Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 611 - Restrictions Observed on the Night of Yom Kippur

SECTION 611 [The Restrictions Observed on] the Night of Yom Kippur, [which is Governed by] the Same Laws as the Day of Yom Kippur. (1–10)

1 The night of Yom Kippur [is governed by the same laws] as the day [of Yom Kippur] in all respects:1 whatever is forbidden by day is also forbidden at night. [Moreover,] whatever is forbidden on the festival itself is also forbidden even during the additional time that is appended from the mundane realm to the realm of holiness, both before and after [the festival].2

2 What activities are forbidden? Performing work, eating and drinking, washing, anointing oneself, wearing shoes, and marital relations.3 One is liable for kares,4 however, only for performing work, eating, or drinking.

[These concepts are derived as follows:] It is written,5 “[As to] any person6 who will perform any work [on that very day], I will cause [that person] to perish [from among his people].” It is also written,7 “For any person who will not afflict himself [on that very day] will be cut off [from his people].” And the term “affliction,” when unqualified,8 refers to withholding food and drink, as is evident from the verse,9 “And He afflicted you and subjected you to hunger, and fed you [the manna].” Eating includes drinking.

Washing, anointing oneself, and marital relations are also sometimes called “affliction,” as our Sages derived through the interpretation of Scriptural verses.10 Nevertheless, when the term “affliction” is used without qualification, in most cases it signifies abstention from food and drink alone. At the same time, since [these other activities] are also occasionally called “affliction,” they are also forbidden on Yom Kippur according to Scriptural Law.11 [This is derived from the description of Yom Kippur as]12 “a Shabbos of absolute rest,” for the Sages13 received the tradition that this signifies the cessation of any activity [whose deprivation] is sometimes termed “affliction.”

3 The Torah entrusted [the interpretation of] the prohibition of these matters to the Sages, who allowed certain leniencies as appeared appropriate to them, as will be explained below,14 with G‑d’s help.

4 What does [the prohibition against] work imply? Any [activity] for which one is liable15 on Shabbos, one is liable for on Yom Kippur. Any activity for which one is not liable if it is performed on Shabbos, but which is nevertheless forbidden,16 is in the same category on Yom Kippur. [One difference is that a person who] intentionally performs [a forbidden labor on] Shabbos is liable for execution by stoning, while with regard to Yom Kippur he is liable for kares.17

[In addition], all the prohibitions against transferring [articles from one domain to another] that apply on Shabbos18 apply as well on Yom Kippur.19 And any article that may not be moved [within one’s own domain]20 on Shabbos may not be moved on Yom Kippur.

5 [The Sages,] however, granted [several] leniencies [on Yom Kippur],21 allowing one to prepare a vegetable, i.e., to remove the leaves from the stalk to make them even, so that they will be ready to cut. Similarly, they may be rinsed so that they will be ready to cook immediately in the evening.22 Similarly, nuts may be cracked open23 so that they will ready to eat in the evening and there will be no need to take the trouble [to prepare them] in the evening.

All of these activities are forbidden on Shabbos because one would be taking the trouble of preparing for a weekday on Shabbos, [and] these foods are not needed that day until the evening. Nevertheless, [the Sages] permitted these activities on Yom Kippur because they are essential to life24 — so that one would not have to take the trouble of doing these tasks on the night [following Yom Kippur] before he eats, for it would cause him anguish25 to do them while [still] fasting.

6 The Sages permitted these activities only when Yom Kippur falls on a weekday;26 they did not permit them when [it] falls on Shabbos. They enacted this ordinance lest one do these activities on the other Shabbasos of the year, preparing [food] during the day [of Shabbos] to be eaten at night, not realizing that permission was granted on Yom Kippur [only] in order to spare anguish.

7 Even when Yom Kippur falls on a weekday, this permission was granted only from the late afternoon27 onward. At that time, there is no reason to be concerned lest one’s involvement with the preparation of food will cause him to forget that it is Yom Kippur and partake of it. For since it is in the late afternoon, close to the time when it is permitted to eat, i.e., the appearance of the stars, one will have the feeling that food is at hand.28 Before the late afternoon, by contrast, it is forbidden to become involved in the preparation of food for the night, lest one forget and partake of it.

8 In the present era, it has become universal Jewish custom to forbid the preparation of vegetables and the cracking of nuts. This also applies to other ways of preparing food for the evening, even in the late afternoon. [The rationale for this stringency is that] in the later generations, people wrongfully began to rush and perform these activities even before the late afternoon.29 [The Sages] therefore ruled stringently and forbade these activities even in the late afternoon.

9 To what does [this prohibition] apply? To activities that involve the preparation of food. Throughout the day, however, food may be touched30 — unlike chametz,31 which may not be touched on Pesach. Since on Pesach one is allowed to eat other foods, there is reason for concern that [if he is allowed to] touch chametz he will forget the prohibition against it and partake of it, too, for during those days he is not at all withdrawn and isolated from eating.

On Yom Kippur, by contrast, since one is entirely withdrawn and isolated from eating, there is no cause for concern lest he forget and eat, unless he is involved in preparing food for consumption. When, by contrast, one merely touches food, this is no cause for concern.

For this reason it is permitted to serve children food, even though they could take it alone without the adults having to touch it. If a child cannot eat unless an adult prepares the food for him, the adult is allowed to prepare it,32 since it is impossible for the child to eat without this preparation.

10 It is customary to allow young children to play with nuts on a table, as spoken of in sec. 338[:6]. One should not raise any objection to this, even [if they play in this manner] before the late afternoon.