The Laws of the Yom Kippur Serviceהִלְכוֹת עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים
They contain one mitzvah: to perform the entire service of Yom Kippur as it is described in the reading of Acharei Mot, the sacrifices, the confessions, sending away the goat, and the other services.מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אַחַת. וְהִיא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כֻּלּוֹ עַל הַסֵּדֶר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּפָרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת, הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְהַוִּדּוּיִין וְשִׁלּוּחַ הַשָּׂעִיר וּשְׁאָר הָעֲבוֹדָה.
This mitzvah is explained in the ensuing chapters.וּבֵאוּר מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּפְרָקִים אֵלּוּ.
1On the fast day of Yom Kippur, we sacrifice a continual offering in the morning and in the late afternoon according to the order followed every day.1א בְּיוֹם הַצּוֹם מַקְרִיבִין תָּמִיד בַּשַּׁחַר וְתָמִיד בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, כְּסֵדֶר כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם.
And the additional sacrifices of the day are offered:2 a bull, a ram, and seven sheep—all these are burnt-offerings—and a sin-offering of a goat whose service is performed outside3 and which is eaten in the evening.4וּמַקְרִיבִין מוּסַף הַיּוֹם פַּר וְאַיִל וְשִׁבְעָה כְּבָשִׂים, כֻּלָּן עוֹלוֹת, וּשְׂעִיר חַטָּאת נַעֲשָׂה בַּחוּץ, וְהוּא נֶאֱכָל לָעֶרֶב.
Besides these additional offerings are sacrificed: a) a young ox as a sin-offering; it is burnt;5 b) a ram as a burnt-offering; both of these are brought by the High Priest;6 c) the ram which is brought from communal funds that is mentioned in the passage Acharei Mot;7 it is the ram mentioned in the Book of Numbers8 as part of the additional offering; it is called the ram of the people.9וְעוֹד מַקְרִיבִין יָתֵר עַל מוּסָף זֶה, פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר לְחַטָּאת וְהוּא נִשְׂרָף, וְאַיִל לְעוֹלָה - וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִשֶׁל כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. וְאַיִל הַבָּא מִשֶׁל צִּבּוּר הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת "אַחֲרֵי מוֹת" (ויקרא טז, א), הוּא הָאַיִל הָאָמוּר בְּחוּמַשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים בִּכְלַל הַמּוּסָף - וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא 'אֵיל הָעָם'.
In addition, two goats are brought from communal funds: one is offered as a sin-offering and it is burnt and the other is the goat sent to Azazel.וְעוֹד מְבִיאִין מִשֶׁל צִּבּוּר - שְׁנֵי שְׂעִירֵי עִזִּים: אֶחָד קָרֵב חַטָּאת, וְהוּא נִשְׂרָף, וְהַשֵּׁנִי שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ.
Thus there are a total of fifteen animals sacrificed on this day: two continual offerings, a bull, two rams and seven sheep; these are all burnt-offerings, two goats as sin-offerings, one offered outside the Temple building which is eaten in the evening and one whose blood is offered in the Temple building and which is burnt, and the bull of the High Priest which is a sin-offering that is burnt.10נִמְצְאוּ כָּל הַבְּהֵמוֹת הַקְּרֵבוֹת בְּיוֹם זֶה חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר: שְׁנֵי תְּמִידִין וּפַר וּשְׁנֵי אֵילִים וְשִׁבְעָה כְּבָשִׂים, כֻּלָּן עוֹלוֹת; וּשְׁנֵי שְׂעִירִים חַטָּאת - אֶחָד נַעֲשָׂה בַּחוּץ וְנֶאֱכָל לָעֶרֶב, וְהַשֵּׁנִי נַעֲשָׂה בִּפְנִים וְנִשְׂרָף; וּפַר כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל לְחַטָּאת, וְהוּא נִשְׂרָף.
2The sacrificial service for all these fifteen animals that are offered on this day may be performed only by the High Priest. This applies both to a High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment11 or initiated into office by wearing the garments of the High Priest.12בעֲבוֹדַת כָּל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּהֵמוֹת אֵלּוּ הַקְּרֵבִין בְּיוֹם זֶה אֵינָהּ אֶלָא בְּכוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בִּלְבַד - אֶחָד כּוֹהֵן הַמָּשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, אוֹ הַמְּרֻבֶּה בִּבְגָדִים.
If Yom Kippur fell on the Sabbath, even the additional offering of the Sabbath should be sacrificed only by the High Priest.וְאִם הָיְתָה שַׁבָּת, אַף מוּסַף שַׁבָּת אֵין מַקְרִיב אוֹתוֹ אֶלָא כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל.
Similarly, all of the other services performed on this day, the offering of the daily incense offering, the kindling of the Menorah’s lamps, are all performed by a married High Priest,13 as Leviticus 16:6 states: “And he shall atone for himself and his household.” “His household” refers to his wife.וְכֵן שְׁאָר הָעֲבוֹדוֹת שֶׁל יוֹם זֶה, כְּגוֹן הַקְטָרַת הַקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁל כָל יוֹם, וַהֲטָבַת הַנֵּרוֹת - הַכֹּל בְּכוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל נָשׂוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ" (ויקרא טז, ו; ויקרא טז, יא; ויקרא טז, יז) - 'בֵּיתוֹ', זוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ.
3For seven days prior to Yom Kippur, the High Priest departs from his home14 and stays in his chamber in the Temple.15 This is a tradition received from Moses our teacher.גשִׁבְעַת יָמִים קֹדֶם לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מַפְרִישִׁין כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל מִבֵּיתוֹ לְלִשְׁכָּתוֹ שֶׁבַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְדָבָר זֶה קַבָּלָה מִמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ.
He is separated from his wife for these seven days, lest his wife become a niddah in the midst of relations and he become impure for seven days16 and thus unable to perform the Temple service.וּמַפְרִישִׁין אוֹתוֹ מֵאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֵלּוּ - שֶׁמָּא תִּמָּצֵא נִדָּה, וְנִמְצָא טָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד.
A substitute High Priest is prepared so that if this one becomes disqualified, the other may serve instead of him. Whether the disqualifying factor takes place when offering the continual offering of the morning17 or the disqualifying factor occurred after he offered his sacrifice, the replacement need not be installed in his office by offering a special sacrifice.18 Instead, the performance of the sacrificial service of the day installs him. He should begin from the service where the other ceased.וּמַתְקִינִין לוֹ כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל אַחֵר - שֶׁאִם יֶאְרַע בְּזֶה פְּסוּל, יַעֲבֹד הָאַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו. בֵּין שֶׁאֵרַע בּוֹ פְּסוּל קֹדֶם תָּמִיד שֶׁל שַּׁחַר, בֵּין שֶׁאֵרַע בּוֹ אַחַר שֶׁהִקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹת - זֶה שֶׁנִּכְנָס תַּחְתָּיו אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ חִנּוּךְ, אֶלָא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ מְחַנְּכַתּוּ, וּמַתְחִיל מֵעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁפָּסַק בָּהּ הָרִאשׁוֹן.
After Yom Kippur, the first High Priest resumes his position and the second ceases to serve in this capacity. All of the mitzvot incumbent on a High Priest19 are incumbent on him, but he does not carry out the service of the High Priest. If he does perform that service, his service is acceptable. When the first dies, he is appointed in his place.עָבַר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים - הֲרֵי הָרִאשׁוֹן חוֹזֵר לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְהַשֵּׁנִי עוֹבֵר. וְכָל מִצְוַת כְּהֻנָּה גְּדוֹלָה עָלָיו, אֶלָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד כְּכוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל; וְאִם עָבַד, עֲבוֹדָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה. וְאִם מֵת הָרִאשׁוֹן, זֶה הַשֵּׁנִי מִתְמַנֶּה תַּחְתָּיו.
4During these seven days, he is sprinkled with the ashes of the Red Heifer on the third day20 after he was separated and on the seventh day21 which is the day before Yom Kippur, lest he have contracted impurity from a corpse unknowingly. If the third or the seventh day of the sprinkling falls on the Sabbath,22 the sprinkling is not performed.23דבְּשִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֵלּוּ, מַזִּין עָלָיו מֵאֵפֶר הַפָּרָה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי לְהַפְרָשָׁתוֹ וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁהוּא עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁמָּא נִטְמָא בְּמֵת וְלֹא יָדַע. וְאִם חָל יוֹם שַׁבָּת בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי אוֹ בַּשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁלּוֹ, דּוֹחִין אֶת הַהַזָּיָה.
5For all of these seven days, he is trained to perform the Temple service. He casts the blood on the altar, offers the incense, kindles the lamps, and offers the limbs of the continual offering on the altar’s pyre so that he will be familiar with the Temple service.24הכָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים מַרְגִּילִין אוֹתוֹ בָּעֲבוֹדוֹת - זוֹרֵק אֶת הַדָּם, וּמַקְטִיר אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת, וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת, וּמַקְטִיר אֵיבָרֵי תָּמִיד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָגִיל בָּעֲבוֹדָה בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
He is given sages from the elders of the court who read the relevant passages for him and teach him the service necessary to be performed on the holy day and its order. They tell him: “My sir, the High Priest, read by yourself, for perhaps you have forgotten or you never learned this point.”וּמוֹסְרִין לוֹ זְקֵנִים מִזִּקְנֵי בֵּית דִּין, וְקוֹרְאִים לְפָנָיו וּמְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ עֲבוֹדַת הַיּוֹם וְסִדּוּרָהּ. וְאוֹמְרִין לוֹ 'אִישִׁי כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל קְרָא אַתָּה בְּפִיךָ, שֶׁמָּא שָׁכַחְתָּ אוֹ שֶׁמָּא לֹא לָמַדְתָּ דָּבָר זֶה'.
On the day before Yom Kippur in the morning, they would have him stand in the eastern gates of the Temple Courtyard and cause bulls, rams, and sheep25 to pass before him so he would be familiar and accustomed with the Temple service.וְעֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בַּשַּׁחְרִית הָיוּ מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ בְּשַׁעַר הַמִּזְרָח, וּמַעְבִירִין לְפָנָיו פָּרִים וְאֵילִים וּכְבָשִׂים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַכִּיר וְרָגִיל בָּעֲבוֹדָה.
6Throughout these seven days food and drink are not withheld from him. Nevertheless, on the day before Yom Kippur before nightfall, they would not let him eat amply, for indulgence in food leads to sleep. And they would not let him sleep, lest he would have a seminal emission.26 They would not feed him foods that increase semen, e.g., eggs, warm milk, and the like.וכָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים לֹא הָיוּ מוֹנְעִין מִמֶּנּוּ מַאֲכָל וּמַשְׁקֶה. עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עִם חָשֵׁכָה לֹא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ לֶאֱכֹל הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁהַמַּאֲכָל מֵבִיא אֶת הַשֵּׁינָה; וְלֹא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ לִישׁׂן, שֶׁמָּא יִרְאֶה קֶרִי; וְלֹא הָיוּ מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ דְּבָרִים הַמַּרְגִּילִין לְשִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, כְּגוֹן בֵּיצִים וְחָלָב חַם וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן.
7In the era of the Second Temple, heresy erupted in Israel, and the Sadducees emerged,27 may they speedily perish,28 who did not believe in the Oral Law and who maintained that the incense offering of Yom Kippur would be placed on fire in the Sanctuary outside the Parochet29 and when its smoke rose up, they would bring it into the Holy of Holies. Their rationale was that they interpreted the Torah’s phrase Leviticus 16:2: “For in a cloud I will appear on the Kaporet,”30 as referring to the cloud of the incense offering.זבִּימֵי בַּיִת שֵׁנִי צָץ הַמִּינוּת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיָצְאוּ הַצְּדּוֹקִין, מְהֵרָה יֹאבְדוּ, שֶׁאֵינָן מַאֲמִינִין בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִין שֶׁקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָהּ עַל הָאֵשׁ בַּהֵיכָל חוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת, וּכְשֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עֲשָׁנָהּ מַכְנִיס אוֹתָהּ לִפְנִים לְקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳדָשִׁים. הַטַּעַם: זֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה "כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת" (ויקרא טז, ב) - אָמְרוּ כִּי הוּא עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת.
In contrast, according to the Oral Tradition, our Sages learned that the High Priest should not place the incense on the coals only in the Holy of Holies, before the Ark, as ibid.:13 states: “And he shall place the incense on the fire before God.”31וּמִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ חֲכָמִים, שֶׁאֵין נוֹתֵן הַקְּטֹרֶת אֶלָא בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳדָשִׁים לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנָתַן אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל הָאֵשׁ לִפְנֵי ה'" (ויקרא
טז, יג).
טז, יג).
Since in the Second Temple era, the Sages suspected that the High Priests would tend towards such heresy,32 they would have him take an oath on the day preceding Yom Kippur. They would tell him: “My sir, the High Priest, we are agents of the court and you are our agent and an agent of the court, we administer an oath to you in the name of He Who causes His name to dwell in this house that you not deviate at all from what we told you.”וּלְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹשְׁשִׁין בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי שֶׁמָּא כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל זֶה נוֹטֶה לְצַד מִינוּת, הָיוּ מַשְׁבִּיעִין אוֹתוֹ עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְאוֹמְרִין לוֹ 'אִישִׁי כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, אָנוּ שְׁלוּחֵי בֵּית דִּין וְאַתָּה שְׁלוּחֵנוּ וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין, מַשְׁבִּיעִין אָנוּ עָלֶיךָ בְּמִי שֶׁשִּׁכֵּן אֶת שְׁמוֹ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה, שֶׁלֹּא תְּשַׁנֶּה דָּבָר שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְךָ'.
The High Priest would turn away and cry because they suspected him of heresy and they would turn away and cry, because they placed suspicion on a person’s whose conduct was unknown.33 Maybe he had no such thoughts in his heart.וְהוּא פּוֹרֵשׁ וּבוֹכֶה, עַל שֶׁחֲשָׁדוּהוּ בְּמִינוּת; וְהֵן פּוֹרְשִׁין וּבוֹכִין, לְפִי שֶׁחָשְׁדוּ לְמִי שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו סְתוּמִין, שֶׁמָּא אֵין בְּלִבּוֹ כְּלוּם.
8Throughout the entire night of Yom Kippur, the High Priest would sit and expound Torah teachings if he was a sage. If he was a scholar, expositions were delivered in his presence. If he would frequently read the Bible, he would read aloud. If not, they would read for him so that he would not sleep. What would they read for him? The Holy Scriptures.34חכָּל לֵילֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ, אִם הָיָה חָכָם. וְאִם הָיָה תַּלְמִיד, דּוֹרְשִׁין לְפָנָיו. אִם הָיָה רָגִיל לִקְרוֹת - קוֹרֵא, וְאִם לַאו - קוֹרְאִין לְפָנָיו; כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִישַׁן. וּבַמֶה קוֹרְאִין לְפָנָיו? בְּכִתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
If he sought to doze off, the young Levites35 would snap their fingers before him and say: “My sir, the High Priest, stand up and cool your feet on the ground,” so that he would not sleep. They would keep him busy until the time for the slaughter of the morning sacrifice arrived. They would not have the sacrificial animal slaughtered until they were certain that dawn had broken36 lest the animal be slaughtered at night.37בִּקֵּשׁ לְהִתְנַמְנֵם, פִּרְחֵי לְוִיָּה מַכִּין לְפָנָיו בְּאֶצְבַּע צְרָדָה, וְאוֹמְרִין לוֹ 'אִישִׁי כּוֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, עֲמֹד וְהִצְטַנֵּן מְעַט עַל הָרִצְפָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּישַׁן'. וּמִתְעַסְּקִין עִמּוֹ עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ זְמַן הַשְּׁחִיטָה. וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹחֲטִין עַד שֶׁמַּכִּירִין שֶׁעָלָה הַשַּׁחַר בְּוַּדַּאי, שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁחֲטוּ בַּלַּיְלָה.
