Decided Laws (Halakhot pesukot)

Laws of Yom Kippur

On Yom Kippur, it is prohibited to eat, drink, wash, anoint with oil, wear shoes, or have sexual relations. A king and a bride may wash their face, and a woman after childbirth may wear shoes. This is the opinion of R. Eliezer, but the rabbis prohibit it [m. Yoma 8:1].

One who eats the volume of a large date on Yom Kippur, in the amount of the fruit and its pit, or who drinks the equivalent of a cheek full [of liquid] is liable. All foods [that are eaten, in total] combine to form the [maximum] volume of a large date, and all liquids combine to form the volume of a cheek full, but food and drink do not combine [m. Yoma 8:2].

On Yom Kippur, labor is prohibited, as on the Sabbath, and one is required to cease labor on the eve of Yom Kippur while it is still light, as it is taught: And you shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the month [at evening, from evening until evening] (Leviticus 23:32).

Perhaps one should start on the actual ninth day? Scripture therefore states: at evening. If it is at evening, perhaps only when darkness falls? Scripture therefore states: from evening. How so? One begins to fast on the day before. From here it is learned that one must add from nonsacred time to sacred time [b. Yoma 81b].

I have derived [this rule] only regarding the beginning of the day, that one must begin the fast early. From where do we derive that one must delay the conclusion [of fasting] until nightfall? Scripture states: until evening. [ . . . ]

The sages taught: The commandment of confession [vidui] sets in on Yom Kippur eve with the fall of darkness. But the sages said that one should confess before one eats and drinks [one’s last meal] lest one become distraught at the meal [and choke]. Even if—in case some disaster occurs to one during the meal—one confessed prior to eating and drinking, one should confess again after eating and drinking. Even if one confessed during the evening service, one should confess again during the morning service; [and even if one did so] in the morning service—[also] in the additional service; [and even if] in the additional service—[also] in the afternoon service; [and even if] in the afternoon service—[also] in the closing service. [ . . . ]

As it is prohibited to wash the entire body, so too is it [prohibited to wash] even part of one’s body. If one’s hands are dirty with mud or feces, one may wash them in the normal manner without concern. As it is prohibited to anoint the entire body [with oil], so too for even part of one’s body. If one is sick or has scabs on one’s head, one may anoint in the normal manner without concern [b. Yoma 77b]. [ . . . ]

Mishnah: If a pregnant woman smells food [and craves it, which is understood to place her at risk of death should she not satisfy the craving], we feed her until she recovers [m. Yoma 8:5]. The sages taught: If a pregnant woman smells consecrated meat or pig meat [i.e., foods that are generally forbidden at all times], we insert a reed into its gravy and place it in her mouth. If her mind settles, good. If not, we feed her the gravy itself. If her mind settles, good. If not, we feed her the fat itself, as no [commandment] is more important than saving a life except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder [b. Yoma 82a].

Mishnah: We feed a sick person following the instruction of experts. If there are no experts present, we feed him following his own wishes until he says, “Enough” [m. Yoma 8:5]. R. Yannai said: [If] a sick person says, “I need to eat,” and a doctor says, “He does not,” we feed him following his own wishes—the heart knows its own bitterness (Proverbs 14:10). If the doctor says, “He needs to,” but the sick person says, “I do not,” we feed him following the doctor. Why? Confusion has taken hold of him, [and his word is not to be relied upon,] and all life-threatening situations are treated leniently.

If one was seized with bulmos [a dangerous sickness], we feed him even impure [i.e., nonkosher] foods until his eyes recover [m. Yoma 8:6]. The sages taught: If one is seized with bulmos, we feed him honey and all types of sweet foods, as honey and all types of sweet foods brighten the light of the eyes. R. Naḥman said in the name of Samuel: If one is seized with bulmos, we feed him a fatty tail with honey. R. Huna ben R. Joshua said: Fine wheat flour with honey. R. Papa said: Even barley flour with honey [b. Yoma 83b].

Mishnah: If one is bitten by a mad dog, we do not feed him from the lobe of the dog’s liver, but R. Matya ben Ḥarash permits this. And R. Matya ben Ḥarash further said: If one suffers from pain in his mouth, we may place medicine [taking medicine generally being forbidden on the Sabbath] inside his mouth on the Sabbath because it may be a life-threatening situation, and potentially life-threatening situations override the Sabbath [m. Yoma 8:6]. [ . . . ]

R. Judah Gerogarot taught: It is prohibited to sit on clay on Yom Kippur [in order to cool oneself off]. R. Joshua ben Levi said: [It is prohibited] only when the clay is dripping wet. Abaye said: It must be wet enough to make something else wet. R. Judah said: It is permitted to cool off with fruit. R. Judah would cool off with a squash. Raba would cool off by placing a baby next to him. Rava would cool off with a silver cup. Rava said: If the cup is full [of water], it is prohibited; if it is not, it is permitted. As for a ceramic cup, it is prohibited either way because the water seeps through. R. Ashi said: A silver cup is also prohibited because it can slip.

Ze‘ira bar Ḥama was hosting R. Ami, R. Asi, R. Joshua ben Levi, and all of the sages of Caesarea. He said to Joseph, the son of R. Joshua ben Levi, “Come, I will tell you about a wonderful custom that your father would practice. He had a cloth on the eve of Yom Kippur that he would soak in water, and the next day he would wipe his face, hands, and feet with it.”