Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 624 - Order [to be Followed] on the Night at the Close of Yom Kippur

SECTION 624 The Order [to be Followed] on the Night at the Close of Yom Kippur. (1–15)

1 [After Neilah] the Evening Service is recited.1 That obligation is not discharged by Neilah, even for those who extend its recitation into the night, because in it they mentioned Yom Kippur.

[In the Shemoneh Esreh of the Evening Service,] Havdalah is included in [the blessing] Chonen hadaas, as is done at the close of every Shabbos and festival.

2 At the close of the festival one must add [time] from the mundane realm to the realm of holiness, just as is done at its entry,2 as stated in sec. 608[:1].3 Thus, [before relaxing any of the prohibitions of Yom Kippur,4] one must wait a short time after the appearance of the stars.

In places where Havdalah is recited over a cup [of wine] in the synagogue on the night after every Shabbos and festival, the sheliach tzibbur should likewise recite Havdalah [on the night after Yom Kippur]. He should give the cup to a minor or to an adult to drink, if [that adult] intends to fulfill his obligation with this Havdalah.5 See sec. 295[:4].6

3 When reciting Havdalah over a cup [of wine] on the night after Yom Kippur, one should not recite a blessing over spices, for this was instituted only for the night after Shabbos, in order to counter [the faintness experienced at that time] when the additional soul [of Shabbos] takes its leave. If, however, Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, the blessing over spices is recited, as is done at the close of every Shabbos.

4 However, a blessing must be recited over fire,7 even when [Yom Kippur] falls on a weekday, [thereby indicating that] it is a new entity from which we did not benefit on Yom Kippur, for it is forbidden to light fire [on that day].8 Therefore [the night after Yom Kippur] is different from the night after any other festival, when a blessing is not recited over [fire].

[The rationale is that] a blessing is recited over fire only at the time when it was brought into being, i.e., on the night after Shabbos, when fire was first created,9 or on the night after Yom Kippur, when fire is like a new entity for us, as was explained above.

5 On the night after Yom Kippur, the blessing is not recited over fire that was produced [that night] from flint or wood,10 nor over fire that was kindled from such fire,11 but only over fire that “rested”12 from work, such as a lamp that has been alight since the eve of Yom Kippur.

On the night after [any] Shabbos, a blessing may be recited over fire that was produced from flint or wood, because it was in this manner that fire was originally created on the night after [the first] Shabbos. As [our Sages relate,13 on the night after the first Shabbos of creation] Adam took two stones, struck them together, brought forth fire, and recited the blessing borei meorei ha’esh, [praising G‑d as “the Creator of the lights of fire”]. Hence on the night following [any] Shabbos, the blessing may be recited over any fire (unless it was used for forbidden labor on Shabbos, as stated in sec. 298[:7]) — even over fire produced at that time from flint, for this resembles the way it was originally brought into being.

On the night after Yom Kippur, by contrast, the reason for this blessing is that one was unable to benefit [from fire] on that day, and now this is permitted. Hence, the blessing should be recited only over fire that actually “rested,” i.e., that was kindled on the day before Yom Kippur and “rested” throughout the day of Yom Kippur. Even when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, the blessing should be recited — at night, at the close of the holy day — only over fire that was kindled on the day before Yom Kippur and “rested” throughout the day of Yom Kippur, to show that this day was sanctified in that fire was not kindled during that time.

6 A blessing may not be recited over fire that a Jew lit from [the fire of] a non-Jew on the night after Yom Kippur, because labor had been performed with the non-Jew’s fire, for it was kindled on Yom Kippur. On the night after Shabbos, [by contrast,] a blessing may be recited over such [fire], because the blessing is recited over the flame that was [now] added — permissibly — to the Jew’s lamp. On the night after Yom Kippur, however, a blessing should not be recited over such [fire], because this additional flame came into being at the present time. Thus it resembles light that was produced from flint on the night after Yom Kippur over which — or over light kindled from such fire — a blessing may not be recited. Rather, the blessing is recited only over fire that has been alight from the day before Yom Kippur, or over fire kindled from such fire.

For this reason, it is customary to light a candle for Havdalah from the lamps in the synagogue that were alight since the day before Yom Kippur.14

7 Nevertheless, even if fire was kindled on Yom Kippur itself — in a permissible manner, such as for a patient — a blessing may be recited over it on the night after Yom Kippur,15 just as a blessing may be recited over it on the night after Shabbos, as explained in sec. 298[:7].16

8 According to [the letter of] the law, a blessing may be recited on the night after Yom Kippur over fire that was kindled from fire that “rested,” i.e., that was kindled before Yom Kippur. Nevertheless, it is desirable to be stringent and to recite the blessing over the actual fire that “rested” from daytime [on the eve of Yom Kippur].

Nevertheless, the blessing should not be recited over the synagogue candles17 themselves, even though they were kindled during the [previous] day, because they were kindled [primarily] in honor of the day and in honor of the synagogue, and not for illumination. And this blessing should be recited only over fire that was kindled for illumination, as stated in sec. 298[:15].18

Rather, one should kindle a lamp from a synagogue lamp that was kindled on the day before Yom Kippur and recite the blessing [of Havdalah] over both of them together. If it is impossible to recite Havdalah over both [flames] together, Havdalah should be recited over the lamp that was kindled from the lamps of the synagogue which were kindled on the previous day; one should not recite the blessing over the lamps of the synagogue alone.

[After the fact,] one who wrongly recited the blessing over the synagogue lights alone does not have to recite a repeated blessing over another lamp, because though they are kindled [primarily] in honor [of the synagogue], they are also kindled for illumination, for people pray by their light.19

9 It is customary to eat [a festive meal] and be joyful on the night after Yom Kippur because it is a somewhat festive time,20 as stated in sec. 623[:14].21

A Heavenly voice resounds on the night after Yom Kippur proclaiming, “Go and eat in joy.”22

10 Certain conscientious individuals undertake the stringency of observing Yom Kippur for two days, just as we observe all the festivals for two days in the Diaspora. If one observed this stringency and then desired to change his practice, he must go through [a process of] absolution,23 as would be necessary to release a vow.

This stringency should not be followed because of the risk involved.24 Moreover, at present, when the sanctification of the month [based on the testimony of witnesses who] sighted [the newborn moon]25 has been discontinued, we know the calculations according to which the months are determined. [It has been determined] that Elul is always a “short” month [i.e., of 29 days]; [the thirtieth day is] the first day of Rosh HaShanah, which is the first of Tishrei; and the tenth day of the month is Yom Kippur for us. [There is no longer any doubt about the matter.] We observe all the other festivals for two days only in order that we should not depart from the custom of our forefathers in the era in which the moon was sanctified [based on the testimony of witnesses who] sighted [the moon. The people living in the outlying Diaspora] did not know when the moon was sighted and which day had been established as Rosh HaShanah in Eretz Yisrael. Our forefathers, too, observed Yom Kippur for only one day, because of the risk involved, for a decree is not imposed on the community unless the majority of the community can uphold it.26 Why, then, should we undertake this stringency and fast unnecessarily?

11 People — even ten [praying] together — who observe [Yom Kippur] for two days should not deviate from the weekday prayers, for anyone who recites a Shemoneh Esreh that was not ordained by our Sages for a particular time is reciting blessings in vain. The Selichos and hymns [of Yom Kippur], however, may be recited as they desire, because they include no blessings [that would be recited] in vain — but only after they have completed Shemoneh Esreh. They may not interrupt the Shemoneh Esreh to recite them even if they are praying with their own quorum.

12 If Yom Kippur falls on Thursday, they may not prepare any of their Shabbos needs [on Friday, which is their second day] — even through other people, nor [even] through a non-Jew — because they consider that day as Yom Kippur.27

On Shabbos, they may eat with other people who did not cook additional [food] for them. If, however, a non-Jew cooked food for himself on that day, and he knows [these individuals who are observing a second day of Yom Kippur], they may not eat what he cooked, even if a Jew helped [the non-Jew] and thus the prohibition against eating food cooked by non-Jews does not apply. This [safeguard] was ordained for fear that the non-Jew prepare additional food for them in the coming year[s]. When, by contrast, a Jew prepares food for himself, there is no cause for concern that he might cook more for these [individuals in the coming years], for he will presumably not transgress the prohibition against placing a stumbling block before the blind.28 [No Jew] would serve [these individuals who are observing a second day of Yom Kippur] food he has cooked, because they consider this day to be Yom Kippur.

13 The days between Yom Kippur and Sukkos are days of rejoicing, for in this period the Altar [in the Beis HaMikdash] was inaugurated at the time of [King] Shlomo. Therefore we do not fast during these days, even on the anniversary of the passing of one’s father or mother,29 nor is Tachanun recited.30

14 It is customary on the day after Yom Kippur to rise early for [the Morning Service in] the synagogue.31

15 (All the [activities] prohibited on Yom Kippur because of the mitzvah to afflict oneself — such as washing, anointing oneself, and wearing shoes — are permitted immediately after one has added a little [time] from the mundane realm to the realm of holiness,32 even though Havdalah has not yet been recited in the course of Shemoneh Esreh. The only exceptions are eating and drinking, for only eating, drinking, and the performance of actual work were forbidden before Havdalah, as was explained in sec. 299. Note the explanation there.)33