The Laws of Resting1 on the Tenth (Day of Tishrei)הִלְכוֹת שְׁבִיתַת עָשׂוֹר
They contain four mitzvos: two positive commandments and two negative commandments. יֵשׁ בִּכְלָלָן אַרְבַּע מִצְווֹת: שְׁתֵּי מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה, וּשְׁתֵּי מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה,
They are: 1) To rest on this day, 2) Not to perform work on it, 3) To fast on this day, 4) Not to eat or drink on it.2 These mitzvot are explained in the chapters that follow. וְזֶה הוּא פְרָטָן: (א) לִשְׁבֹּת בּוֹ מִמְּלָאכָה; (ב) שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ מְלָאכָה; (ג) לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בּוֹ; (ד) שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת בּוֹ. וּבֵאוּר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת הָאֵלּוּ בִּפְרָקִים אֵלּוּ.
1It is a positive commandment3 to refrain from all work on the tenth day of the seventh month,4 as Leviticus 16:31 states: ‘‘It shall be a Sabbath of Sabbaths5 for you.’’אמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לִשְׁבֹּת מִמְּלָאכָה בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן הוּא לָכֶם" (ויקרא כג, לב).
Anyone who performs a forbidden labor negates the observance of this positive commandment and violates a negative commandment,6 as Numbers 29:7 states, ‘‘You shall not perform any labor.’’וְכָל הָעוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ מְלָאכָה בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, וְעָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבֶעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ... כָּל מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ” (במדבר כט, ז).

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

What liability does a person incur for performing a forbidden labor on this day? If he performs the forbidden labor willfully, as a conscious act of defiance,7 he is liable for karet.8 If he performs the forbidden labor inadvertently, he is liable to bring a sin offering whose nature is fixed.9 וּמַה הוּא חַיָּב עַל עֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה בְּיוֹם זֶה? אִם עָשָׂה בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בְּזָדוֹן, חַיָּב כָּרֵת; וְאִם עָשָׂה בִּשְׁגָגָה, חַיָּב קָרְבַּן חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה.
2All the forbidden labors10 for which one is liable for execution by stoning when performed on the Sabbath cause one to be liable for karet if performed on the tenth of Tishrei.11בכָּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁחַיָּבִין עַל זְדוֹנָהּ בַּשַּׁבָּת סְקִילָה, חַיָּבִין עַל זְדוֹנָהּ בֶּעָשׂוֹר כָּרֵת.
Any activity that incurs the obligation of a sin offering on the Sabbath incurs the obligation of a sin offering on Yom Kippur.וְכָל שֶׁחַיָּבִין עָלָיו קָרְבַּן חַטָּאת בַּשַּׁבָּת, חַיָּבִין עָלָיו קָרְבַּן חַטָּאת בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
Any activity that is forbidden to be performed on the Sabbath12—although it is not a forbidden labor—is forbidden to be performed on Yom Kippur. וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בַּשַּׁבָּת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְלָאכָה, אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
If one performs such an act, one is punished by stripes for rebellious conduct, as one is punished for performing the same act on the Sabbath.13וְאִם עָשָׂה, מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמַּכִּין אוֹתוֹ עַל הַשַּׁבָּת.
Whatever is forbidden to be carried on the Sabbath is forbidden to be carried on Yom Kippur.14וְכָל שֶׁאָסוּר לְטַלְטְלוֹ בַּשַּׁבָּת, אָסוּר לְטַלְטְלוֹ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
Whatever is forbidden to be said or done at the outset on the Sabbath is likewise forbidden on Yom Kippur.15וְכָל שֶׁאָסוּר לְאָמְרוֹ אוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ לְכַתְּחִלָּה בַּשַּׁבָּת כָּךְ אָסוּר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
The general principle is that there is no difference between the Sabbath and Yom Kippur16 in this regard, except that a person who willfully performs a forbidden labor on the Sabbath is liable for execution by being stoned to death, and on Yom Kippur such an act warrants merely karet.כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: אֵין בֵּין שַׁבָּת לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בְּעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ, אֶלָא שֶׁזְּדוֹן מְלָאכָה בַּשַּׁבָּת בִּסְקִילָה וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בְּכָרֵת.
3It is permitted to trim a vegetable on the day of Yom Kippur from midafternoon17 onward.18גוּמֻתָּר לְקַנֵּב אֶת הַיֶרֶק בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מִן הַמִּנְחָה וָמַעְלָה.
What is meant by trimming a vegetable? To remove the wilted leaves, and to cut the others to prepare them for consumption.וּמַה הוּא הַקִּנּוּב? שֶׁיָּסִיר אֶת הָעָלִּים הַמְּעֻפָּשׁוֹת, וִיקַצֵּץ הַשְּׁאָר וִיתַקֵּן אוֹתוֹ לַאֲכִילָה.
Similarly, it is permitted to crack open nuts and to open pomegranates on Yom Kippur from mid-afternoon onward. These leniencies were granted so that one will not endure hardship.19וְכֵן מְפַצְּעִין בֶּאֱגוֹזִין וּמְפָרְכִין בְּרִמּוֹנִים מִן הַמִּנְחָה וָמַעְלָה, מִפְּנֵי עַגְמַת נֶפֶשׁ.
When Yom Kippur falls on the Sabbath, it is forbidden to trim vegetables and open nuts and pomegranates the entire day.20וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, אָסוּר בִּקְנִיבַת יָרָק וּבִפְצִיעַת אֱגוֹזִים וּבִפְרִיכַת רִמּוֹנִים כָּל הַיּוֹם.
It has already become the universally accepted custom in Babylon and in North Africa not to perform these activities during the fast.21 Instead, Yom Kippur is observed as the Sabbath is with regard to all its particulars. וּכְבָר נָהֲגוּ הָעָם בְּשִׁנְעָר וּבְמַעֲרָב, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ אֶחָד מִכָּל אֵלּוּ בְּיוֹם הַצּוֹם, אֶלָא הֲרֵי הוּא כַּשַּׁבָּת לַכֹּל.
4There is another positive commandment on Yom Kippur: to refrain from eating and drinking, as Leviticus 16:29 states: ‘‘You shall afflict your souls.’’ According to the Oral Tradition, it has been taught: What is meant by afflicting one’s soul? Fasting.22 Whoever fasts on this day fulfills a positive commandment.23דמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אַחֶרֶת יֵשׁ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְהִיא לִשְׁבֹּת בּוֹ מֵאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תְּעַנּוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" (ויקרא טז, כט) - מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ: עִנּוּי שֶׁהוּא לַנֶּפֶשׁ זֶה הַצּוֹם. וְכָל הַצָּם בּוֹ קִיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה.
Whoever eats or drinks on this day negates the observance of this positive commandment and violates a negative commandment,24 as ibid. 23: 29 states, ‘‘Any soul that does not afflict itself will be cut off.’’ Since the Torah punishes a person who does not fast with karet, we can derive from this that we are forbidden to eat and drink on this day.25 A person who eats or drinks inadvertently on this day is liable to bring a sin offering of a fixed nature. וְכָל הָאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה בּוֹ, בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וְעָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי כָל הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא תְעֻנֶּה... וְנִכְרְתָה" (ויקרא כג, כט); מֵאַחַר שֶׁעָנַשׁ הַכָּתוּב כָּרֵת לְמִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַנָּה, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁמֻּזְהָרִין אָנוּ בּוֹ עַל אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה. וְכָל הָאוֹכֵל אוֹ הַשּׁוֹתֶה בּוֹ בְּשׁוֹגֵג, חַיָּב קָרְבַּן חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה.
5Similarly, according to the oral tradition, it has been taught that it is forbidden to wash, anoint oneself, wear shoes, or engage in sexual relations on this day.26הוְכֵן לָמַדנוּ מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה, שֶׁאָסוּר לִרְחֹץ בּוֹ אוֹ לָסוּךְ אוֹ לִנְעֹל אֶת הַסַּנְדָּל אוֹ לִבְעֹל.
It is a mitzvah to refrain from these activities in the same way one refrains from eating and drinking.’ This is derived from the exegesis of the expression, ‘‘A Sabbath of Sabbaths.’’ ‘‘A Sabbath’’ implies refraining from (forbidden) labor; ‘‘of Sabbaths,’’ refraining from these activities.27וּמִצְוָה לִשְׁבֹּת מִכָּל אֵלּוּ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁשּׁוֹבֵת מֵאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן" (ויקרא טז, לא; ויקרא כג, לב) - שַׁבָּת לְעִנְיַן מְלָאכָה, וְשַׁבָּתוֹן לְעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ.
One is liable, however, for karet or a sin offering only for eating and drinking. If one washes, anoints himself, wears shoes, or engages in sexual relations, he receives stripes for rebellious conduct. וְאֵין חַיָּבִין כָּרֵת אוֹ קָרְבָּן אֶלָא עַל אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה בִּלְבָד; אֲבָל אִם רָחַץ אוֹ סָךְ אוֹ נָעַל אוֹ בָּעַל, מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת.
6Just as the obligation to refrain from work applies both during the day and at night, so too, the obligation to refrain from these activities and thus to afflict oneself applies both during the day and at night.ו כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשְּׁבוּת מְלָאכָה בּוֹ בֵּין בַּיּוֹם בֵּין בַּלַּיְלָה, כָּךְ שְׁבוּת שֶׁל עִנּוּי בֵּין בַּיּוֹם בֵּין בַּלַּיְלָה.
It is obligatory to add time28 from the mundane to the sacred at both the entrance and departure of the holiday, as implied by ibid. 23:32: ‘‘And you shall afflict your souls on the ninth of the month in the evening.’’29 Since the date of the fast is the tenth, the intent is obviously that one begin fasting and afflicting oneself in the afternoon of the ninth, which directly precedes the tenth.וְצָרִיךְ לְהוֹסִיף מֵחֹל עַל קֹדֶשׁ בִּכְנִיסָתוֹ וּבִיצִיאָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בְּתִשְׁעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּעֶרֶב" (ויקרא כג, לב) - כְּלוֹמַר הַתְחֵל לָצוּם וּלְהִתְעַנּוֹת מֵעֶרֶב תִּשְׁעָה הַסָּמוּךְ לָעֲשִׂירִי.
Similarly, at the departure of the holiday, one should prolong the affliction slightly, entering the night of the eleventh, which follows the tenth, as implied by ibid.: ‘‘From evening to evening, you shall keep this day of refraining.’’ וְכֵן בַּיְּצִיאָה שׁוֹהֶה בְּעִנּוּיוֹ מְעַט מִלֵּיל אַחַד עָשָׂר סָמוּךְ לָעֲשִׂירִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מֵעֶרֶב עַד עֶרֶב תִּשְׁבְּתוּ שַׁבַּתְּכֶם" (שם).
7When women eat and drink until nightfall, without knowing that we are obligated to add time from the weekday to the holiday, they should not be rebuked,30 lest they perform the transgression willfully. It is impossible for there to be a policeman in every person’s house to warn his wives. Thus, it is preferable to let the situation remain as it is, so that they will transgress unintentionally, instead of intentionally. The same principle applies in other similar instances.31 זנָשִׁים שֶׁאוֹכְלוֹת וְשׁוֹתוֹת עַד שֶׁחָשֵׁכָה, וְהֵן אֵינָן יוֹדְעוֹת שֶׁמִּצְוָה לְהוֹסִיף מֵחֹל עַל קֹדֶשׁ - אֵין מְמַחִין בְּיָדָן, שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹאוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּזָדוֹן; שֶׁהֲרֵי אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שׁוֹטֵר בְּבֵית כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְהַזְהִיר נָשָׁיו, וְהַנַּח לָהֶן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שׁוֹגְגִין וְאַל יִהְיוּ מְזִידִין. וְכֵן כָּל הַדּוֹמֶה לְזֶה.