but the answer was, “I will burn them together with the good ones who did not protest.” At this time, Gabriel asked another angel, a Cherub, to bring the coals, took those coals, and threw them on Jerusalem. However, since the coals cooled somewhat, the nation survived. They gave Gabriel sixty fiery lashes (pulsa d’nura) and expelled him. Gabriel continued arguing on behalf of the Jewish people, and when he mentioned Daniel, the Holy One Blessed be He asked, “Who is he that is advocating on behalf of my children?” - and Gabriel was brought back. As a result, however, Persians, and especially later Greeks, were given dominion.

Even though washing is forbidden, if one wants to visit his father or his teacher on Yom Kippur, and a river separates them, he can cross even if the water reaches his neck. He is even allowed to go back since otherwise, he will refrain from going in the future. Only washing for pleasure is actually forbidden.

Art: Figures crossing a frozen river By Louis Pierre Verwee

Yoma 76 - Why was manna given daily

The students of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai asked him a question, “Why did the manna have to be given every day?” He told them, “I will give you a parable. A king had a son, and he gave him his allowance once for the whole year. Consequently, his son visited him only once a year. The king then changed to giving him money daily, and now the son visited him every day. So too the Jews: one who had four or five children would worry, thinking, perhaps the manna will not fall tomorrow, and they will die of starvation. Thus, the Israelites now directed their hearts to God at all times.” Others say so that it would be warm and fresh. Yet others - so that they did not have to carry it.

Earlier, we mentioned the five things that one is should abstain from on Yom Kippur: food, drink, washing, etc. Where does it say so in the Torah? - It could be that it is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah, but because the term “deprivation” is mentioned five times, the Sages decreed five deprivations that one should sustain. Food, however, is named explicitly, and drinking is included together with eating. How do we know this last fact? - Because Torah mentioned drinking wine and put it in the list of food items.

Incidentally, wine makes one wise, and excessive drinking leads to poverty. This is reflected in the word “tirosh” used for wine. If one deserves, it makes him “rosh” - head; if not - it makes him “rash” - poor.

Art: A bottle of wine By French School

Yoma 75 - The affliction of manna

In discussing food afflictions of Yom Kippur, the Talmud turns to manna, since it, too, is called an affliction: “Who feeds you manna in the Wilderness… to afflict you.” - Some say it is because they never knew what they will eat tomorrow, should manna not fall the next day. Others - that since manna could take on any taste but always looked the same, they were never satisfied with it. Rav Yosef (who was blind) demonstrates that a blind person eats but is never fully satisfied.

More parallel disagreements: what does this phrase mean, “Worry in one’s heart? - Quash it!” Some say that it sounds like “remove from your mind” - by studying the Torah. Others - to tell it to others. But how does this help? - Since others will suffer from hearing about your troubles, and they don’t deserve it, God will remove it from you to spare them this unwarranted suffering.

More facts about manna are drawn from the words describing it. For example, it was “like bread, oil, and honey.” How can it be? For young people, it felt like bread, for old - like oil, and for children - like honey, each according to the age preference.

Art: The Gathering of the Manna By Bernardino Luini

Yoma 74 - How to properly afflict oneself

On Yom Kippur, one is forbidden to eat and drink, wash oneself, anoint his body with oil, wear leather shoes, and have marital relations. Just forbidden, you say? But it is more than this; one is liable to be cut off from the Jewish people and from his spiritual source! - The rule above is talking about a small amount, which is still forbidden. OK, this answer is good, according to those who say that a small amount of forbidden food is actually prohibited by the Torah. However, if the Torah does not mind a small amount, what is this rule talking about? It is still prohibited by the Sages.

What is the basis for this disagreement? Rabbi Yochanan says that since small amounts do add to the amount which is prohibited by the Torah, it must be that these small amounts are themselves prohibited, for otherwise, where does the prohibition come from? However, Resh Lakish says that eating a small amount is not called “eating,” Thus, it is simply not included in the prohibition.

So how is one supposed to “afflict his soul?” Perhaps it means sitting in the sun on a hot day or in the shade on a cold one? - No, the nature of the required suffering is such that one refrain from such activities as eating, drinking, etc., but not that one actively seeks out to increase his suffering.

Art: Thirst By William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Yoma 73 - Urim VeTumim

The same eight garments of the High Priest discussed so far were also needed when consulting Urim VeTumim. Incidentally, the Kohen appointed for battle would go with the Jews to war and wear the same eight garments. After the war, he continued to serve in the Temple in the same outfit. Others say that he does not serve in the Temple at all. We cannot permit him to be like the High Priest because the real High Priest will feel bad about it. Neither can he wear the garments of a regular Kohen because they only raise in the level of holiness but never bring down.

Back to Urim VeTumim, what was it? Some say that inside the High Priest's breastplate, they put a piece of parchment with the name of God written on it, others - that it refers to the precious stones on the breastplate. The High Priest would be wearing it, the king would ask a question, and the answer would be formed by the letters protruding forward. Some say that only a worthy High Priest could see them protrude and then interpreted the answer.

Art: To Decide the Question By John George Brown

Yoma 72 - Torah, cure or poison?

The priest vestments, which we began discussing on the previous page, were all woven with white linen threads, some with six threads, some with eight, and up to twenty-four. The additional four garments of the High Priest were multi-colored: the breastplate was white, blue, red, and gold; the coat was blue wool. One who tore them was liable to punishment. The garments themselves provided atonement for the mistakes of the Jews. One can learn moral lessons from them and from the other vessels in the Temple. For example, the Ark was gold on the inside and outside to tell us that any Torah scholar whose outside is not the same as his inside - that is, who is insincere - is not a true Torah scholar.

In general, the Torah itself can be a cure for some but poison for others. This is the meaning of the phrase, “And this is the Torah that Moses put (‘sam’) in front of the Jews.” The word “sam” means a drug of any kind and can cure or kill. Some say that one should learn it for the right reasons, and others - that he should understand it deeply enough.

Art: Portrait of a Man in Oriental Garment  By Rembrandt Van Rijn

Yoma 71 – The last service of the day

The High Priest is ready to close the Yom Kippur service. He again washes his hands and feet before removing his white linen vestments, undresses, descends, immerses, ascends, and dries himself. This is his fifth and final immersion of the day. They bring him the golden vestments, he dresses and sanctifies his hands and feet. Then he enters the Sanctuary to burn the afternoon incense and to lights the lamps of the Menorah.

He exits, sanctifies his hands and feet before removing his golden vestments, then undresses. They bring him his personal clothing, and he puts them on. They would escort him to his house, and he makes a feast for his friends upon exiting the Sanctuary safely. If he deliberately performed any part of the service improperly, he was liable with his life, and thus emerging unscathed was a cause for celebration.

The regular vestments of a Kohen consisted of four items: a tunic, breeches, a turban, and a belt. The High Priest had eight, adding the breastplate, the “ephod” (apron), the golden plate worn on the forehead. When they needed to know God's advice by consulting Urim VeTumim, these vestments were required.

Art: Rural Feast by Abraham Teniers

Yoma 70 – Penultimate services of Yom Kuppur

The High Priest has read the Torah. If he did it in his linen white vestments, he now sanctifies his hands and feet (by washing them from the golden flask), undresses, descends into the mikveh, immerses, ascends, and dries himself. They bring him the golden vestments; he dresses and again sanctifies his hands and feet.

Then he continues with two services: his ram and the ram of the nation: he slaughters them, receives their blood and throws it on the Altar, and burns there the sacrificial parts. Then he sacrifices seven sheep (Rabbi Akiva says that he sacrifices them in the morning, together with the daily offering).

The High Priest then changes into white linen vestments again, with appropriate washings of the hands and feet – and returns to the Holy of Holies, to remove from there the ladle and the coal-pan.

Art: Two Rams In A Landscape by Rosa Bonheur

Yoma 69 - Can one remove the desire to do evil?

While waiting for the goat to arrive in the desert, the High Priest sits in the part of the Temple called "Women's Courtyard," where one is permitted to sit. They bring him the Torah. He stands up, receives it, and reads passages about Yom Kippur. If he wants to do this in the linen white garments in which he was performing the service, he is allowed to, or else he can use his own garments. 

In general, can Kohanim wear the service garments outside the Temple? Let us consider the following story. During the time of Shimon the Righteous, the Karaites convinced Alexander Macedon that Jews were organizing a rebellion, and he went to destroy Jerusalem. Shimon, the High Priest, donned his garments and went to meet him. Both parties walked all night and met at sunrize when Alexander descended from his chariot and bowed down to Shimon. He explained that he saw this man in a vision every time he went to battle, praying for him. Alexander then gave the Karaites into the hands of the Jews, who dragged them tied to horses to the Karaite Temple on Mount Gerizim, and destroyed it.

From this story, we see that a Kohen is allowed to wear his garments outside! - Maybe these were not the real garments but only similar to them.

In proving that one can indeed sit in the Women's Courtyard, the Talmud quotes a phrase from Nehemiah. It then continues with the events of that time. The Sages observed that the Evil Inclination has already succeeded in convincing people to worship idols, which led to the First Temple's destruction, and they fasted and prayed for three days for God to remove it. They were given this, and it came out of the Holy of Holies in the form of the roaring lion made of fire. They hid it away in a special magical vessel made of lead, and the desire to worship idols was much weakened.

Seeing that they had favor with God, they asked to destroy the desire for forbidden relations. When this was granted, the world stopped functioning and they could not even find a fresh egg for a sick person. Some say the "fresh egg" is the prayer on Shabbat, and it was not special like it always is. Understanding that they would not be granted to remove the desire only for forbidden relations, they were at least able to abolish the urge for one's relatives.

Art: Still Life With Jugs And Eggs by Theodule Augustine Ribot

Yoma 68 - Waiting for the goat

The High Priest returned to the ox and the goat. They were slaughtered earlier and will later to burned. He took out the sacrificial parts to be burned on the Altar, put them in a golden vessel, and braided the limbs of the two animals together. Other priests took them out to the burning place, carrying them on a pole and dismembering them before burning, not removing the skin. These priests became impure through performing this service.

Now the High Priest had to wait until the goat would arrive at its destination, which was twelve "mil" (about eight miles) away. But how did they know that it was done? People would wave flags and see each other, one after the other, at each booth. Others say that he only had to go for three "mil," and that is where the rock was, and the time was estimated by his envoy returning and then walking for another "mil," thus walking for the total of three "mil." Rabbi Yishmael says that the red strip of wool would always become white once the goat reached the desert, and that is how they knew.

Art: Rue Montorgueil with Flags by Claude Oscar Monet

Yoma 67 - Walking with the goat

The appointed Kohen, who was taking the goat to the desert cliff, was accompanied by the eminent people of Jerusalem. They could only walk with him on the first leg of the journey, though, because of the "techum" limitation: one cannot walk more than 2,000 steps away from his place of residence on holidays. There were twelve such stretches from Jerusalem to the cliff, with a booth prepared at the end of the first ten, and they accompanied him as far as the first booth.

At each booth, there was an attendant who would tell him, "Here is food and drink" - not because he was absolved from fasting, but because he might feel weak. In reality, he never used this food because knowing that it was available was already helpful enough. The person waiting for him at the booth would accompany him to the next one. After the tenth booth, they would only accompany him for half of the way and then stand and observe his actions from a distance.

He would part the strip of scarlet wool at the cliff, tie half of it to the goat's horn, and another half to a rock. He would then push the goat from the back, and it would tumble down, and before it reached half the mountain, it was already torn to pieces. The man would then go back to the last booth and sit in the shade until the day was over. Later, he had to purify himself in a mikveh because one who leads the goat becomes ritually impure.

Art: Four Still Lives of Food and Fruit by Jan van Kessel

Yoma 66 - How to send a goat away

The High Priest would then go to the goat sent to Azazel, lean on it with both his hands and say another confession, similar to the one above “Please, God, forgive your nation….”

He handed the Azazel goat to the person appointed to lead it to the cliff. Anyone could lead it, but the custom was that only a Kohen did it. They have built a ramp that led from the Temple Courtyard to outside the city of Jerusalem for leading the goat. It was constructed because of the Babylonians who would pull his hair and say to him, “Take our sins and go!”

They asked Rabbi Eliezer, “If the goat became sick, can the Kohen carry him” (given the prohibition to carry on Yom Kippur)? He answered, “The goat can carry you and me together!” Then, they asked him, “If the Kohen shoved the goat off the cliff, but it did not die, should he descend and kill it?” He answered, “May all the enemies of God perish!” The Talmud gives more evasive replies by Rabbi Eliezer but comments that he simply did not want to reply when he did not have a definite knowledge of the matter. However, the Sages give a positive answer to both questions.

Art: The Cliff At Dieppe by Claude Oscar Monet

Yoma 62 - The two goats

The two goats used for the Yom Kippur service should be alike in appearance, height, and value, and they should be bought together. If any of these conditions are not fulfilled, they are still valid for service.

If one of them died, then if it died before the High Priest drew the lots, they simply buy another one. However, if it dies after the lot was drawn, they bring a completely new pair and draw new lots. Now, since the first one was already consecrated, the High Priest stipulates as follows. If the one designated for God died, he says that the new goat designated for God will take its place, but the second one in the newly brought pair will not be needed, so it will go to graze until it dies of old age. Conversely, if the one designated for Azazel died, then the new one on which the lot for Azazel falls will be in his place, and the other one will go to graze.

Rabbi Yehudah adds that if the blood of the goat “for God” was spilled, then the one for Azazel cannot be used. And if the one for Azazel dies, then the blood of the one “for God” should be spilled away. We understand the first rule: if the blood is spilled, the mitzvah is not finished and therefore not done at all, so the service cannot proceed. But if one for Azazel dies - well, it was going to be sent to death anyway!? Rabbi Yehudah’s view is based on a verse, “It should stand alive in front of God to atone,” which means that it should be alive until the service of the other is complete.

Art: Two Goats by Jacques Laurent Agasse

Yoma 58 - The ox and the goat

Having brought incense into the Holy of Holies, the High Priest (whose each action atones for some specific mistakes of the Jewish people) directs his steps to the golden Altar inside the Sanctuary to atone for the defect in this Altar’s service throughout the year. He takes the blood of the ox and the goat and applies it to the four corners (slight protrusions, also called “horns” of the Altar.) Rabbi Yoshiyah says that he mixes the two types of blood in a vessel - based on the words “One application in a year.” However, Rabbi Yonatan says that the “and” in the “ox and goat” teaches two separate applications. Each one then needs to find an explanation for the Torah words used in his opponent's derivation.

How does the High Priest apply this blood? Some say that he starts with that corner which he comes to first, following the rule that one cannot pass on a mitzvah if it came his way, and then walks around, while others say that he stands in one place and reaches to all the four corners with his hand. What is the reason for the argument here? It may be that they argue whether “he walks” means on foot or simply by hand. Others say that the argument is whether we derive the laws of the Inner Altar from those of the Outer Altar or if the laws of the Inner Altar are deduced on their own.

Art: Oxen In Repose by John Singer Sargent

Yoma 57 - Even when not perfect

The goat's blood is subject to the same number and manner of sprinklings against the Ark as the blood of the bull. The verse continues, “And he shall do this in the Tent of Meeting that dwells among them in the midst of their impurities.” This teaches that God’s presence dwells among the Jews even when they are impure and imperfect.

A certain Sadducee said to Rabbi Chanina, “Now that you have been exiled, you are certainly impure,” meaning that Divine Presence is not found among you, as the verse in Jeremiah says, “And her impurity is on her hem.” Rabbi Chanina proved him wrong by quoting the verse above.

We mentioned before that the blood never lands on the Ark itself. However, Rabbi Elazar disagrees. Once, he and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai traveled to Rome to annul some evil decrees. They met a demon Ben Tamalyon who offered to help them. This demon then possessed Caesar’s daughter, and she became insane. When the two Sages healed her, Caesar offered them anything from his treasury. They were only interested in annulling the decrees, which they did. It was then that Rabbi Elazar saw Temple articles and among them the Curtain. He now says that he saw it, and it had multiple spots of blood. But there are other ways to explain this difference.

Seated Demon by Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel

Yoma 56 - Reminder notes

Earlier the teacher told us that the High Priest “takes the blood of the goat, puts down the blood of the bull.” This is because there was only one golden stand there. Otherwise, he would put the bull's blood on one golden stand first and then use the second one for the blood of the goat - and this is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah. The Sages say that there were two golden stands.

But why does Rabbi Yehudah insist that there was only one stand? Let them make two, and put reminder notes on them, “Bull” and “Goat!” - That is because according to Rabbi Yehudah, people ignore reminder notes, so it would not help. - That could not be, because Rabbi Yehudah agrees that there were thirteen collection chests in the Temple, each marked with its appropriate name, like “New shekalim,” “bird offerings,” etc. He only disagrees about one chest, “Obligatory offerings,” about which he says it did not exist, and instead, this money was collected manually. But why not? Even if that money is accidentally mixed in, let us take out 4 coins and say, “These coins are retroactively designated as the original mixed in coins.” To that, I will answer that Rabbi Yehudah does not agree to the retroactive designation, also called “bereirah.”

And how do we know that Rabbi Yehudah does not accept the principle of retroactive designation? It may be deduced from the argument about tithing wine or from the argument about eruv. In any case, we are by now far away from the original question. The reason Rabbi Yehudah allows only one golden stand is the weakness of the High Priest, who might easily confuse the types of blood if there were two stands.

Art: Bulls And Goats In ASummer Landscape by Albertus Verhoesen

Yoma 55 - He would count, “One, one-and-one, one-and-two,” etc.

Having brought the incense to the Holy of Holies, the High Priest exits, takes the blood of the bull from the priest who was stirring it, and re-enters the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, and starts sprinkling the blood toward the Ark-cover, one time above and seven times below. The blood never really lands on the Arks itself, “up” and “down” refers to the direction of his fingers in a whipping motion.

To make sure that he maintains the correct count, he says out loud, “One, one-and-one, one-and-two… and so on.. one-and-seven.” - since any mistake in the counting would invalidate the whole procedure.

The High Priest then takes the blood of the goat, puts down the blood of the bull, re-enters the Holy of Holies, and sprinkles the blood of the goat, counting again, “One, one-and-one, etc.” Finally, he pours the bull's blood into the blood of the goat and then pours it all back to make the two types of blood thoroughly mixed.

Art: A Rocky Landscape With A Bull, Goat, Ram, And Sheepdog By Philipp Peter Roos

Yoma 54 - Where is the Ark?

After the Ark was taken away, there was a stone originally discovered by Shmuel and David in the Holy of Holies. It was called “the Foundation Stone,” it protruded three finger-breadths above the ground, and this is where the High Priest would place his shovel full of burning coals.

Why did the teacher say, “after the Ark was taken away?” Earlier, we said that it was hidden!?  - This is a different opinion, based on a phrase from Isaiah, “Behold the days are coming when all that your forefathers have accumulated will be carried away to Babylonia.” The other two opinions are that the Ark was hidden right in its place, deep in the ground, or that it was hidden in the wood chamber, as the story about a Kohen who wanted to reveal it but died tells us.

When the Ark was in existence, its two poles protruded from behind the Curtain as two breasts of a woman, and that is what King Solomon meant when he said, “A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, lodged between my breasts.” A similar symbol was represented by the Cherubim, who were in a shape of a man and a woman joined in an embrace. At the time of the Temple destruction, the enemy soldiers entered the Temple, saw this, and said, “These Jews, who possess the power of blessing and curse, should occupy themselves with such pictures!” This is what Jeremiah meant when he said, “All who once respected her, now debased her, for they saw her nakedness.”

Art: The embrace by Pio Ricci

Yoma 53 – How to burn incense

Since the Torah said, “He shall take... the finely ground incense, bring it within the Curtain and place the incense upon the fire in front of God,” we understand that he comes in with all the ingredients and then prepares the burning of the incense while already inside of Holy of Holies. This was not how everyone understood this phrase. The followers of Tsaddok said that the following words, “If he (the High Priest) comes in the cloud of smoke, then I (God) will appear to him there,” - prove that the High Priest must come in with the incense already burning. What did the Sages answer? This phrase teaches not the sequence of actions but the composition of the incense – that there must be a special herb called “one that makes the smoke rise” included in the composition of the incense.

What was the prayer of the High Priest before exiting? He said, “May it be Your will that the year be rainy and hot.” – If so, how does it help? Rather, he meant that if it is destined to be hot, it may also be rainy. He also added, “May the prayer of wayfarers (who ask to stop the rain) not be permitted to enter in front of You.”

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was once on the road, the rain came upon him, and he said, “Master of the Universe, the whole world is happy, but Chanina is sad,” - and the rain stopped. When he reached home, he said, “Master of the Universe, shall the whole world be in distress and Chanina in comfort?” - and the rain came again. Rav Yosef noted, “What good did the prayer of the High Priest accomplish against Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa?”

Art: Rain By Camille Pissarro