Death and Yom Kippur Atone
(ח) חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם וַדַּאי מְכַפְּרִין.
מִיתָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפְּרִין עִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
הַתְּשׁוּבָה מְכַפֶּרֶת עַל עֲבֵרוֹת קַלּוֹת עַל עֲשֵׂה וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
וְעַל הַחֲמוּרוֹת הִיא תוֹלָה עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וִיכַפֵּר:
מִיתָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפְּרִין עִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
הַתְּשׁוּבָה מְכַפֶּרֶת עַל עֲבֵרוֹת קַלּוֹת עַל עֲשֵׂה וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
וְעַל הַחֲמוּרוֹת הִיא תוֹלָה עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וִיכַפֵּר:
(8)A sin-offering, which atones for unwitting performance of transgressions punishable by karet, and a definite guilt-offering, which is brought for robbery and misuse of consecrated items, atone for those sins. Death and Yom Kippur atone for sins when accompanied by repentance.For light transgressions, whether of omission or commission, teshuvah atones.Andfor severe transgressions, she [teshuvah] suspends matters until Yom Kippur comes and atones.
Rabbi Alan Lew, This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared (pp.28-9)
When it is invested with our awareness, Yom Kippur, the day itself, has the power to heal, to atone.
Our tradition makes precisely the same claim for death. Death, the only other time in our life when we recite the Vidui, when we bring ourselves to the point of full awareness, also atones. Death, the destination of our journey through life, also heals. Teshuvah is the little death that connects us to the big one.
Yom Kippur is the day we all get to read our own obituary. It's a dress rehearsal for death. That's why we wear a kittel, a shroud-like garment, on this day; why we refrain from life-affirming activities such as eating, drinking, and procreating. We are rehearsing the day of our death, because death, like Yom Kippur, atones.
When it is invested with our awareness, Yom Kippur, the day itself, has the power to heal, to atone.
Our tradition makes precisely the same claim for death. Death, the only other time in our life when we recite the Vidui, when we bring ourselves to the point of full awareness, also atones. Death, the destination of our journey through life, also heals. Teshuvah is the little death that connects us to the big one.
Yom Kippur is the day we all get to read our own obituary. It's a dress rehearsal for death. That's why we wear a kittel, a shroud-like garment, on this day; why we refrain from life-affirming activities such as eating, drinking, and procreating. We are rehearsing the day of our death, because death, like Yom Kippur, atones.
(pp.227-8; p.230)
This is why ... we intone the funereal liturgy, "Who will live and who will die?" The rabbis wanted to bring us to the point of existential crisis. They wanted to bring us to the point of asking the crucial question, What is my life all about?
… So they have us stage a dramatic re-creation of our death on this day.
...
We shouldn't wait until the moment of our death to seek the answers. At the moment of death, there may be nothing we can do about it but feel regret. But if we seek the answers now, we can act in the coming year to bring ourselves closer to our core.
This is why ... we intone the funereal liturgy, "Who will live and who will die?" The rabbis wanted to bring us to the point of existential crisis. They wanted to bring us to the point of asking the crucial question, What is my life all about?
… So they have us stage a dramatic re-creation of our death on this day.
...
We shouldn't wait until the moment of our death to seek the answers. At the moment of death, there may be nothing we can do about it but feel regret. But if we seek the answers now, we can act in the coming year to bring ourselves closer to our core.
Denying the Denial of Death (Lew, pp.118-119)
Earlier I mentioned The Denial of Death, by the philosopher Ernest Becker, and Becker's observation that we human beings seem to be the only creatures afflicted with the mysterious capacity to understand that we are going to die, and that it is precisely this fact that seems to call us to the world, to our life's work, and to God.
We try to compensate for this dread intelligence by constructing what Becker calls affirmation systems.
We see the void and it terrifies us; it looks to us like utter negation. So we try to set up something in life that affirms our existence.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate failure, we offer up success.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate emptiness, we offer up the acquisition of objects.
Against death, which we see as the end of all feeling, we offer up the pursuit of pleasure.
Against death, which we see as the final stillness, we offer up a ceaseless rage of activity.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate impotence, we offer up the glorification of our own power.
Earlier I mentioned The Denial of Death, by the philosopher Ernest Becker, and Becker's observation that we human beings seem to be the only creatures afflicted with the mysterious capacity to understand that we are going to die, and that it is precisely this fact that seems to call us to the world, to our life's work, and to God.
We try to compensate for this dread intelligence by constructing what Becker calls affirmation systems.
We see the void and it terrifies us; it looks to us like utter negation. So we try to set up something in life that affirms our existence.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate failure, we offer up success.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate emptiness, we offer up the acquisition of objects.
Against death, which we see as the end of all feeling, we offer up the pursuit of pleasure.
Against death, which we see as the final stillness, we offer up a ceaseless rage of activity.
Against death, which we see as the ultimate impotence, we offer up the glorification of our own power.
Emptiness (Lew, p.222)
We need a taste of this emptiness, to give us a sense of what will go with us, what will endure as we make this great crossing. What's important? What is at the core of our life? What will live on after we are wind and space? What will be worthy if that endless, infinitely powerful silence? And what are we clinging on to that isn't important, won't endure, that isn't worthy?
...
We taste death on Yom Kippur to remind us of what we must hold on to, and what we must let go of, of who we are, and where we come from.
Viddui: Attesting
We need a taste of this emptiness, to give us a sense of what will go with us, what will endure as we make this great crossing. What's important? What is at the core of our life? What will live on after we are wind and space? What will be worthy if that endless, infinitely powerful silence? And what are we clinging on to that isn't important, won't endure, that isn't worthy?
...
We taste death on Yom Kippur to remind us of what we must hold on to, and what we must let go of, of who we are, and where we come from.
Viddui: Attesting
(ח) בָּא לוֹ אֵצֶל פָּרוֹ, וּפָרוֹ הָיָה עוֹמֵד בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ, רֹאשׁוֹ לַדָּרוֹם וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב, וְהַכֹּהֵן עוֹמֵד בַּמִּזְרָח וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב, וְסוֹמֵךְ שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו עָלָיו וּמִתְוַדֶּה. וְכָךְ הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אָנָּא הַשֵּׁם, עָוִיתִי פָּשַׁעְתִּי חָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי. אָנָּא הַשֵּׁם, כַּפֶּר נָא לָעֲוֹנוֹת וְלַפְּשָׁעִים וְלַחֲטָאִים, שֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי וְשֶׁחָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ (ויקרא טז), כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי ה׳ תִּטְהָרוּ. וְהֵן עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
(8) The High Priest comes and stands next to his bull, and his bull was standing between the Entrance Hall and the altar with its head facing to the south and its face to the west. And the priest stands to the east of the bull, and his face points to the west. And the priest places his two hands on the bull and confesses.And this is what he would say in his confession:
Please, God, I have sinned, I have done wrong, and I have rebelled before You, I and my family.
Please, God, grant atonement, please, for the sins, and for the wrongs, and for the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You, I and my family, as it is written in the Torah of Moses your servant: “For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30).
And the priests and the people who were in the courtyard respond after he recites the name of God: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time.See also Mishnah Yoma 4:2, where the High Priest’s second confession includes the whole Aaronid family;and Yoma 6:2, where the High Priest’s third confession, over the scapegoat, includes the whole Israelite people.
Please, God, I have sinned, I have done wrong, and I have rebelled before You, I and my family.
Please, God, grant atonement, please, for the sins, and for the wrongs, and for the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You, I and my family, as it is written in the Torah of Moses your servant: “For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30).
And the priests and the people who were in the courtyard respond after he recites the name of God: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time.See also Mishnah Yoma 4:2, where the High Priest’s second confession includes the whole Aaronid family;and Yoma 6:2, where the High Priest’s third confession, over the scapegoat, includes the whole Israelite people.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר,
יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ,
וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס.
וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתְךָ.
וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּגַחַלְתָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּוֶה...
יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ,
וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס.
וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתְךָ.
וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּגַחַלְתָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּוֶה...
Rabbi Eliezer says:
The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own; do not be easy to anger; and repent one day before your death. And warm yourself by the fire of the Sages...
The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own; do not be easy to anger; and repent one day before your death. And warm yourself by the fire of the Sages...
This prayer is taken almost verbatim from Talmud Brachot 60b, where it immediately precedes the sequence of morning blessings.
בָּרוּךְ[אַתָּה ה׳, אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם] הַמַּפִּיל חֶבְלֵי שֵׁנָה עַל עֵינַי, וּתְנוּמָה עַל עַפְעַפַּי, וּמֵאִיר לְאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַעֲמִידֵנִי לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם,
וְתֵן חֶלְקִי בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, וְאַל תַּרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִזָּיוֹן, וְיִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, וְאַל יִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע וּמֵחֳלָאִים רָעִים,
וְאַל יַבְהִילוּנִי חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים,
וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ,
וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת.
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה׳] הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ:
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַעֲמִידֵנִי לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם,
וְתֵן חֶלְקִי בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, וְאַל תַּרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִזָּיוֹן, וְיִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, וְאַל יִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע וּמֵחֳלָאִים רָעִים,
וְאַל יַבְהִילוּנִי חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים,
וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ,
וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת.
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה׳] הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ:
Blessed [are You, Divine-Power, our God, Sovereign of the Cosmos] that causes the bonds of sleep to fall upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids, and that illuminates the pupil of the eye.
May it be your will, Divinity, my God and the God of my forebears, to lay me down in peace and to raise me up for good life and for peace.
Let my portion be in your Torah, and may you accustom me in the matter of mitzvah (sacred action).
Do not accustom me to an errant way, nor bring me into the hands of sin, nor into the hands of trials, nor the hands of degradation.
Let the good inclination rule within me, and let the evil inclination not have power within me.
Release me from the evil inclination and from bad diseases, and let not bad dreams or dark perseverations disturb or confound me.
May my bed be complete before you [ie with only appropriate expressions of sexuality].
And enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Blessed [are you, !!!!] who enlightens the entire universe with Divine glory.
May it be your will, Divinity, my God and the God of my forebears, to lay me down in peace and to raise me up for good life and for peace.
Let my portion be in your Torah, and may you accustom me in the matter of mitzvah (sacred action).
Do not accustom me to an errant way, nor bring me into the hands of sin, nor into the hands of trials, nor the hands of degradation.
Let the good inclination rule within me, and let the evil inclination not have power within me.
Release me from the evil inclination and from bad diseases, and let not bad dreams or dark perseverations disturb or confound me.
May my bed be complete before you [ie with only appropriate expressions of sexuality].
And enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Blessed [are you, !!!!] who enlightens the entire universe with Divine glory.
Mikveh Yisrael: Yom Kippur As Whole-Body Purification
The tractate of the Mishnah that discusses Yom Kippur, aka The Day (Yoma), concludes as follows:
(ט) הָאוֹמֵר, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
אֶת זוֹ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי ה׳ תִּטְהָרוּ (ויקרא טז), עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא,
אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם מִטַּהֲרִין. וּמִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם? אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לו), וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם.
וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה יז),
מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳,
מַה מִּקְוֶה מְטַהֵר אֶת הַטְּמֵאִים, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְטַהֵר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
אֶת זוֹ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי ה׳ תִּטְהָרוּ (ויקרא טז), עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא,
אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם מִטַּהֲרִין. וּמִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם? אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לו), וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם.
וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה יז),
מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳,
מַה מִּקְוֶה מְטַהֵר אֶת הַטְּמֵאִים, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְטַהֵר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(9) With regard to one who says: I will sin and then I will repent, I will sin and I will repent, he does not have enough in his hand to do teshuvah.
With regard to one who says: I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone for my sins, Yom Kippur does not atone for his sins.
For transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until you appease the other person.
Similarly, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya taught that point from the verse: “From all your sins before the Lord you shall be cleansed” (Leviticus 16:30). For transgressions between a person and God [“sins before the Lord”], Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until the person appeases their fellow.
In conclusion, Rabbi Akiva said:
“How fortunate are you, Israel; before Whom are you purified, and Who purifies you? It is your Father in Heaven, as it is stated: “And I will sprinkle purifying water upon you, and you shall be purified” (Ezekiel 36:25). A
And it says: “Mikveh Yisrael Adonai: God is the ritual bath of Israel is God” (Jeremiah 17:13).
Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so too, the Holy One of Blessing purifies Israel.
With regard to one who says: I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone for my sins, Yom Kippur does not atone for his sins.
For transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until you appease the other person.
Similarly, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya taught that point from the verse: “From all your sins before the Lord you shall be cleansed” (Leviticus 16:30). For transgressions between a person and God [“sins before the Lord”], Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until the person appeases their fellow.
In conclusion, Rabbi Akiva said:
“How fortunate are you, Israel; before Whom are you purified, and Who purifies you? It is your Father in Heaven, as it is stated: “And I will sprinkle purifying water upon you, and you shall be purified” (Ezekiel 36:25). A
And it says: “Mikveh Yisrael Adonai: God is the ritual bath of Israel is God” (Jeremiah 17:13).
Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so too, the Holy One of Blessing purifies Israel.
(יג) מִקְוֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ ה׳ כׇּל־עֹזְבֶ֖יךָ יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ (יסורי) [וְסוּרַי֙] בָּאָ֣רֶץ יִכָּתֵ֔בוּ כִּ֥י עָזְב֛וּ מְק֥וֹר מַֽיִם־חַיִּ֖ים אֶת־ה׳׃ {פ}
יד) רְפָאֵ֤נִי ה׳ וְאֵ֣רָפֵ֔א הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה כִּ֥י תְהִלָּתִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
יד) רְפָאֵ֤נִי ה׳ וְאֵ֣רָפֵ֔א הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה כִּ֥י תְהִלָּתִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
(13) Mikveh Yisrael! Adonai!
O Hope of Israel! O ETERNAL One!
All who forsake You shall be put to shame,
Those in the land who turn from You
Shall be written in the earth;
For they have forsaken GOD, the fount of living waters - Mekor Mayyim Chayyim, Adonai.(14) Heal me, O ETERNAL One, and let me be healed;
Save me, and let me be saved;
For You are my glory.
O Hope of Israel! O ETERNAL One!
All who forsake You shall be put to shame,
Those in the land who turn from You
Shall be written in the earth;
For they have forsaken GOD, the fount of living waters - Mekor Mayyim Chayyim, Adonai.(14) Heal me, O ETERNAL One, and let me be healed;
Save me, and let me be saved;
For You are my glory.
(ג) אֵין אָדָם נִכְנָס לָעֲזָרָה לָעֲבוֹדָה, אֲפִלּוּ טָהוֹר, עַד שֶׁיִּטְבֹּל.
חָמֵשׁ טְבִילוֹת וַעֲשָׂרָה קִדּוּשִׁין טוֹבֵל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וּמְקַדֵּשׁ בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וְכֻלָּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ עַל בֵּית הַפַּרְוָה, חוּץ מִזּוֹ בִלְבָד:
חָמֵשׁ טְבִילוֹת וַעֲשָׂרָה קִדּוּשִׁין טוֹבֵל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וּמְקַדֵּשׁ בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וְכֻלָּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ עַל בֵּית הַפַּרְוָה, חוּץ מִזּוֹ בִלְבָד:
(3)A person does not enter the Temple courtyard for the Temple service, evenif he is pure, until he immerses in a mikvah.
Five immersions and ten sanctifications the High Priest immerses and sanctifies his hands and feet, respectively, on the day of Yom Kippur. And all of these immersions and sanctifications take place in the sacred area, the Temple courtyard, on the roof of the Hall of Parva, except for this first immersion alone. As that immersion is not unique to Yom Kippur, it may be performed outside the courtyard.
Five immersions and ten sanctifications the High Priest immerses and sanctifies his hands and feet, respectively, on the day of Yom Kippur. And all of these immersions and sanctifications take place in the sacred area, the Temple courtyard, on the roof of the Hall of Parva, except for this first immersion alone. As that immersion is not unique to Yom Kippur, it may be performed outside the courtyard.
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (Torah commentary: Parshat Shmini)
When a person immerses his entire body in such water, [i.e. water that has not lost its elemental character] and sinks completely, בלי חציצה without barrier, into this element, all connections between him and the realm of impurity are severed. He leaves the ground of man, and returns for a moment to the world of elements, in order to begin a new life of purity. Symbolically, he is reborn.
Mikveh and the Mystery of Forty
Mikveh and the Mystery of Forty
חֲצִיצִין, דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא נִינְהוּ! דִּכְתִיב: ״וְרָחַץ אֶת כָּל בְּשָׂרוֹ (בַּמַּיִם)״, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּין בְּשָׂרוֹ לַמַּיִם. ״בַּמַּיִם״ — בְּמֵי מִקְוֶה.
״כׇּל בְּשָׂרוֹ״ — מַיִם שֶׁכׇּל גּוּפוֹ עוֹלֶה בָּהֶן, וְכַמָּה הֵן — אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה בְּרוּם שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת. וְשִׁיעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים מֵי מִקְוֶה אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה.
״כׇּל בְּשָׂרוֹ״ — מַיִם שֶׁכׇּל גּוּפוֹ עוֹלֶה בָּהֶן, וְכַמָּה הֵן — אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה בְּרוּם שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת. וְשִׁיעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים מֵי מִקְוֶה אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ashi said above that Rav said that the laws governing interpositions that invalidate ritual immersion are halakhot transmitted to Moses from Sinai. The Gemara challenges this assertion: These, too, are written in the Torah, as it is written: “And he shall bathe all his flesh in the water” (Leviticus 15:16), and the Sages derived that nothing should intervene between his flesh and the water. The definite article in the phrase “in the water” indicates that this bathing is performed in water mentioned elsewhere, i.e., specifically in the water of a ritual bath, and not in just any water. And the phrase “all his flesh” indicates that it must be in water into which all of his body can enter, i.e., in which a person can immerse his entire body at once.
And how much water is that? It is a cubit by a cubit by the height of three cubits. And the Sages calculated the volume of a ritual bath of this size and determined that the waters of a ritual bath measure forty se’a.
And how much water is that? It is a cubit by a cubit by the height of three cubits. And the Sages calculated the volume of a ritual bath of this size and determined that the waters of a ritual bath measure forty se’a.
(יח) וַיָּבֹ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הֶעָנָ֖ן וַיַּ֣עַל אֶל־הָהָ֑ר וַיְהִ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ בָּהָ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה׃ {פ}
(18) Moses went inside the cloud and ascended the mountain; and Moses remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
(טו) וַיִּ֜פֶן וַיֵּ֤רֶד מֹשֶׁה֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת כְּתֻבִים֙ מִשְּׁנֵ֣י עֶבְרֵיהֶ֔ם מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה הֵ֥ם כְּתֻבִֽים׃ …
(יט) וַֽיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרַב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הָעֵ֖גֶל וּמְחֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ מִיָּדָו֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר אֹתָ֖ם תַּ֥חַת הָהָֽר׃
(יט) וַֽיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרַב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הָעֵ֖גֶל וּמְחֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ מִיָּדָו֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר אֹתָ֖ם תַּ֥חַת הָהָֽר׃
(15)Moses turned and went down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the covenant … (19) As soon as Moses came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה פְּסׇל־לְךָ֛ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְכָתַבְתִּי֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃(ב) וֶהְיֵ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן לַבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָלִ֤יתָ בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִ֛י שָׁ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָֽר׃
(1)The Lord said to Moses: “Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered. (2) Be ready by morning, and in the morning come up to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to Me, on the top of the mountain…”
(כח) וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֣ם עִם־ה׳ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אָכַ֔ל וּמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א שָׁתָ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֗ת אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים׃
(28) And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread and drank no water; and he wrote down on the tablets the terms of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: טוֹבֶלֶת וְאוֹכֶלֶת עַד אַרְבָּעִים, דְּאִי לָא מִיעַבְּרָא — הָא לָא מִיעַבְּרָא, וְאִי מִיעַבְּרָא —
עַד אַרְבָּעִים מַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא הִיא.
עַד אַרְבָּעִים מַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא הִיא.
Rav Ḥisda said: She immerses and partakes of teruma only until forty days after her husband’s death, when there is still no reason for concern, as if she is not pregnant then she is not pregnant. And if she is pregnant, until forty days from conception the fetus is merely water. It is not yet considered a living being, and therefore it does not disqualify its mother from partaking of teruma.