Mishnat Yoma

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they drew too close to the presence of the LORD. The LORD said to Moses:Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come at will into the Shrine behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover. Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine: with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.— He shall be dressed in a sacral linen tunic, with linen breeches next to his flesh, and be girt with a linen sash, and he shall wear a linen turban. They are sacral vestments; he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.— And from the Israelite community he shall take two he-goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. Aaron is to offer his own bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and for his household. Aaron shall take the two he-goats and let them stand before the LORD at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; and he shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for the LORD and the other marked for Azazel. Aaron shall bring forward the goat designated by lot for the LORD, which he is to offer as a sin offering; while the goat designated by lot for Azazel shall be left standing alive before the LORD, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness for Azazel. Aaron shall then offer his bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and his household. He shall slaughter his bull of sin offering, and he shall take a panful of glowing coals scooped from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense, and bring this behind the curtain. He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, so that the cloud from the incense screens the cover that is over [the Ark of] the Pact, lest he die. He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger over the cover on the east side; and in front of the cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. He shall then slaughter the people’s goat of sin offering, bring its blood behind the curtain, and do with its blood as he has done with the blood of the bull: he shall sprinkle it over the cover and in front of the cover. Thus he shall purge the Shrine of the uncleanness and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins; and he shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their uncleanness. When he goes in to make expiation in the Shrine, nobody else shall be in the Tent of Meeting until he comes out.When he has made expiation for himself and his household, and for the whole congregation of Israel, he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and purge it: he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he shall sprinkle on it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall cleanse it of the uncleanness of the Israelites and consecrate it. When he has finished purging the Shrine, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, the live goat shall be brought forward. Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated man. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness. And Aaron shall go into the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen vestments that he put on when he entered the Shrine, and leave them there. He shall bathe his body in water in the holy precinct and put on his vestments; then he shall come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, making expiation for himself and for the people. The fat of the sin offering he shall turn into smoke on the altar. He who set the Azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may reenter the camp. The bull of sin offering and the goat of sin offering whose blood was brought in to purge the Shrine shall be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung shall be consumed in fire. He who burned them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may re-enter the camp. And this shall be to you a law for all time: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you. For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall practice self-denial; it is a law for all time. The priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as priest in place of his father shall make expiation. He shall put on the linen vestments, the sacral vestments. He shall purge the innermost Shrine; he shall purge the Tent of Meeting and the altar; and he shall make expiation for the priests and for all the people of the congregation. This shall be to you a law for all time: to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year.And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

Seven days before Yom Kippur they separate the high priest from his house to the Parhedrin chamber and they prepare another priest to take his place in case he is disqualified.

Rabbi Judah said: they even prepare another wife for him in case his wife should die, as it says “And he shall make atonement for himself and for his house” (Leviticus 16:6): “his house” this refers to his wife.

They said to him: if so there would be no end to the matter.

All seven days he sprinkles the blood and burns the incense and cleans lamps and offers the head and the leg.

On all other days, if he wishes to offer he offers, for the high priest has priority in choosing to offer a portion and has priority in taking a portion.

They sent to him elders from the elders of the court and they read before him from the order of the day.

And they say to him, “My lord High Priest, you read it with your own mouth, lest you have forgotten or lest you have never learned.”

On the eve of Yom Kippur in the morning they place him at the eastern gate and pass before him oxen, rams and sheep, so that he may recognize and become familiar with the service.

All seven days they did not withhold food or drink from him. On the eve of Yom Kippur near nightfall they would not let him eat much because food brings about sleep.

The elders of the court handed him over to the elders of the priesthood and they took him up to the upper chamber of the house of Avtinas. They adjured him and then left.

And they said to him, “My lord High Priest, we are emissaries of the court and you are our emissary and the emissary of the court. We adjure you by the one that caused His name to dwell in this house that you do not change anything of what we said to you.”

He turns aside and weeps and they turn aside and weep.

And the Lord said unto Moses: ‘Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the curtain, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark; that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover.'

And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and a handful of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the curtain. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not.

If he was a sage he would expound, and if not, the disciples of the sages would expound before him.

If he was used to reading he would read, if not they would read before him. From what would they read before him? From Job, Ezra and Chronicles. Zechariah ben Kv’utal says: I have often read before him from Daniel.

They cry. Because they suspected him, as in Shabbat 97a: “A person who suspects those who are kosher is whipped on his body.”

He would cry because they had suspected him of heresy.

They would cry because they had suspected him, for it is forbidden in our Torah to suspect or to think an evil thought about a person when the issue is in doubt except when necessary, as you will see.

If he wished to sleep, young priests would snap their middle finger before him and say: “My lord High Priest, stand up and cool down once on the floor.

And they would keep him busy until the time for the slaughtering.

Every day they would clear the altar at the man's crying / cock’s crow [mikrot hagever] or close to it, either before or after. On Yom Kippur from midnight, and on the festivals at the first watch.

And mikrot hagever would not arrive before the Temple court was full of Israelites.

Whoever wants to clear the altar rises early and immerses before the appointed one arrives. And at what time does the appointed one arrive? The times are not all the same: sometimes he comes at the cock's crow [mikrot hagever], or at an adjacent time, either before it or after it.

Originally anyone who wished to clear the altar did so. When they were many, they would run up the ramp and he that came before his fellow within four cubits won the privilege.

If two were even, the officer would say to them: raise the finger! And how many did they put out? One or two but one does not put out a thumb in the Temple.

It once happened that two were even as they ran up the ramp, and one of them pushed his fellow who fell and broke his leg.

When the court saw that they incurred danger, they decreed that they would remove the ashes from only by allotment.

There were four allotments and this is the first.

Two were even as they were running and ascending on the ramp. One of them reached the four cubits before his fellow. He took a knife and stabbed him in the heart.

The father of the child came and found that he was convulsing. He said: May he be an atonement for you. My son is still convulsing so the knife has not become impure.

This teaches you that the ritual purity of utensils was of more concern to them than the shedding of blood.

And similarly, it says: “Furthermore, Manasseh spilled innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (II Kings 21:16).

The second allotment: who slaughters, who sprinkles, who removes the ashes from the inner altar, who removes the ashes from the candlestick, who takes the limbs, the head and the hind-leg, the two forelegs, the tail and the hind-leg, the breast and the throat, the two flanks, the innards, the fine flour, the cakes and the wine.

Altogether thirteen priests merited a task.

Ben Azzai said before Rabbi Akiba in the name of Rabbi Joshua: it was offered up in the way it walks.

The third allotment: “New priests come up and be alloted for the incense.”

The fourth: “New and old priests, who will take up the limbs from the ramp to the altar.”

The Megilla is read on the eleventh, on the twelfth, on the thirteenth, on the fourteenth, or on the fifteenth, no less and no more.

Cities that have been surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua, son of Nun, read on the fifteenth; villages and large towns read on the fourteenth villages may advance to market day.

The tamid was offered up by nine, ten, eleven or twelve, no less and no more.

How so? It itself by nine.

At Sukkot one of them has a flask of water in his hand, so ten.

In the evening by eleven: it itself by nine and two hold in the hands two logs of wood.

On Shabbat by eleven: it itself by nine and two hold in the hand the two handfuls of incense for the showbread.

And on Shabbat during the festival of Sukkot one of them has a flask of water in his hand.

The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and lay out wood upon the fire;

And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. And thou shalt put pure frankincense with each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial-part, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

A ram was offered by eleven: the flesh by five, the innards, the fine flour, and the wine by two each.

A bull was offered by twenty-four: the head and hind-leg: the head by one and the hind-leg by two.

The tail and hind-leg: the tail by two and the hind-leg by two.

The breast and neck: the breast by one and the neck by three.

The two fore-legs by two,

The two flanks by two.

The innards, the fine flour, and the wine by three each.

To what does this refer? To communal offerings. But individual offerings, if a person wants to offer, he may do so.

The flaying and dismembering of both are the same.

The officer said to them: “Go out and see whether the time for slaughtering has arrived.” If it had arrived then he who saw it said: “Barkai - It is daylight!”

Matitya ben Shmuel says: “It has lit the face of whole of the east.” “Even unto Hebron?” And he answered “Yes.”

HALAKHAH: “The overseer said to them,” etc. What means borqi? Bareqet. There, they are saying, בְּרוֹק בּוֹרְקָה, getting light, radiant.

And why “up to who is in Hebron? And he answers yes”? He comes to commemorate the merit of the Patriarchs.

And why was all that necessary? Because once the light of the moon rose and they thought that the east was lit up and slaughtered the tamid offering, they had to take it out to the place of burning.

They led the high priest down to the place of immersion. This was the rule in the Temple: whoever "covers his feet" required an immersion, and whoever passed water required sanctification of his hands and feet.

A man may not enter the Temple courtyard or to worship even if he was clean until he immerses himself. Five immersions and ten sanctifications did the high priest perform on that day. And all in sanctity on Bet Haparvah with the exception of this one alone.

They spread out a linen sheet between him and the people. He stripped off, went down and immersed himself, came up and dried himself.

They brought him the golden garments, he put them on and sanctified his hands and feet.

They brought him the tamid. He made the required cut and some one else finished it for him. He received the blood and sprinkled it.

He went inside to smoke the morning incense and to trim the lamps and to offer up the head and the limbs and the griddle cakes and the wine.

The morning incense was offered up between the blood and the limbs.

That of the evening between the limbs and the drink-offerings.

If the high priest was either old or of delicate health warm water they would heat some water for him and pour into the cold, to temper its coldness.

You shall make an altar for burning incense; make it of acacia wood.

On it Aaron shall burn aromatic incense: he shall burn it in the morning, in the morning, when he tends the lamps,

And Aaron shall burn it at twilight when he lights the lamps—a regular incense offering before the Lord through your generations.

He [Rabban Gamliel] bathed on the first night after his wife died. His students said to him: Have you not taught us, our teacher, that a mourner is prohibited to bathe?

He said to them: I am not like other people, I am delicate [istenis].

It was stated: Rebbi Jehudah says, iron bars they were heating on the eve of the Day of atonement which they dropped into the water to mitigate its cold. And isn't this like putting out fire on Yom Kippur? . .

The reason of this Tanna was that people should not say, we saw the High Priest immersing himself in drawn water on the Day of Atonement.

They brought him to the Bet Haparvah, which was on holy ground.

They spread a sheet of linen between him and the people. He sanctified his hands and his feet and stripped.

Rabbi Meir says: he stripped, then sanctified his hands and his feet.

He went down and immersed himself, came up and dried himself.

Afterwards they brought him white garments. He put them on and sanctified his hands and his feet.

In the morning he would wear Pelisian linen worth twelve minas (1200 zuz); in the evening Indian linen worth eight hundred zuz, according to Rabbi Meir.

The sages say: in the morning he would wear the worth of eighteen minas and at in the evening of twelve minas, altogether thirty minas.

These were at the cost of the community and if he wanted to add, he added more from his own.

He came to his bull and his bull was standing between the sanctuary and the altar, its head to the south and its face to the west. The priest stands on the eastern side facing the west, and he presses both his hands upon it and confesses.

Thus he would say: “Please, O Lord! I have done wrong, I have transgressed, I have sinned before You, I and my house.

Please, O Lord! Forgive the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the sins which I have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, I and my house, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant: “For on this day . . . [shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30)].

And they answer after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”

He went to the east of the Temple court, to the north of the altar, the deputy high priest at his right and the head of the family at his left.

There were two goats there and an urn, and in it were two lots. They were of box-wood and Ben Gamala made them of gold and they would mention his name in praise.

A kalpi is vessel made of hollowed-out wood. "Box" is called "boks" in Arabic and in Hebrew is "brosh"

Ben Katin made twelve spigots for the laver, for there had been before only two. He also made a mechanism for the laver, in order that its water should not become unfit by remaining overnight.

King Monbaz had all the handles of all the vessels used on Yom HaKippurim made of gold.

His mother Helena made a golden candelabrum over the opening of the Hekhal. She also made a golden tablet, on which the portion concerning the suspected adulteress was inscribed.

Nicanor - miracles happened to his doors. And they used to mention him for praise.

And these shame: those of the House of Garmu did not want to teach about the preparation of the showbread.

Of the House of Avtinas did not teach to anything about the preparation of the incense.

Hugros ben Levi knew a chapter of the song but did not want to teach it.

Ben Kamtzar did not want teach anyone his art of writing.

Of the former it was said: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing”; of those it was said: “And the name of the wicked shall rot.” (Proverbs 10:7)

The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing and the name of the wicked shall rot.

He shook the urn and brought up the two lots. On one was inscribed: “For the Lord”, and on the other: “For Azazel.”

The deputy high priest was at his right hand, the head of the family on his left. If the lot “For the Lord” came up in his right hand, the deputy high priest would say to him: “My lord High Priest, raise your right hand!” And if the lot “For the Name” came up in his left hand, the head of the family would say: “My lord High Priest, raise your left hand!”

Then he placed them on the two goats and said: “A sin-offering for the Lord!” Rabbi Ishmael said: he did not need to say, “a sin-offering”, but just “for the Lord.”

And they answered after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”

Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD; Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

He bound a thread of crimson wool onto the head of the goat which was to be sent away, and he stood it opposite the gate where it was to be sent away, and onto the one that was to be slaughtered at the place of the slaughtering.

He came to his bull a second time, pressed his two hands upon it and made confession. And thus he would say: “Please, O Lord! I have done wrong, I have transgressed, I have sinned before You, I and my house and the sons of Aaron Your holy people. Please, O Lord forgive! . . . [the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the sins which I have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, I and my house and the sons of Aaron Your holy people,

as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant: “For on this day . . . [shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30).

And they answer after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”]

He killed it [the bull] and received its blood in a bowl, and he gave it to the one who stirs it up on the fourth pavement within the sanctuary so that it should not congeal.

He took the coal-pan and went up to the top of the altar, and cleared the coals to both sides, and scoop up from the inner embers, and he came down and placed it on the fourth pavement in the Temple Court.

On other days he would scoop up with silver coal-pan, and pour it into gold, but this day he scooped up with a golden one and in it he brought them in.

On other days he would scoop up with one of four kabs, and empty it into one containing three kabs, but this day hescooped up with one of three kabs, and in it he brought them in.

Rabbi Yose says: on other days he would scooped up with one containing one se’ah [six kabs], and empty it into one containing three kabs, this day he took them out with one containing three kabs, and in it he brought them in.

On other days the pan was heavy, today it was light.

On other days its handle was short, today it was long.

On other days it was of greenish gold, today of reddish gold, according to Rabbi Menahem.

On other days he would offer a pras in the morning and a pras in the afternoon, today he would two handfuls.

On other days it was finely ground, but today it was the finest of the finest.

And thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with thee; it shall be unto you most holy. .

On other days the priests would go up on the east side of the ramp and come down on the west side, but this day the high priest goes up in the middle and comes down in the middle.

Rabbi Judah says: the high priest always goes up in the middle and comes down in the middle.

On other days the high priest sanctified his hands and feet from the laver, but this day from a golden ladle.

Rabbi Judah says: the high priest always sanctifies his hands and feet from a golden ladle.

On other days there were four wood-piles there, but on this day five, the words of Rabbi Meir.

Rabbi Yose says: on other days three, but on this day four.

Judah says: on other days two, but on this day three.

They brought out to him the ladle and the pan and he took two hands full and put it into the ladle, a large according to his size, a small one according to his size and thus was its measure.

He took the pan in his right hand and the ladle in his left hand. He walked through the Hechal until he came to the place between the two curtains which separated the Holy from the Holy of Holies; between them was one cubit.

Rabbi Yose says: there was but one curtain, as it is said: “And the curtain shall serve you as a partition between the Holy and the Holy of Holies” (Exodus 26:33).

The outer curtain was looped on the south side and the inner curtain on the north side. He walked along between them until he reached the north side. When he reached the north side he turned round to the south and went on along the curtain, to his left, until he reached the Ark.

When he reached the Ark he put the pan of burning coals between the two poles. He heaped up the incense upon the coals and the whole house became full with smoke.

He came out by the way he entered and in the outer house he uttered a short prayer. He did not make the prayer long so as not to frighten Israel.

After the Ark had been taken away, there was a stone from the days of the earlier prophets, called “shtiyah”, three fingers above the ground, on which he would place it.

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not.

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the ark-cover on the east; and before the ark-cover shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the ark-cover, and before the ark-cover.

And he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.

He would take the blood from the one who was stirring it, and enter into the place where he had entered, and stand on the place on which he had stood, and sprinkle once upwards and seven times downwards, and he wouldn’t intend to sprinkle either upwards nor downwards but rather like one who cracks a whip.

And thus would he count: one, one and one, one and two, one and three, one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven. Then he would go out and put it on the golden stand in the sanctuary.

They would bring him the goat. He would slay it and receive its blood in a bowl. He entered into the place where he had entered, and stood on the place on which he had stood, and sprinkled once upwards and seven times downwards, and he wouldn’t intend to sprinkle either upwards or downwards but rather like one who cracks a whip.

And thus would he count: . . . .

Then he would go out and place it on the second stand in the Hekhal. Rabbi Judah said: there was only one golden stand there.

He would take the blood of the bull and put down the blood of the goat, and sprinkle from it upon the curtains facing the Ark outside, once upwards, seven times downward, aiming to sprinkle neither upwards nor downwards, and he wouldn’t intend to sprinkle either upwards or downwards but rather like one who cracks a whip.

And thus would he count . . . .

Then he would take the blood of the goat, and put down the blood of the bull, and sprinkle from it upon the curtain facing the ark outside once upwards, seven times downwards

And thus would he count . . . . .

Then he would pour the blood of the bull into the blood of the goat emptying the full vessel into the empty one.

And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.

And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

You shall make an altar for burning incense; make it of acacia wood.

On it Aaron shall burn aromatic incense: he shall burn it every morning when he tends the lamps,

and Aaron shall burn it at twilight when he lights the lamps—a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout the ages.

“And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord” - that is the golden altar.

He begins to purify and goes down. From where does he begin? From the north-east horn, north-west, south-west, then the south-east.

From the place where he begins a sin-offering on the outer altar, there he completes on the inner altar.

Rabbi Eliezer says: he remained in his place and sprinkled.

And on every horn he would sprinkle from below upwards, with the exception of the horn at which he was standing, which he would sprinkle from above downwards.

Then he sprinkled the surface of the altar seven times. And he would pour out the remainder of the blood at the western base of the outer altar. And of the outer altar he poured out at the southern base.

Both mingled in the aqueduct and flowed into Nahal Kidron, and they were sold to gardeners as manure and the law of me'ilah applies to it.

With every act of Yom Kippur mentioned in the prescribed order: if performed before its fellow, it is as if it he had done nothing at all.

If he dealt with the blood of the goat before the blood of the bull, he must start over again, and sprinkle the blood of the goat after the blood of the bull.

If, before he had finished the sprinklings within, the blood was spilled away, he must bring other blood, and start over again and sprinkle again within. Similarly in the Hekhal and the golden altar, since they are each a separate act of atonement.

Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: wherever he stopped, there he may begin again.

The two goats of Yom Kippur: it is a requirement that they be equal in appearance, in size, in value, and that they be bought at the same time.

But if they are not alike they are still valid. If he bought one today and the other tomorrow, they are valid.

If one of them died before the lot was cast another pair is bought for the second. But if after the lot was cast, another pair must be bought and he must cast lots for them over again. If the one ‘For Hashem’ died, he should say: “This one upon which the lot ‘For Hashem’ has fallen stands in its stead.” And if the one that was ‘For Azazel’ died he should say: “This one upon which the lot ‘For Azazel’ has fallen stands in its stead.” The other one is left to pasture until it becomes blemished and it is to be sold and its value goes for voluntary offerings, for the sin-offering of the congregation is not to be left to die.

Rabbi Judah says: it is left to die. Furthermore Rabbi Judah said: if the blood was poured away, the goat which is to be sent away is left to die. If the goat to be sent away dies, the blood is poured away.

He came to the scapegoat and pressed his two hands upon it and confessed. And thus he would say: “Please, O Lord! They have done wrong, they have transgressed, they have sinned before You, Your people the House of Israel. Please, in the name of the Lord! . . . .

[Forgive the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the sins which your people, the House of Israel, have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, as it is written in the torah of Moses Your servant: “For on this day shall atonement be made for you [to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord”] (Leviticus 16:30). And the priests and the people standing in the courtyard, when they would hear God’s name explicated coming out of the high priest’s mouth, would bend their knees, bow down and fall on their faces and say “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”

They handed it over to him who was to lead it away. All were fit to lead it away, but the priests made a fixed rule not to permit an Israelite to lead it away. Rabbi Yose said: it once happened that Arsela led it away, although he was an Israelite.

And the goat shall carry on him all their sins to a cut-off land; and he shall let send the goat away in the desert.

And they made a ramp for him [it?] because of the Babylonians, who would pull his hair, saying to him: “Take it and go, take it and go.”

Some of the important people of Jerusalem would accompany him up to the first booth. There were ten booths from Jerusalem to Tzuk, that is ninety ris, seven and a half of which make a mil.

"They made a ramp for him". Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: They were not Babylonians, rather they were Alexandrians. And since they hate the Babylonians, they would call them by their name.

At every booth they would say to him: here is food and here is water. And they accompanied him from booth to booth, except the last one, for they would not go with him up to Zuk, but rather stand from afar, and see what his deeds.

"At every booth they would say to him: here is food and here is water."

No-one ever needed this. However, someone who has bread in his pack can't be compared to one who doesn't have bread in his basket.

What did he do?

He divided the thread of crimson wool, and tied one half to the rock, the other half between its horns, and pushed it from behind, and it went rolling down and before it had reached half its way down hill it had broken into limbs.

He came back and sat down under the last booth until it grew dark.

And from when are his clothes unclean? From the moment he has gone outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Rabbi Shimon says: from the moment he pushes it into Zuk.

And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land which is cut off; and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there.

And he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place and put on his other vestments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.

And the fat of the sin-offering shall he make smoke upon the altar.

The bull of the sin-offering and the goat of the sin-offering whose blood was brought in to atone for the sanctuary shall be taken outside the camp; and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their dung in fire.

The one who burned them shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water—and after that may re-enter the camp.

He came to the bull and the goat that were to be burnt. He cut them open and took out the sacrificial portions and put them on a tray, and them burned them on the altar.

He twisted them around carrying poles and took them out to the place of burning.

And from when are his clothes unclean? After they have gone outside the walls of the Temple courtyard. Rabbi Shimon says: from the moment the fire has taken hold of most of them.

They said to the high priest: the goat has reached the wilderness. And how did they know that the goat had reached the wilderness?

They used to set up scouts [watch-towers?] and they would wave scarves, and they would know that the goat had reached the wilderness.

Rabbi Judah said: but did they not have a great sign? From Jerusalem to Bet Hidudo [Haroron in Kaufman] was three mils. They could walk a mil, return the mil, then wait the time it takes to walk a mil, and thus know that the goat had reached the wilderness.

[Rabbi Ishmael said: but did they not have a different sign? A thread of crimson wool was tied to the door of the Temple, and when the goat reached the wilderness the thread turned white, as it is written, “Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).]

The high priest came to read. If he wished to read in linen garments, he reads, and if not he reads in his own white cloak.

The synagogue hazan would take a Torah scroll and give it to the head of the synagogue, and the head of the synagogue would give it to the deputy High Priest, and the deputy High Priest would give it to the High Priest, and the High Priest would stand and receive it, and read, “After the death …” (Leviticus 16:1-34) and “But on the tenth…” (Leviticus 23:26-32).

He would roll up the Torah scroll and put it in his bosom and say, “More than what I have read out before you is written here.” And he would read “On the tenth …” (Numbers 29:7-11) in the Book of Numbers by heart.

And he recites on it eight benedictions: “For the law”, “For the Temple service,” “For thanksgiving,” “For the forgiveness of sins” and “For the Temple” on its own, and “For Israel” on its own and “For Jerusalem” on its own, “For the priests” on their own and “For the rest of the prayer.”

The reading was in the Women's Court.

For a person is allowed to sit down there and the fact that the text says "would stand" is proof that he was sitting until then.

But in the Court of Israel and further in nobody was allowed to sit other than the kings of the house of David.

. . . .

He finished with "Blessed is he who hears prayer."

He who sees the high priest when he reads does not see the bull and the goat that are being burned, and he that sees the bull and the goat that are being burned does not see the high priest when he reads, not because he was not permitted but because the distance apart was great and the work of both was like one.

If he read in the garments of linen, he would then sanctify his hands and feet, strip off his clothes, go down and immerse himself, come up and dry himself.

They brought him the golden clothes, he put them on, sanctified his hands and feet, went out, offered up his own ram and the ram of the people, and the seven unblemished, one-year-old-lambs, according to Rabbi Eliezer.

Rabbi Akiba says: these were offered up together with the morning tamid while the bull for the whole-offering and the goat which is offered up outside were offered up together with the evening tamid.

He sanctified his hands and feet, stripped off his clothes, went down and immersed himself, came up and dried himself.

They brought him white clothes, he put them on and sanctified his hands and his feet. Then he went in to bring out the ladle and the fire-pan.

He sanctified his hands and feet, stripped off his clothes, went down and immersed himself, came up and dried himself.

They brought him golden clothes, he put them on, sanctified his hands and feet, and went in to burn up the evening incense, and adjust the lamp and he sanctified his hands and feet and stripped, went down, immersed himself, came up and dried himself.

They brought him his own clothes and he put them on. And they would accompany him to his house. And he would make a holiday for those he loved at the time that he came out of the holy place in peace.

The high priest performs the service in eight pieces of clothing, and the common priest in four: in tunic, breeches, a headdress, and a sash. The high priest adds the breastpiece, the ephod, the robe and the frontlet.

In these were the Urim and Tummim inquired of. But they were not inquired of except by the king, by the head of the court or by one whom the community needs.

Inside the breastpiece of judgment you shall place the Urim and Thummim, so that they are over Aaron’s heart when he comes before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall carry the instrument of decision for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord at all times.

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, and he shall ask for him the decision of the Urim before the Lord.

By his mouth they shall go out and by his mouth they shall come in, he and all Israel with him, and the whole community.

The Sages taught: How does one ask? The one asking stands with his face toward the one who is asked, and the one who is asked turns his face toward the Divine Presence.

The one who asks says: “Shall I pursue after this troop?” (I Samuel 30:8). And the one who is asked says: Thus says God: Go up and succeed.

Rabbi Yehuda says: He need not say: Thus says God; rather: Go up and succeed.

One does not ask in a loud voice, as it is stated: “He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, and he shall ask for him” (Numbers 27:21).

And he should not just think his question in his heart, as it is stated: “And he shall ask for him the decision of the Urim before the Lord . . . by his mouth they shall go out and by his mouth they shall come in.”

Rather, in the way that Hannah spoke in her prayer, as it is stated: “Now Hannah spoke in her heart".

And it shall be a statute for ever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the stranger that sojourneth among you.

For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before the LORD.

It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever.

On Yom Kippur it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint oneself, to put on sandals, or to have sexual relations.

A king or bride may wash their face, and a woman after childbirth may put on sandals, according to Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages forbid it.

Someone who eats like a large date, like it and its seed, or drank a mouthful, is liable.

All foods add up to make up a date, and all the liquids add up to make up a mouthful. Food and drink do not add up.

Someone who ate and drank in one state of unawareness is not obligated to bring more than one sin-offering.

If he ate and performed work while in one state of unawareness he is obligated for two sin-offerings.

If he ate foods unfit for eating, or drank liquids unfit for drinking, or drank fish-brine or fish pickling liquid, he is not liable.

The Torah did not spell out these five prohibitions on the fast of Kippur but the text mentioned the word "afflict" [inui] five times.. . . . and the tradition taught that they came to prohibit enjoyment of five things . . . but only the prohibition of eating and drinking carries "cutting off" . . The text mentions in the context of punishment of "affliction", "I will destroy this soul from the midst of its people" and the tradition teaches, "something that the soul depends on, this is eating and drinking".

Children - one does not “afflict” them on Yom Kippur but one educates them a year or two before so that they become accustomed to the commandments.

If a pregnant woman smelled, they feed her until she her spirit returns.

A sick person is fed at the word of experts. And, if no experts are present, they feed him upon his own word until he says: "Enough".

And similarly, if a pregnant woman smells meat that is holy or pig's meat and her nature is aroused and she desires to eat it then one feeds her from the forbidden food until her spirit returns.

The sick person says, I can, but the physician says, he cannot; one listens to the physician.

The physician says, he can, but the sick person says, he cannot; one listens to the sick person.

The only question is if the sick person says, I can, and the physician says, I do not know. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It is treated as an uncertainty of a danger to life, and any uncertainty of a danger to life pushes the Sabbath aside.

If someone is seized by a bulmus [ravenous hunger?], they feed him, even unclean things, until his eyes light up.

If someone was bitten by a mad dog, they don't feed him the lobe of its liver, but Rabbi Matia ben Harash permits it.

Moreover Rabbi Matia ben Harash said, if someone has pain in his throat, they may drop medicine into his mouth on Shabbat, because it is may be a danger to life and every possible danger to life overrides the Shabbat.

If a ruined building fell on someone, and it is not certain whether he is there, or whether he is alive or dead, or whether he is a foreigner or a Jew, one clears the debris from above him.

If they find him alive they clear the debris, but if dead they should leave him.

The sin-offering and the unconditional guilt-offering effect atonement.

Death and Yom Kippur effect atonement together with repentance.

Repentance effects atonement for light transgressions, positive and negative.

For severe ones it suspends punishment until Yom Kippur arrives and effects atonement.

Someone who says, I shall sin and repent, I shall sin and repent, cannot carry out repentance.

If he says, I shall sin and Yom Kippur will atone for me, Yom Kippur does not effect atonement.

For transgressions between man and God Yom Kippur effects atonement, but for transgressions between man and his fellow Yom Kippur does not effect atonement until he has appeased his fellow.

Rabbi Elazar b. Azariah expounded, “From all your sins before the Lord you shall be clean” (Leviticus 16:30) to mean that for transgressions between man and God Yom Kippur effects atonement, but for transgressions between man and his fellow Yom Kippur does not effect atonement until he has appeased his fellow.

Rabbi Akiva said: Happy are you, Israel! Before whom you are you made pure and who is it that purifies you? Your Father who is in heaven, as it is said: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean” (Ezekiel 36:25). And it says: “Israel's hope [mikveh] is the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:13. Just as a mikveh purifies the unclean, so too does the Holy One, blessed be He, purify Israel.

We will return to you, Tractate Yoma, and you will return to us; our mind is on you, Tractate Yoma, and your mind is on us.

We will not forget you, Tractate Yoma, and you will not forget us – not in this world and not in the next world.