SECTION 615 Laws Relating to [the Prohibition against] Marital Relations on Yom Kippur. (1–2)

סימן תרטו דִּין תַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וּבוֹ ב' סְעִיפִים:

1 We have already explained1 that marital relations are forbidden on Yom Kippur. A person feels little restraint with regard to his wife, and it is very possible that they will engage in what is familiar to them, [i.e., relations]. Accordingly, [as a safeguard,] he should conduct himself with her on Yom Kippur according to all the restrictions2 that he observes when she is in a state of niddah impurity.

Accordingly, he should not touch her. Needless to say, they should not sleep in the same bed, even if they are both clothed. Similarly, he should not converse with her extensively — and so on, following all the particulars stated in Yoreh Deah, sec. 195.3 All of these restrictions should be upheld on the day of Yom Kippur as well as at night.

א כְּבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ א שֶׁיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אָסוּר בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה,1 וּלְפִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם גַּס עִם אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְקַל יוּכַל לָבוֹא עִמָּהּ לִידֵי הֶרְגֵּל דָּבָר, לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לִנְהֹג עִמָּהּ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כָּל הַרְחָקוֹת שֶׁנּוֹהֵג עִמָּהּ בִּימֵי טֻמְאַת נִדָּתָהּ,ב,2 דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִגַּע בָּהּ,ג וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ד שֶׁלֹּא יִישַׁן עִמָּהּ בְּמִטָּה אַחַת ה אֲפִלּוּ הוּא בְּבִגְדוֹ וְהִיא בְּבִגְדָהּ,ו וְכֵן לֹא יַרְבֶּה עִמָּהּ בִּדְבָרִים,ז וְכֵן בְּכָל הַפְּרָטִים שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֲרוּ בְּיוֹרֶה דֵעָה סִימָן קצ"ה.ח,3

וּבְכָל דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר בֵּין בְּלֵיל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בֵּין בַּיּוֹם:ט

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2 A man who had a seminal emission on the night of Yom Kippur4 should be concerned the entire year:5 perhaps his fast was not accepted and instead he was granted satisfaction in [an alternative] way. He may be likened6 to a servant who came to prepare a cup of wine for his master,7 and his master poured the pitcher (i.e., the pitcher of water used to dilute the cup of wine) in his face, as if to say, “I do not desire your service.”8

If a person in that situation lives through the ensuing year, he may rest assured that he has a share in the World to Come, for he certainly possesses numerous merits that protected him. Moreover, his days will be prolonged, as it is written,9 “He will see offspring10 and will live long.”

ב הָרוֹאֶה קֶרִי י בְּלֵיל יא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים4 – יִדְאַג יב כָּל הַשָּׁנָה,5 שֶׁמָּא לֹא קִבְּלוּ תַּעֲנִיתוֹ יג וְהִשְׂבִּיעוּהוּ בְּמַה שֶּׁבְּיָדָם לְהַשְׂבִּיעוֹ, כְּעֶבֶד6 שֶׁבָּא לִמְזֹג כּוֹס לְרַבּוֹ7 וְשׁוֹפֵךְ לוֹ רַבּוֹ הַקִּיתוֹן יד (פֵּרוּשׁ קִיתוֹן שֶׁל מַיִם טו שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה מוֹזֵג הַכּוֹס שֶׁל יַיִן) עַל פָּנָיו, כְּלוֹמַר אִי אֶפְשִׁי בְּשִׁמּוּשְׁךָ,טז,8 וְאִם עָלְתָה לוֹ שָׁנָה – מֻבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן עוֹלָם הַבָּא,יז שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי יֵשׁ לוֹ זְכֻיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה שֶׁהֵגֵנּוּ עָלָיו,יח וְהוּא יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים,יט,9 שֶׁכָּךְ הַסִּימָן "יִרְאֶה זֶרַע10 – יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים":כ