Yoma 170

אבל להחיות אפילו מעל מזבחי ומה זה שספק יש ממש בדבריו ספק אין ממש בדבריו ועבודה דוחה שבת קל וחומר לפקוח נפש שדוחה את השבת נענה רבי אלעזר ואמר ומה מילה שהיא אחד ממאתים וארבעים ושמונה איברים שבאדם דוחה את השבת קל וחומר לכל גופו שדוחה את השבת

but to save life<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If one had been sentenced to death, there is ample provision for a revision, if even at the last moment someone claims to have found evidence of the accused's innocence. If a priest has such evidence, or is only believed to have it, he would be taken down from the altar even after he had commenced, and before having completed, his service.');">¹</span> one may take one down even from the altar. Now if in the case of this one, where it is doubtful whether there is any substance in his words or not, yet [he interrupts] the service in the Temple [which is important enough to] suspend the Sabbath, how much more should the saving of human life suspend the Sabbath laws! R'Eleazar answered and said: If circumcision, which attaches to one only of the two hundred and forty-eight members of the human body, suspends the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The circumcision must take place on the eighth day, even if that day falls on the Sabbath, suspending the law of the Sabbath, which prohibits operation, as well as preparations leading to it.');">²</span>

רבי יוסי בר' יהודה אומר (שמות לא, יג) את שבתותי תשמורו יכול לכל ת"ל אך חלק רבי יונתן בן יוסף אומר (שמות לא, יד) כי קודש היא לכם היא מסורה בידכם ולא אתם מסורים בידה

how much more shall [the saving of] the whole body suspend the Sabbath! R'Jose son of R'Judah said: Only ye shall keep My Sabbaths,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXI, 13.');">³</span> one might assume under all circumstances, therefore the text reads: 'Only' viz, allowing for exceptions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'divides', 'makes a distinction'. The word 'rak' here translated 'only' (E.V. 'verily') is interpreted as 'only under certain, I.e., not all conditions',');">⁴</span> R'Jonathan B'Joseph said: For it is holy unto you;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 14.');">⁵</span>

ר' שמעון בן מנסיא אומר (שמות לא, טז) ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת אמרה תורה חלל עליו שבת אחת כדי שישמור שבתות הרבה א"ר יהודה אמר שמואל אי הואי התם הוה אמינא דידי עדיפא מדידהו (ויקרא יח, ה) וחי בהם ולא שימות בהם

I. e. , it [the Sabbath] is committed to your hands, not you to its hands. R'Simeon B'Menassia said: And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid., 16.');">⁶</span>

אמר רבא לכולהו אית להו פירכא בר מדשמואל דלית ליה פירכא דר' ישמעאל דילמא כדרבא דאמר רבא מאי טעמא דמחתרת חזקה אין אדם מעמיד עצמו על ממונו והאי מידע ידע דקאי לאפיה ואמר אי קאי לאפאי קטילנא ליה והתורה אמרה בא להרגך השכם להרגו ואשכחן ודאי ספק מנלן

The Torah said: Profane for his sake one Sabbath, so that he may keep many Sabbaths. Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: If I had been there, I should have told them something better than what they said: He shall live by them,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVIII, 5.');">⁷</span> but he shall not die because of them.

דר' עקיבא נמי דילמא כדאביי דאמר אביי מסרינן ליה זוגא דרבנן לידע אם ממש בדבריו ואשכחן ודאי ספק מנא לן

Raba said: [The exposition] of all of them could be refuted, except that of Samuel, which cannot be refuted. That of R'Ishmael - perhaps that is to be taken as Raba did, for Raba said : What is the reason for the [permission to kill the] burglar? No man controls himself when his money is at stake, and since [the burglar] knows that he [the owner] will oppose him, he thinks: If he resists me I shall kill him, therefore the Torah says: If a man has come to kill you.

וכולהו אשכחן ודאי ספק מנא לן ודשמואל ודאי לית ליה פירכא אמר רבינא ואיתימא רב נחמן בר יצחק טבא חדא פלפלתא חריפא ממלא צנא דקרי

anticipate him by killing him! Hence we know it [only] of a certain case; [but] whence would we know it of a doubtful one? That of R'Akiba's, there too [there may be a refutation]. Perhaps we should do as Abaye suggests, for Abaye said: We give him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To the priest who thinks he has relevant testimony in favour of the accused, because of which he may be taken down from the altar in the midst of the service.');">⁸</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> חטאת ואשם ודאי מכפרין מיתה ויוה"כ מכפרין עם התשובה תשובה מכפרת על עבירות קלות על עשה ועל לא תעשה ועל החמורות הוא תולה עד שיבא יוה"כ ויכפר האומר אחטא ואשוב אחטא ואשוב אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה אחטא ויוה"כ מכפר אין יוה"כ מכפר עבירות שבין אדם למקום יוה"כ מכפר עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו אין יוה"כ מכפר עד שירצה את חבירו

a couple of scholars, so as to find out whether there is any substance in his words. Again we know that only in the case of certain death, [but] whence would we know it of a doubtful case? [And similarly with the exposition of] all of them we know it only of a certain case; whence do we know of a doubtful case?

דרש ר' אלעזר בן עזריה (ויקרא טז, ל) מכל חטאתיכם לפני ה' תטהרו עבירות שבין אדם למקום יוה"כ מכפר עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו אין יוה"כ מכפר עד שירצה את חבירו אמר רבי עקיבא אשריכם ישראל לפני מי אתם מטהרין מי מטהר אתכם אביכם שבשמים שנאמר (יחזקאל לו, כה) וזרקתי עליכם מים טהורים וטהרתם ואומר (ירמיהו יז, יג) מקוה ישראל (ה') מה מקוה מטהר את הטמאים אף הקב"ה מטהר את ישראל

But of Samuel, as to that there is no refutation. Rabina, or R'Nahman B'Isaac said: 'Better is one corn of pepper than a whole basket full of pumpkins.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A commentary on Samuel's irrefutable simple interpretation, as against the more involved and less perfect interpretations of the other Rabbis.');">⁹</span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THE SIN-OFFERING AND THE GUILT-OFFERING [FOR THE] UNDOUBTED COMMISSION OF CERTAIN OFFENCES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. V, 15 and VI, 6, as opposed to the suspensive guilt-offering, due in the case of doubtful commission of sin, which postpones punishment until that doubt is removed, when a sin-offering is due to procure atonement. Among the guilt-offerings due for undoubted commission of certain offences are: one for illegal appropriation of private property, after reparation has been made; one for misappropriation of sacred property; one for carnal connection with a bondwoman betrothed to another man; the offering of a nazirite who had interrupted the days of his avowed naziriteship by levitical impurity.');">¹⁰</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אשם ודאי אין אשם תלוי לא והא כפרה כתיבא ביה הנך מכפרי כפרה גמורה אשם תלוי אינו מכפר כפרה גמורה

PROCURE ATONEMENT, DEATH AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT PROCURE ATONEMENT TOGETHER WITH PENITENCE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Penitence is essential; it consists of genuine regret, and determination to improve one's conduct. In the case of any offering (sin or guilt) such penitence is taken for granted, for without it no sacrifice has any meaning or value.');">¹¹</span> PENITENCE PROCURES ATONEMENT FOR LIGHTER TRANSGRESSIONS: [THE TRANSGRESSION OF] POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS. IN THE CASE OF SEVERER TRANSGRESSIONS IT [PENITENCE] SUSPENDS [THE DIVINE PUNISHMENT], UNTIL THE DAY OF ATONEMENT COMES TO PROCURE ATONEMENT.

אי נמי הנך אין אחר מכפר כפרתן אשם תלוי אחר מכפר כפרתן דתנן חייבי חטאות ואשמות ודאין שעבר עליהן יוה"כ חייבין אשמות תלוין פטורין

IF ONE SAYS: I SHALL SIN AND REPENT, SIN AND REPENT, NO OPPORTUNITY WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM TO REPENT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because this statement indicates that he never experienced genuine regret.');">¹²</span> [IF ONE SAYS]: I SHALL SIN AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT WILL PROCURE ATONEMENT FOR ME, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT PROCURES FOR HIM NO ATONEMENT. FOR TRANSGRESSIONS AS BETWEEN MAN AND THE OMNIPRESENT THE DAY OF ATONEMENT PROCURES ATONEMENT, BUT FOR TRANSGRESSIONS AS BETWEEN MAN AND HIS FELLOW THE DAY OF ATONEMENT DOES NOT PROCURE ANY ATONEMENT, UNTIL HE HAS PACIFIED HIS FELLOW.

מיתה ויוה"כ מכפרין עם התשוב: עם התשובה אין בפני עצמן לא נימא דלא כרבי דתניא רבי אומר על כל עבירות שבתורה בין עשה תשובה בין לא עשה תשובה יום הכפורים מכפר חוץ (מפורק עול) ומגלה פנים בתורה ומיפר ברית בשר שאם עשה תשובה יוה"כ מכפר ואם לא עשה תשובה אין יוה"כ מכפר

THIS WAS EXPOUNDED BY R'ELEAZAR B. ALARIAH: FROM ALL YOUR SINS BEFORE THE LORD SHALL YE BE CLEAN,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVI, 30.');">¹³</span> I. E. , FOR TRANSGRESSIONS AS BETWEEN MAN AND THE OMNIPRESENT THE DAY OF ATONEMENT PROCURES ATONEMENT, BUT FOR TRANSGRESSIONS AS BETWEEN MAN AND HIS FELLOW THE DAY OF ATONEMENT DOES NOT PROCURE ATONEMENT UNTIL HE HAS PACIFIED HIS FELLOW.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verse is thus taken to mean 'From all your sins before the Lord', (i.e. , as between man and his Creator) will the Day the Atonement procure you forgiveness; but not for those which are committed not 'before the Lord', and 'before man', viz., sins committed against our fellow-man.');">¹⁴</span>

אפילו תימא רבי תשובה בעיא יוה"כ יוה"כ לא בעיא תשובה

R'AKIBA SAID: HAPPY ARE YOU, ISRAEL! WHO IS IT BEFORE WHOM YOU BECOME CLEAN? AND WHO IS IT THAT MAKES YOU CLEAN? YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, AS IT IS SAID: AND I WILL SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER UPON YOU AND YE SHALL BE CLEAN.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXXVI, 25.');">¹⁵</span>

תשובה מכפרת על עבירות קלות על עשה ועל לא תעשה השתא על לא תעשה מכפרת על עשה מיבעיא אמר רב יהודה הכי קאמר על עשה ועל לא תעשה שניתק לעשה

AND IT FURTHER SAYS: THOU HOPE OF ISRAEL, THE LORD!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XVII, 13. The word 'mikweh' is a homonym meaning both 'fountain' thus ritual bath, and 'hope'.');">¹⁶</span> JUST AS THE FOUNTAIN RENDERS CLEAN THE UNCLEAN, SO DOES THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, RENDER CLEAN ISRAEL. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Only the undoubted guilt-offering [atones], but not the suspensive one?

ועל לא תעשה גמור לא ורמינהו אלו הן קלות עשה ולא תעשה

But is not the word 'forgiveness' written with regard to it too?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. V, 18 with reference to a suspensive guilt-offering; v. also supra p. 422, n. 4.');">¹⁷</span> - These [others] procure complete atonement, the suspensive guilt-offering does not procure complete atonement. Or else, As for these [others]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sin-offering and certain guilt-offerings.');">¹⁸</span> another can effect their atonement, whereas in the case of the suspensive guilt-offering nothing else can effect their atonement. For it was taught: If those who were liable to sin-offerings, or guilt-offerings [for the] undoubted [commission of offences] permitted the Day of Atonement to pass, they are still obliged to offer then, up; but in the case of those who were liable to suspensive guilt-offerings, they are exempt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ker. 25a.');">¹⁹</span> DEATH AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT PROCURE ATONEMENT TOGETHER WITH PENITENCE. Only TOGETHER WITH PENITENCE, but not in themselves! - Shall we say that this teaching is not in accord with, Rabbi? For it was taught: Rabbi said, For all transgressions [of commands of] the Torah, whether one had repented or not, does the Day of Atonement procure atonement, except in the case of one who throws off the yoke<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., denies the existence of God.');">²⁰</span> [of the Torah ], interprets the Torah unlawfully.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'reveals an aspect of the Torah (not in accordance with the correct interpretation) '; or, 'acts in a bare-faced manner against the Torah'. For a full discussion of the phrase v. Sanh., Sonc. ed., p. 99.');">²¹</span> or breaks the covenant of Abraham our father.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Circumcision; v. loc. cit.');">²²</span> In these cases, if he repented, the Day of Atonement procures atonement, if not, not! - You might even say that this is in accord with Rabbi: Repentance needs the Day of Atonement, but the Day of Atonement does not need repentance. PENITENCE PROCURES ATONEMENT FOR LIGHTER TRANSGRESSIONS: [THE TRANSGRESSION OF] POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS. If it procures atonement for the transgression of negative commandments, is it necessary [to state that it procures it for the transgression of] positive ones?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A sin of omission is not as serious as one of commission.');">²³</span> - Rab Judah said: This is what he means, [It procures atonement] for [the transgression of] a positive commandment , of a negative commandment that is to be remedied into a positive one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A prohibitive law, the transgression of which must be repaired by a positive act, as e.g., Lev. XIX, 13: Thou shalt not rob, and V, 23: He shall make restitution.');">²⁴</span> But not [for the transgression] of an actual negative commandment? Against this the following contradiction is to be raised: These are light transgressions [for which penitence procures atonement: transgression of] positive commandments and negative commandments