Objective and subjective measurements TB Yoma 80

Refraining from eating is one of the five afflictions we observe on Yom Kippur. We are looking for the minimum amount of food that will settle our minds, but not be satiating. The Mishnah says that amount is the size of a date-bulk including its pit. On yesterday’s daf TB Yoma 79 Rabba held that the amount of a date-bulk was larger than the amount of an egg-bulk and Rav Zevid held the opposite view that a date-bulk was smaller than an egg-bulk. I learned today that the halakha follows Rav Zevid. 

Today’s daf TB Yoma 80 elaborates on the topic of measurements. “All the measures in the Torah connected to eating are the volume of an olive-bulk,” (Sefaria.org translation) with two exceptions. The first exception is the amount of food that renders objects tamei, impure or as I like to say ritually unready. Food is not a source of tumah, ritual unreadiness, but a conduit. To transmit tumah the amount of food needs to be the size of an egg-bulk. The second exception is Yom Kippur where the amount of food to trigger the prohibition is a date-bulk.

The next important fact we learned about measurements is its source. “With regard to this topic, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Measures and punishments are halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai. The Gemara expresses surprise at this: The punishments for all transgressions are written explicitly in the Torah, and therefore are not part of an oral transmission from Moses. Rather, this is what was said: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Measures that determine liability for punishments are halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai.”(Sefaria.org translation)

Last important concept we learn is food has an objective standard whether it is an olive-bulk, date-bulk, or egg-bulk. The measurement concerning liquids is subjective based on the size of the person. A cheek full of liquid is enough to settle person’s mind and trigger the prohibition of drinking on Yom Kippur.

“Rabbi Zeira strongly objects to this halakha with regard to the measure for liability for drinking: What is different with regard to eating, in that all people have the same measure, the volume of a large date; and what is different with regard to drinking, where each and every person is liable according to his own measure, i.e., every individual’s measure depends on the size of his own mouth? Abaye said to him: The Sages have an accepted tradition with regard to the volume of the large date, that eating this amount settles his mind, but less than this amount does not settle his mind. However, with regard to drinking, his mind is settled with the amount of his own cheekful, but his mind is not settled with the cheekful of his fellow who is smaller than him.” (Sefaria.org translation)

How large is a date-bulk? TB Yoma 79

 Refraining from eating is one of the five afflictions we observe on Yom Kippur. We are looking for the minimum amount of food that will settle our minds, but not be satiating. Just yesterday I didn’t eat a very large lunch and by 4 o’clock in the afternoon I was really hungry. I wanted a snack that would stop the hunger pains, but not ruin my appetite for supper. I ate a protein bar and that did the trick. The Mishnah back on TB Yoma 73b gives us the measurement of food that will settle our minds, but not satiate us. “One who eats (on Yom Kippur-gg) a large date-bulk of food, equivalent to a date and its pit” (Sefaria.org translation) is liable.

There are three different measures, and olive-bulk, a large date-bulk, and an egg- bulk. Today’s daf TB Yoma 79 presents the disagreement between Rabba and Rav Zevid whether the large date-bulk is larger or smaller than an egg-bulk.

“Rava (Rabba is the better version-gg) said that Rav Yehuda said: The volume of a large date that they said is larger than an egg-bulk. The Sages have an accepted tradition that with this amount of food, the mind of the one who eats is settled, and he is not afflicted. Less than this amount, the mind is not settled.” (Sefaria.org translation)

“Rav Zevid disagreed with what was mentioned earlier and said: This is not so. Rather, the volume of a large date that they spoke of is less than an egg-bulk” (Sefaria.org translation)

Obviously these measurements were easily understood during Talmudic times as we understand our own measurements like a teaspoon, tablespoon, and a cup. To help you understand these Talmudic measurements I looked them up online.

An olive-bulk “In the Mishnah it is said: "Like an olive they said: neither large nor small, but medium - it is aguri . " Aguri olive is a particular variety of olives, identified by Dr. Mordechai Kislev with the Syrian olive, which has a volume of about 3 cc” (https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=iw&u=https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25D7%259B%25D7%2596%25D7%2599%25D7%25AA&prev=search&pto=aue)

An egg-bulk “Today, it is accepted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Na'a that the rate as an egg is 57.6 cc.” (https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/ כביצה)

 

A date-bulk measurement is only used in conjunction with Yom Kippur. Perhaps that is why I could not find online how much a date-bulk corresponds to. Hopefully on tomorrow’s daf will learn who is correct Rabba or Rav Zevid. Stay tuned.

What children are exempt from on Yom Kippur TB Yoma 78

Of course all boys who have reached the age of bar mitzvah and girls who’ve reached the age of bat mitzvah are considered old enough to observe the commandments like adults. Minor children are exempt. Today’s daf TB Yoma78 teaches us that the exception to the exemption is wearing leather shoes on Yom Kippur.

 “The Sages taught: Young children are permitted to perform all of the prohibited activities on Yom Kippur, except for wearing shoes. The Gemara asks: What is different about wearing shoes? It is because observers who see a child wearing shoes will say that adults did this for him, i.e., put them on for him, since he cannot do it for himself. But if that is the reason, with regard to those other prohibitions also, like bathing and smearing oil, they will say that adults did this for him, and children should be prohibited from those activities as well. The Gemara explains: With regard to bathing and smearing oil, they could say that they did this for him yesterday, since one cannot be certain when the child was bathed. (The Gemara in TB Yevamot 114a teaches that even though a minor is exempt from a prohibition, an adult may not provide him with something that is prohibited.-GG)

“The Gemara asks: If so, we could say this with regard to shoes as well. They could say that they did this for him yesterday. The Gemara answers: In the case of shoes, it is impossible to say an adult did it for him yesterday, since the child would not have worn shoes at night. As Shmuel said: He who desires a taste of death should put on shoes and go to sleep.

“The Gemara asks: But the mishna is teaching that they are permitted to wear shoes ab initio. If so, it is permitted for an adult to perform these acts for a child even on the day of Yom Kippur, and the observer will not think that the adult has done anything wrong. Rather, we must explain the mishna as follows: The Sages decreed against performing those actions that are not necessary for the child’s growth, but the Sages did not decree against performing those actions that are necessary for the child’s growth. As Abaye said: My mother told me: A child’s growth requires hot water and oil for smearing. When he grows a little, he must eat egg with kutaḥa, a pickled dip made with milk. When he grows a little more, he must have vessels to break, since he will enjoy breaking them. This is like Rabba who bought cracked ceramic vessels for his children, and they broke them for their enjoyment.” (Sefaria.org translation)

I haven’t bought shoes for any of my grandchildren; however, I do see what they wear on their feet. Especially when they are very young I don’t remember seeing any leather shoes. Children grow so quickly, buying expensive leather shoes for them doesn’t make any sense. Consequently, parents today don’t have to worry what kind of shoes their children wear on Yom Kippur.

Our tradition strongly suggests though that at appropriate ages we begin to acculturate our children to observe the commandments. Children nearing the age of bar/bat mitzvah can fast a few hours to prepare for their forthcoming responsibilities as bnai mitzvah. When I was a sixth grade Hebrew school teacher at United Hebrew School, I encouraged my 12 year old with the parents’ permission to fast on Yom Kippur. If they succeeded, I rewarded of them with the Friendly’s ice cream cone.

 

 

Allowances and dispensations concerning washing on Yom Kippur TB Yoma 77

 Judaism doesn’t understand halakha in terms of black or white, either forbidden or permitted. The laws of Yom Kippur prove this point. Even though we are commanded to afflict ourselves by refraining from eating, drinking, anointing, washing, wearing leather shoes, and having intimate relationships with our spouse, today’s daf TB Yoma 76 teaches allowances and dispensations concerning washing oneself on Yom Kippur.

Bathing for pleasure is what is forbidden. The Gemara cites cases where one is permitted to wash. All translations are from Sefaria.org.

“But if one is dirty from mud or excrement, he may bathe in his usual manner, and he need not be concerned about transgressing, since his goal is not pleasure.”

“The school of Menashe taught that Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: A woman may rinse one hand in water, so that she does not touch food before she has washed her hands in the morning, and give bread to her child, and she need not be concerned about violating the prohibition of bathing on Yom Kippur. They said about Shammai the Elder that he did not want to feed his children with one hand, to avoid having to wash it. This prevented the children from eating during all of Yom Kippur. Due to concerns about the health and the suffering of his children, they decreed that he must feed them with two hands, forcing him to wash both hands. What is the reason that they also said in general that one must wash his hands before touching food? Abaye said: Due to an evil spirit named Shivta, who resides on hands that have not been washed in the morning.”

We don’t believe in evil spirits like the rabbis did. Nevertheless, Covid 19 has reminded us of the importance of wash our hands regularly to prevent the transmission of germs and viruses. Washing one’s hands before preparing food is essential to prevent the spread of disease. I rule that this type of washing isn’t on for pleasure, but rather for my health and the health of those around me and permitted on Yom Kippur.

 

Manna proves that God loves us TB Yoma 76

I have the best, the cutest, and the smartest grandchildren in the entire universe. Just ask me and I shall affirm these truths as an unbiased source. Since becoming a grandfather I’ve held the position that my children may live whatever they want; however, there should be a law that grandchildren may not live more than three blocks away from the grandparents! I’m pretty lucky that three out of my five grandchildren live in the greater New York area, but I don’t get to see them as often as I would like. When I do, my day is made.

I now understand better how God feels about the Jewish people. TB Yoma 76 continues discussing the deeper meaning of the manna.

“Furthermore, with regard to the manna: The students of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked him: Why didn’t the manna fall for the Jewish people just once a year to take care of all their needs, instead of coming down every day? He said to them: I will give you a parable: To what does this matter compare? To a king of flesh and blood who has only one son. He granted him an allowance for food once a year and the son greeted his father only once a year, when it was time for him to receive his allowance. So he arose and granted him his food every day, and his son visited him every day.

So too, in the case of the Jewish people, someone who had four or five children would be worried and say: Perhaps the manna will not fall tomorrow and we will all die of starvation. Consequently, everyone directed their hearts to their Father in heaven every day. The manna that fell each day was sufficient only for that day, so that all of the Jewish people would pray to God for food for the next day.” (Sefaria.org translation) Prayer shouldn’t be looked upon as a burden.  Because God loves us, the Holy One just wants us to drop by three times a day, morning, afternoon, and evening, to visit Him and keep Him company.

Having to collect the manna every day was another expression of God’s love for us. “Alternatively, they received manna daily so that they would be able to eat it while it was hot and fresh. Alternatively, they received manna daily due to the hardship of carrying on the journey. They did not stay in the same place all those years, and it would have been difficult for them to carry the manna from one place to another. Therefore, the manna fell wherever they went.” (Sefaria.org translation)

 

The real world of prayers TB Yoma 75

God fed the Israelites during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness manna and quails. Today’s daf TB Yoma 75 interprets the verses surrounding these events in typical aggadic[1] fashion.

“The manna was called white because it whitened Israel’s sins. The people feared that if they sinned the manna would not continue to fall. Consequently, they devoted themselves to introspection and repentance.” (Sefaria.org translation) Introspection is a key element to a spiritual life. Ashley Lorenzana writes, “Even if you think you're doing well and have it all figured out, there is a voice you will always inevitably hear at some point which nags at you and says "but wait..." Don't ever dismiss it, listen to what it has to say. Life will never be close enough to perfect, and listening to that voice means stepping outside of yourself and considering your own wrongdoings and flaws.”

Daily prayer not only affords us time for this introspection, but provides us with a glimpse of a future of promise, commitment and inspiration. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman shares a story about a Midtown church in New York City which illustrates these ideas.

“New York’s Midtown area houses a Lutheran Church that is part of a modern high-rise office and shopping mall. Visitors are invited to look outside the church through a sanctuary window that could have been colored in with a stained glass biblical scene, but was left transparent instead. The view leads onto the street, where homeless people shuffle back and forth amid the wealth of New York’s East Side. The point of it all is to see the outside with the vision of the inside, to grasp the message worship and then to apply it. Before coming to pray, we might have passed the poor without noticing them. But now, after praying the words of the prophets and committing ourselves to justice and charity, the world outside is seen in a new light. We leave for the sense that we are called to end poverty: how can we do otherwise and still remain true to the story of our prayers?”[2]

Prayer posits the “real” world and calls us to transform the outside world to match the “real” world of the prayers.

---

[1] Midrash is ancient rabbinic interpretation of scripture. Aggadah is rabbinic narrative. The two terms are, however, often used interchangeably to refer to those many aspects of rabbinic literature that are not related to Jewish behavior or law

[2] The Art of Public Prayer: Not for Clergy Only, page 160-161 

An introduction to the five categories of prohibitions on Yom Kippur TB Yoma 74

Tosefot points out on yesterday’s daf TB Yoma 73b that our massekhet follows a logical progression. It begins with the seclusion of the High Priest seven days before Yom Kippur, continues how the High Priest spent the night before Yom Kippur, and through the seventh chapter the Gemara discusses the ins and outs of the Yom Kippur Avodah, service, attaining atonement for all of Israel. The eighth and final chapter of our massekhet deals with what is forbidden and permitted on Yom Kippur for all of Israel.

The Torah commands that we afflict ourselves in five different sentences on Yom Kippur in three places.

“And it shall be a statute forever unto you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born or the stranger that sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall you be clean before the Lord. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest (Shabbat Shabbaton) for you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever.” Leviticus 23: (Leviticus 16:19-31)

“On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; there shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall afflict your souls; and you shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And you shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatever soul that shall not be afflicted on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And whatever soul that does any manner of work on that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of solemn rest (Shabbat Shabbaton), and you shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month in the evening, from evening unto evening shall you keep your Sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:27-32) 

“And on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and you shall afflict your souls; you shall do no manner of work.” (Numbers 29:7) 

Each “affliction” connotes a different prohibition. The Mishnah TB Yoma 73b enumerates what these five prohibitions are. “On Yom Kippur, the day on which there is a mitzva by Torah law to afflict oneself, it is prohibited to engage in eating and in drinking, and in bathing, and in smearing oil on one’s body, and in wearing shoes, and in conjugal relations.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Tosefot Yeshanim holds that only eating and drinking (which is considered one category of affliction) are forbidden with the punishment of karet by the Torah because of explicit verses in the Torah. The other four prohibitions are only forbidden by the rabbis. How could the Mishnah continue to provide the following exceptions: “the king, in deference to his eminence, and a new bride within thirty days of her marriage, who wishes to look especially attractive at the beginning of her relationship with her husband, may wash their faces on Yom Kippur.  A woman after childbirth, who is suffering, may wear shoes because going barefoot causes her pain.” (Sefaria.org translation) if they were prohibited by the Torah? If the last four afflictions were prohibited by the Torah, there could be no exceptions to the rule! Rambam disagrees and holds that all five prohibitions are forbidden in the Torah, but only eating and drinking have the penalty of karet.

Near the conclusion of today’s daf TB Yoma 74, the Gemara investigates other places where the word affliction appears in the Torah. The last example on the page deals with mana that God fed the Israelites in the desert.

“Apropos the verse: “And he afflicted you and caused you to hunger, and fed you with manna” (Deuteronomy 8:3), the Gemara expounds related verses. The Torah states: “Who feeds you manna in the desert which your fathers did not know, in order to afflict you” (Deuteronomy 8:16). What affliction was there in eating the manna? Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi disagreed on the matter. One said: There is no comparison between one who has bread in his basket and one who does not have bread in his basket. The affliction in eating the manna lay in there being no leftover food for the next day. Each day the people worried that they might not have any food to eat the next day. And one said: There is no comparison between one who sees the food and eats it and one who does not see the food and eats it. Though the manna could taste like anything, it always looked the same and did not look as it tasted. Being unable to see the food that they tasted was an affliction.” (Sefaria.org translation)

I’ve learned from all my cooking magazines and all the cooking shows I watched on TV that presentation of the food is an important aspect of eating. When preparing a meal, I try to have foods of different color to excite the pallet. I don’t want anybody when he/she is served to say “Today’s meal has been brought to you by the color brown.”

The ranking of priests TB Yoma 73

Today we finish the seventh chapter of our massekhet and began the eighth chapter with daf TB Yoma 73. I’m going to save discussing the eighth chapter until tomorrow because it introduces a brand new topic. The eighth chapter deals with all the practical halakhot that apply to our modern observance of Yom Kippur. 

Our chapter ends with two interesting discussions. The first topic discusses the four different categories of kohanim, priests. They are the High Priest, a former High Priest, a priest anointed for war i.e. he is the Army’s highest ranking chaplain, and a regular priest. The High Priest wears eight garments and a regular priest wears only four. The Gemara wants to know if and when the priest anointed for war may wear the eight garments.

The following baraita discusses the differences between the four different categories.

“As it was taught in a baraita: The matters in which there are differences between a High Priest and a common priest are as follows:
The bull of the anointed priest, also called the bull brought for all the mitzvot, which is brought for unwittingly deciding and following an erroneous halakhic ruling in a case for which one would be liable to receive the penalty of karet had he committed it intentionally;
And the bull of Yom Kippur;
And the tenth of an ephah that the High Priest offers each day.
Only the High Priest brings the above offerings.

“In addition, when in mourning, a High Priest does not let his hair grow wild, nor does he rend his clothing in the way other mourners do. But he does rend his clothing from below, in a place that is not noticeable, while the common priest rends from above in the normal manner.
And he may not become ritually impure in the event of the death of his close relatives, but a common priest may.
And he is commanded to marry a virgin, and he is prohibited from marrying a widow, in contrast to a common priest who is prohibited to marry only a divorcee.
And his death allows the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge.

“And he sacrifices offerings even when he is an acute mourner, i.e., on the first day of his mourning, but he may not eat from the offerings on that day and he may not take a portion from them.
And he takes his portion first from any offering of his choice.
And he has the first right to sacrifice any offering he wants.
And he serves wearing eight garments.
And he is exempt from bringing an offering for unwittingly causing ritual impurity to the Temple and its sacred objects.
And all parts of the Yom Kippur service are valid only when performed by him.

“And all these halakhot unique to the High Priest are not limited to one who was consecrated with anointing oil, but apply also to a High Priest of many garments. During the Second Temple period, when the oil used for anointing was no longer available for anointing High Priests, the High Priests were consecrated by virtue of wearing the eight garments. This is true except with regard to the bull brought for all the mitzvot, which is brought only by a High Priest consecrated with anointing oil.

“And all these halakhot apply to a former High Priest who had been consecrated to substitute for a High Priest who had become disqualified. If the disqualification of the original High Priest is removed, he may return to his position. Although the substitute no longer serves as a High Priest, he retains the sanctity of a High Priest and the halakhot of the High Priest continue to apply to him. This is true except with regard to the sacrifice of the bull on Yom Kippur and the sacrifice of the tenth of an ephah each day.

“And none of them applies to the priest anointed for war, except for the five items stated explicitly in the passage about the High Priest (Leviticus 21:10–15):
When in mourning, he does not let his hair grow wild nor does he rend his clothing in the way regular mourners do.
And he may not become ritually impure in the event of the death of his close relatives.
And he is commanded to marry a virgin, and he is prohibited from marrying a widow.
And his death allows the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehuda in tractate Makkot (11a). And the Rabbis say: His death does not allow the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rav Dimi holds that the priest anointed for war may wear the eight garments and perform the sacrificial rites including the Yom Kippur service in them. Ravina contends that that Rav Dimi is not transmitting the correct tradition. He holds that the priest anointed for war only wears the eight garments when he needs to ask God a question and receive an answer via the Urim and Tummim when the High Priest is unavailable.

The chapter ends with a detailed discussion of the second topic, exactly what are the Urim and Tummim, how do they transmit God’s answer to a question, and who may ask a question. The Yale University seal with its well-known Latin Lux et Veritas — “light and truth” — banner has been in regular use since 1736. The Hebrew phrase Urim V'Tummim astride the center of the seal. If you’re interested go to the very end of a chapter and read all about it.

Day is done TB Yoma 72

The first seven chapters of our massekhet discusses the Yom Kippur service in the Temple as observed by the High Priest. By yesterday’s daf TB Yoma 71b the High Priest has finished all of the ritual requirements to gain atonement for all of Israel. In fact the Gemara records that if the person who was responsible for the scapegoat’s fate runs into the High Priest in the market (obviously after Yom Kippur), he greets him “My Master, High Priest, we performed your mission, i.e., we fulfilled the mitzva of sending the goat to Azazel. He refers to the sending as the High Priest’s mission as a public display of respect.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Now that the Yom Kippur day’s obligations are done, today’s daf TB Yoma 72 deals with a sundry different issues surrounding the High Priest, kohanim (priests in general), and items related to the sanctuary. Of course the rabbis go off on tangents as well. But these tangents are very relevant how we should live our lives today. I’ll share three of them with you.

“Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were three crowns on the sacred vessels in the Temple: The crown of the altar, and of the Ark, and of the table. The regal appearance they provided symbolized power and authority: The crown of the altar symbolized the crown of priesthood; Aaron was deserving and took it, and the priesthood continues exclusively through his descendants. The crown of the table symbolized the abundance and blessing associated with the crown of kingship; David was deserving and took it for himself and his descendants after him. The crown of the Ark symbolized the crown of Torah; it is still sitting and waiting to be acquired, and anyone who wishes to take it may come and take it and be crowned with the crown of Torah. Perhaps you will say it is inferior to the other two crowns and that is why nobody has taken it; therefore, the verse states about the wisdom of Torah: “Through me kings will reign” (Proverbs 8:15), indicating that the strength of the other crowns is derived from the crown of Torah, which is greater than them all.” (Sefaria.org translation) In other words Torah is available to anybody who wants it. Anybody who’s willing to study and apply himself/herself can earn the crown of Torah. Go for it!

“The Gemara presents a number of statements based on the idea that the Ark symbolizes the Torah: Rabbi Yoḥanan raised a contradiction: According to the way the word crown is written in the Torah (Exodus 25:11), without vowels, it should be pronounced zar (זָר), meaning strange, but according to the traditional vocalization we read it as zeir (זֵיר), meaning crown. These two ways of understanding the word appear to contradict each other. Rabbi Yoḥanan explains: The two understandings apply to two different situations: If one is deserving by performing mitzvot, it becomes a crown [zeir] for him; but if one is not deserving, the Torah will be a stranger [zara] to him.” (Sefaria.org translation) I think that Rabbi Yohanan’s observation hits home in the 21^st century. As a rabbi I have seen a Renaissance of Torah study in the widest sense of the meaning. I’ve witnessed transformative programs like Meah where people commit themselves to study 100 hours of Jewish studies taught by college professors. I’ve also seen how our beautiful traditions have become strange to other people. After a loved one passes away, the descendants give to me their loved one’s prayer books, Bibles, and tefilin because they have no use for them. What once was zeir is now zar. Our goal as the Jewish community should be helping people turn the zar back into a zeir, crown.

“The verse states concerning the Ark: “From within and from without you shall cover it” (Exodus 25:11). Rava said: This alludes to the idea that any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside, i.e., whose outward expression of righteousness is insincere, is not to be considered a Torah scholar.” (Sefaria.org translation) I think this understanding applies to all leaders and not only to religious ones. A person in a position of leadership should not be duplicitous, appearing to be honest, trustworthy, and having integrity, but in reality is anything but. At least here in New York today is primary day where we have an opportunity to vote for the candidates we feel will fight for us in the November election and beyond. I hope that we choose men and women whose insides are just like their outsides. 

When they go low TB Yoma 71

 

The first mishnayot of Pirkei Avot enumerates the chain of tradition of the oral Torah. “Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly.” Antigonus a man of Socho received [the oral tradition] from Shimon the Righteous, who was one of the last men of the Great Assembly. The transmission of the oral tradition entered the era of the zugot, pairs. The first pair was Yose ben Yoezer (a man) of Zeredah and Yose ben Yohanan [a man] of Jerusalem . The second pair was Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite. The third pair was Judah ben Tabbai and Shimon ben Shetach. The fourth pair was Shemaiah and Avtalion. And the last pair was Hillel and Shammai. (Sefaria.org translation of Pirkei Avot)

To appreciate the story on today’s daf TB Yoma 71 we have to know that “Avtalion and Shemaiah were converts to Judaism or the descendants of converts; by tradition they were descended from King Sennacherib of Assyria.^[2] Despite this, they were influential and beloved. However, Graetz has argued that neither Shemaiah nor Avtalion was of Gentile descent, although both were Alexandrians.^[4]” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmaya_(tanna))

Ҥ It was taught in the mishna: The people escort the High Priest to his house. And he would make a feast for his loved ones. The Sages taught in a baraita: There was an incident involving one High Priest who exited the Holy Temple and everyone followed him. When they saw Shemaya and Avtalyon, the heads of the Sanhedrin, walking along, in deference to them they left the High Priest by himself and walked after Shemaya and Avtalyon.

“Eventually, Shemaya and Avtalyon came to take leave of the High Priest before returning to their homes. Envious of the attention they received, he angrily said to them: Let the descendants of the gentile nations come in peace. Shemaya and Avtalyon descended from converts, and he scornfully drew attention to that fact. They said to him: Let the descendants of the gentile nations come in peace, who perform the acts of Aaron, who loved and pursued peace; and let not a descendant of Aaron come in peace, who does not perform the acts of Aaron and who speaks condescendingly to descendants of converts.”

This High Priest transgressed the prohibition of exploitation of words

(אונאת דברים) as described in massekhet Baba Metzia 58b “Mishna: Just as there is a prohibition against exploitation [ona’a] in buying and selling, so is there ona’a in statements, i.e., verbal mistreatment… GEMARA: The Sages taught: It is written: “And you shall not mistreat [tonu] one man his colleague; and you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 25:17)… If one is a convert and he came to study Torah, one may not say to him: Does the mouth that ate unslaughtered carcasses and animals that had wounds that would have caused them to die within twelve months [tereifot], and repugnant creatures, and creeping animals, comes to study Torah that was stated from the mouth of the Almighty?” (Sefaria.org translation)

 

You might say that Michelle Obama knew the Gemara in Baba Metzia when she said, “When they go low, we go high.” Words matter and we should watch what we say.

 

Wearing God’s seal of approval TB Yoma 69

Our God in heaven is the God of truth, whose Torah is truth, whose prophets speak truth, and who abounds in deeds of love and truth (Zohar, parashat Vayakel 206a) In fact Rav Hanina teaches on today’s daf TB Yoma 69 “the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth.” (Sefaia.org translation) I learned from this Gemara that I can’t pray a lie.

“As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Why are the Sages of those generations called the members of the Great Assembly? It is because they returned the crown of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to its former glory. How so? Moses came and said in his prayer: “The great, the mighty, and the awesomeGod” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Jeremiah the prophet came and said: Gentiles, i.e., the minions of Nebuchadnezzar, are carousing in His sanctuary; where is His awesomeness? Therefore, he did not say awesome in his prayer: “The great God, the mighty Lord of Hosts, is His name” (Jeremiah 32:18). Daniel came and said: Gentiles are enslaving His children; where is His might? Therefore he did not say mighty in his prayer: “The great and awesome God” (Daniel 9:4).

The members of the Great Assembly came and said: On the contrary, this is the might of His might, i.e., this is the fullest expression of it, that He conquers His inclination in that He exercises patience toward the wicked. God’s anger is flared by the gentile nations’ enslavement of His people, yet He expresses tremendous might by suppressing His anger and holding back from punishing them immediately. Therefore, it is still appropriate to refer to God as mighty. And these acts also express His awesomeness: Were it not for the awesomeness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, how could one people, i.e., the Jewish people, who are alone and hated by the gentile nations, survive among the nations?

“The Gemara asks: And the Rabbis, i.e., Jeremiah and Daniel, how could they do this and uproot an ordinance instituted by Moses, the greatest teacher, who instituted the mention of these attributes in prayer? Rabbi Elazar said: They did so because they knew of the Holy One Blessed be He, that He is truthful and hates a lie. Consequently, they did not speak falsely about Him. Since they did not perceive His attributes of might and awesomeness, they did not refer to them; therefore, they cannot be criticized for doing so.” (Sefaria.org translation)

There are certain prayers or parts of prayers I can no longer pray because I would be lying. Anybody who has visited Jerusalem today knows that it is a bustling city with new building going up all around the town. Many of our prayers about Jerusalem reflect an era before the reestablishment of the State of Israel. For example in the penitential prayers called takhanun we find such sentences as these: “Please turn your wrath and anger away from Jerusalem, your holy mountain… Open your eyes and see her desolation and that of the city called by your name.” One month from now we should observe the fast of Tisha B’Av lamenting the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem and the exile the Jewish people. I can’t recite many of the earth, poems of lamentation, because they describe Jerusalem as “now girds herself with sackcloth.” I have friends who modify their observance of this fast day because of the reality that Jews have returned home and have begun to rebuild Jerusalem to its former glory.

I don’t believe that God is angry with these changes to the traditional prayers because He hates lies. When we speak the truth, we can say that we wear God’s seal of approval.

 

When the Yom Kippur service may continue with the reading of the Torah TB Yoma 68

Today we finish the sixth chapter of our massekhet and begin the seventh chapter with daf TB Yoma 68. According to the Mishna when the scapegoat reached the beginning of the wilderness, the High Priest could continue with the Yom Kippur service. But how would the High Priest know when the scapegoat reached the beginning of the wilderness?! The scapegoat was 3 miles outside of Jerusalem and the High Priest was in the temples courtyard. Even if modern technology existed like cell phones back then, I doubt very much whether the rabbis would permit their use to inform the High Priest he may continue. The Mishna on daf TB Yoma 68b suggests three different solutions how the people who were escorting the scapegoat would let the High Priest know he may continue with the Yom Kippur service.

“They said to the High Priest: The goat has reached the wilderness. And how did they know in the Temple that the goat reached the wilderness? They would build platforms [dirkaot] all along the way and people would stand on them and wave scarves [sudarin] to signal when the goat arrived. And therefore they knew that the goat reached the wilderness.

"Rabbi Yehuda said: Why did they need these platforms? Didn’t they already have a reliable indicator? From Jerusalem to Beit Ḥiddudo, the edge of the wilderness, where the mitzva of dispatching the goat was performed, was a distance of three mil. Since the nobles of Jerusalem walked a mil to escort the dispatcher and returned a mil, and waited the time equivalent to the time it takes to walk a mil, they knew that the goat reached the wilderness. There was no need for the platforms.

"Rabbi Yishmael says: Didn’t they have a different indicator? There was a strip of crimson tied to the entrance to the Sanctuary, and when the goat reached the wilderness and the mitzva was fulfilled the strip would turn white, as it is stated: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rabbi Yishmael’s explanation must have been said before what we learned on TB Yoma 67a “The Sages taught: At first they would tie this strip of crimson to the opening of the Entrance Hall of the Temple on the outside. If the strip turned white they would rejoice, as this indicated that their sins had been atoned for. If it did not turn white they would be sad and ashamed. When the Sages saw that people were overly distressed on Yom Kippur, they established that they should tie the strip of crimson to the opening of the Entrance Hall on the inside, since only a few could actually go in to see it. And they would still peek and see: If it turned white, they would rejoice, and if it did not turn white they would be sad. Therefore, the Sages established that they should tie half of the strip to the rock and half of it between the goat’s horns, so that the people would not know what happened to the strip until after the conclusion of Yom Kippur.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Once the High Priest learned that he could continue with the Yom Kippur service the first Mishna of the seventh chapter teaches that he read from the Torah those portions relating to the Yom Kippur service.

“The synagogue attendant (חַזַּן הַכְּנֶסֶת-who we would call him/her the shamash or sexton today) takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue (רֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת-who we would call the president of the synagogue today) that stood on the Temple Mount; and the head of the synagogue gives it to the deputy High Priest, and the Deputy gives it to the High Priest, and the High Priest stands and receives the scroll from his hands. And he reads from the scroll the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1-parashat Akhrei Mot) and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26-parashat Emor), and furls the Torah scroll and places it on his bosom and says: More than what I have read before you is written here. The Torah portion beginning with the verse: “And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (29:7-parashat Pinkhas), he then reads by heart.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The Jerusalem Talmud learns of the mitzvah to read the Torah from the verse “And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.” (Leviticus 16:34) in order to fulfill both the actual Yom Kippur service and reading the command to do so.

 

Explaining the word Azazel TB Yoma 67

 Today’s daf TB Yoma 67 discusses the ritual of the scapegoat from the time it leaves the Temples precincts through its demise by being thrown off a cliff. The person who leads the scapegoat marked for Azazel is accompanied by the prominent people of Jerusalem. Since Azazel is never defined in the Bible, the Gemara provides three potential interpretations.

“§ The Sages taught: The word Azazel indicates that the cliff the goat is pushed from should be rough and hard. I might have thought that it may be located in a settled area. Therefore, the verse states: “In the wilderness.” And from where does one derive that the goat is pushed from a cliff? The verse states “gezeira,” indicating an area that is sharp, like a cliff. It was taught in another baraita: Azazel is a reference to the hardest mountain, and so it says: “And the mighty [eilei] of the land he took away” (Ezekiel 17:13). Azazel is interpreted as azaz-el, with the term el connoting something rough and hard.

“The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Azazel is so called because it atones for the actions of Uzza and Azael. These are the names of “sons of God” who sinned with “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2) and thereby caused the world to sin during the generation of the Flood.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Baruch A. Levine the author of the New JPS Commentary on Leviticus explains the meaning of this word.

“The precise meaning of the Hebrew ‘aza’el, found no were else in the Bible, has been disputed since antiquity and remains uncertain even to the present time. Over the centuries, exegesis of this name has followed three lines of interpretation. According to the first, Azazel is the name of the place in the wilderness to which the scapegoat was dispatched; the term is taken as synonymous with ‘erets gezerah, “inaccessible region,” in verse 16:22. Verse 16:10 may also suggest this interpretation. When translated literally it reads: ‘and send it [the he-goat] off to Azazel, to the wilderness.’ Yoma 67b understands ‘aza’el as ‘a fierce, difficult land,’ taking the first part of the word to mean ’azz, ‘strong, fierce.’ According to the second line of interpretation, Azazel describes the goat. The word ‘aza’el is a contraction (notarikon) comprised of ‘ez, ‘goat’ and ‘azal, ‘to go away,’ hence ‘the goat that goes away.’ This interpretation occurs in both the Septuagint and the Vulgate and underlies the rabbinic characterization sa’ir hamishtalleakh, ‘the goat that is dispatched,’ in Mishna Yoma 6:2. This is, in fact, the interpretation that led to the English rendering ‘scapegoat’ (from ‘escape-goat’), which first appeared in Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible in 1530.

“Both of the above interpretations are contrived. The third line of interpretation is preferable. Azazel in later myth was the name given to the demonic ruler of the wilderness. The derivation of the word is uncertain, but thematic relationship of Azazel to the se’irim, ‘goat-demons,’ of 17:7 suggests that the word ‘ez, ‘goat,’ is represented in it. The form ‘aza’el may have developed through reduplication of the letter zayin: ‘ez-‘el, ‘mighty goat,’ was pronounced ‘ezez’el and, finally, ‘aza’el. The ritual of the scapegoat is discussed in Excursus 4.” (page 102)

רגע של עברית. How do you say “Go to hell” in Modern Hebrew? Lekh le’aza’el

(לך לעזאזל).

How not to answer a question TB Yoma 66

 Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurcanus also known as Eliezer Hagadol was one of the great tannaim of the first and second centuries C.E. He was one of Rabban Yokhanan ben Zakkai’s disciples and helped him establish the yeshiva in Yavneh after the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem. Rabban Yokhanan ben Zakkai described his retentive ability as “a plastered well that never loses a drop.” His most famous student was Rabbi Akiva. On today’s daf TB Yoma 66 he is asked a series of nine questions with some of them dealing with the scapegoat and others on a variety of topics, but evades answering them all. The Gemara explains why: “It was not because he was distancing them with words, and made irrelevant statements because he did not know the answers to these questions. Rather, Rabbi Eliezer responded in this way because he never said anything that he did not hear from the mouth of his teacher. Since he had not learned these points from his teacher, he did not answer directly, thereby indicating that he did not have a tradition with regard to these questions.” (Sefaria.org translation)

He was a severe and dominating man. The last question posed by a woman demonstrates that a Torah scholar and is not always a nice person. “The Gemara cites another question posed to Rabbi Eliezer. A wise woman asked Rabbi Eliezer: Since all bore equal responsibility for the incident of the Golden Calf, due to what factor were their deaths not equal? Some of the people were killed by the sword of Moses and the Levites, some were killed in a plague, and others were struck with an intestinal illness. He said to her: There is no wisdom in a woman except weaving with a spindle, and so it states: “And any woman who was wise-hearted spun with her hands” (Exodus 35:25). Therefore, it is unbefitting for a woman to concern herself with such questions.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Because the question is a good one, the Gemara provides two possible answers.

“With regard to this issue, it was stated that the amora’im Rav and Levi disagreed: One of them said: One who sacrificed and burned incense to the calf, which are idolatrous practices that incur capital punishment, was punished by the sword. One who embraced and kissed it, which are not forms of idolatrous worship that incur capital punishment, was subject to a divine punishment of death by a plague. One who rejoiced inwardly but performed no act was killed by the intestinal illness known as hidrokan.

“And one of them said: One who served the calf in the presence of witnesses and after a warning was punished by the sword. One who served the calf in the presence of witnesses but without warning was subject to death by a plague. One who served without witnesses and without warning was killed by hidrokan.”  (Sefaria.org translation)