txt/Mishnah/Seder Moed/Mishnah Yoma/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt

Mishnah Yoma
משנה יומא
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org

Mishnah Yoma



Chapter 1

Seven days before the Day of Atonement, we sequester the High Priest from his house to the Palhedrin Chamber, and we prepare for him another priest in his place, [for] perhaps there will occur in him a disqualification.  Rabbi Yehuda says: We even prepare another wife for him, [for] perhaps his wife will die; as it is said, "and he shall atone for himself and for his household" - his "household" is his wife. The Sages said: If so, there is no end to the matter.
All seven days [of his sequestration], [the High Priest] casts the blood, and burns the incense, and cleans the lamps, and offers the head and the leg [of the continual-offering]. All other days, if he wants to offer, he offers — for the High Priest offers a portion first, and takes a portion first.
They provided for him elders from the elders of the [high] court who would read before him the order of the service [for Yom Kippur].  They would say to him: My master the High Priest, memorize the order of the service; perhaps you forgot or never learned.  On the day before Yom Kippur in the morning they stood him in the eastern gate of the Temple and passed before him all the bulls, rams and lambs [that would be used the next day in the service] so that he would recognize and be familiar with the service [of offering each of them].
All seven days, they would not prevent him from eating or drinking.  The day before Yom Kippur, toward nightfall, they would not let him eat a lot, because food brings on sleep.
The elders of the [high] court would transfer him to the elders of the priesthood, and they would bring him up to the upper chamber of the House of Avtinas, administer the oath to him, take their leave and depart. And they would say to him, My master, High Priest, we are the messengers of the <em>beit din</em>, and you are our messenger and the messenger of the [high] court. We make you swear, by He Who caused His name to dwell in this House, that you will not change a thing from what we have told you. He would separate from them and sob, and they would separate from him and sob.
If he was a sage, he would expound.  If not, sages would expound in front of him.  If he was accustomed to reading, he would read.  If not, they would read in front of him.  And from what would they read in front of him? From Job, and from Ezra, and from Chronicles.  Zecharya ben Kabutal said, many times I read from Daniel in front of him.
If he wanted to fall asleep, young priests would snap their middle fingers in front of him and say to him, My master the High Priest, stand up and get rid [of the fatigue] this once [by standing] on the floor.  And they would engage with him until the time came for slaughtering [the morning sacrifice].
Every day, they would remove the ashes from the altar at [the time of] cockcrow or around that time, whether before or after. [But] on Yom Kippur, [it would be done] at midnight, and on the festivals, at the first watch.  And cockcrow would never occur [on these occasions] before the Temple courtyard was filled with Israelites.

Chapter 2

Originally, whoever wanted to remove the ashes from the altar would do it.  And when there were many, they would run up the ramp, and whoever got to within four cubits [of the altar] first would win [the task of removing the ashes].  If two tied, the assigner [of tasks] would tell [all of] them: "Stick out your fingers [for the procedure to assign the task]."  And what would they stick out?  Either one or two [fingers], and they would not stick out their thumb in the Temple.
Once, two were even as they ran up the ramp, and one pushed the other, and he fell and his leg broke.  And when the court saw that this practice leads to danger, they decreed that the ashes would not be removed from the altar except by lottery.  There were four lotteries there, and this was the first lottery.
The second lottery [decided] who would slaughter [the daily sacrifice], who would throw the blood [onto the altar], who would remove the ashes from the inner altar, who would remove the ashes from the candelabra, and who would bring the limbs to the ramp: the head and the [left] hind-leg, the two fore-legs, the tail and the [right]] hind-leg, the chest and the throat, the two sides, the innards, the flour [for the accompanying meal-offering], the <i>chavitim</i>, and the wine.  Thirteen priests were chosen in this [lottery].  Ben Azzai said before Rabbi Akiva in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua: [the animal being sacrificed] was offered the way that it walks.
In the third lottery, new priests [who had never offered the incense] came and drew lots. The fourth [lottery] consisted of new priests and experienced priests [to determine] who would take the limbs from the ramp to the altar.
The daily offering was offered by nine, ten, eleven, or twelve [priests], no less and no more.  How [did this proceed]?  [The offering] itself would have nine.  On Sukkot, one would hold a bottle of water, making ten.  For the afternoon [offering], there were eleven: [the offering] itself with nine and two holding logs of wood.  And on the Sabbath there were eleven: [the offering] itself by nine, and two [more] holding censers of frankincense for the <em>lechem hapanim</em> [show-bread].  And on the Sabbath during Sukkot, one [more] would hold a bottle of water.
A ram was offered by eleven [priests]: the meat by five, the innards, the flour, and the wine by two each.
A bullock was offered by twenty four [priests].  The head and hind-leg: the head by one and the hind-leg by two.  The tail and the [other] hind-leg: The tail by two and the hind-leg by two.  The chest and the throat: the chest by one and the throat by three.  The two fore-legs by two.  The two sides by two.  The innards and the flour and the wine by three each.  What does this concern?  A communal offering.  But for an individual's offering, if [one priest] wanted to offer [all of] it, he could.  [But] the flaying and dismembering of both [the communal and individual sacrifices] were the same.

Chapter 3

The supervisor said to them:  Go out and see if the time for slaughter has come.  If it had come, the one who saw it would say, "Morning star!"  Matitia ben Shmuel says [that the supervisor would ask]: Is the whole east light as far as Hevron?  And he would say, "Yes!"
And why did they need [to do] thus? For on one occasion the light of the moon appeared and they assumed that dawn had broken, and they slaughtered the <em>tamid</em> [daily offering], and they [had to] take it out to the place of burning [because the offering was not offered at the proper time]. They took the High Priest down to the place of immersion. This is the rule in the Temple: all who move their bowels require immersion, and all who urinate require washing of the hands and feet.
No person comes into the Temple court for service, even if he is already ritually pure, until he immerses. Five immersions and a total of ten ablutions of hands and feet are performed by the High Priest on this Day. All this takes place in the courtyard above the Beit Parvah, except for this one [upon entering the Temple compound, which was performed near the High Priest's chamber by the south gate].
They spread out a linen sheet between him and the people.  He stripped off [his clothes], went down and immersed himself, came up and dried himself.   They brought him the golden garments, he put them on and washed his hands and feet. They brought him the <em>tamid</em> [offering].  He cut its throat and another finished [the slaughtering] for him.  He received the blood and sprinkled it. He went inside to offer the morning incense, to trim the lamp, and to offer the head, the limbs, the <i>chavitim</i> and the wine.
The morning incense was offered between [offering] the blood and the limbs. The afternoon incense was offered between [offering] the limbs and the wine libations. If the high priest was elderly or squeamish, water would be heated for him and poured into the cold water [in which he would immerse] in order to take the cold edge from it.
They then brought him [the High Priest] to Beit Parvah, which was located in the Holy of the Temple. They spread out linen sheets to separate him from the people. He washed his hands and feet and removed his clothing. Rabbi Meir says, first he removed his clothing and then he washed his hands and feet. He went down and immersed, came out and dried himself. They brought him the white garments, he put them on and washed his hands and feet.
In the morning he would wear Pelusian linen worth twelve <em>maneh</em>; at dusk, Indian linen worth eight hundred <em>zuz</em>, the words of Rabbi Meir. The Sages say: in the morning he would wear [garments] worth eighteen <em>maneh</em> and at dusk [garments] worth twelve <em>maneh</em>, altogether thirty <em>maneh</em>.  These [costs] were [borne by] the community, and if he wanted to add [to them], he would add from his own [assets].
He came to his bull and his bull was standing between the <em>Ulam</em> [entrance hall] and the altar, its head to the south and its face [turned] to the west.   And the priest stood on the east side facing the west.   He laid both his hands upon it and confessed.  And thus he would say: “Please, ‘Hashem’! I have done wrong, I have transgressed, I have sinned before You, I and my house. Please, ‘Hashem’! Forgive the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the sins which I have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, I and my house, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant: 'For on this day shall atonement be made for you'," etc. [to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord] (Leviticus 16:30). And [when the people heard the four letter Name] they answer after him: “Blessed be the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever”.
He then went to the east of the Temple courtyard, to the north of the altar, the deputy High Priest at his right and the head of the [priestly] family [ministering that week] at his left.  There were two goats and an urn was there, and in it were two lots. They were of boxwood and Ben Gamla made them of gold, and they would mention his name in praise.
Ben Katin made twelve spigots for the laver, for there had been before only two.  He also made a mechanism for the laver, in order that its water should not become unfit by remaining overnight.  King Munbaz had the handles of all the vessels used on Yom Kippur made of gold.  His mother Helena made a golden candelabrum over the opening of the Temple sanctuary.  She also made a golden tablet, on which the portion concerning the suspected adulteress was inscribed.  Nicanor's gates were the subject of miracles.  And they were all mentioned in praise.
And these they mentioned to their shame:  Those of the House of Garmu did not want to teach anything about the preparation of the showbread. Those of the House of Avtinas did not want to teach anything about the preparation of the incense. Hugros ben Levi knew a chapter [concerning] the song but did not want to teach it.  Ben Kamtzar did not want teach anyone his art of writing [the name of God].  Concerning the former [mentioned in the previous Mishnah] it is said: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7); concerning the others it is said: “But the name of the wicked shall rot”.

Chapter 4

He shook the urn and brought up the two lots. On one was inscribed: “For Hashem,” and on the other: “For Azazel.” The deputy High Priest was at his right hand, the head of the [ministering] family at his left.  If the lot “For Hashem” came up in his right hand, the deputy high priest would say to him: “My master, High Priest, raise your right hand!”  And if the lot “for Hashem” came up in his left hand, the head of the [ministering] family would say: “My master, High Priest, raise your left hand!”  Then he placed them on the two goats and said: “A sin-offering for Hashem!” Rabbi Ishmael said: he did not need to say, “a sin-offering”, but just “for Hashem." And they answered after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”
He bound a thread of crimson wool on the head of the goat which was to be sent away, and he placed it at the gate where it was to be sent away, and for the goat that was to be slaughtered [he placed a thread of crimson wool on its neck] at the place of the slaughtering.  He came to his bull a second time, laid his two hands upon it and made confession.  And thus he would say: “Please, ‘Hashem’! I have done wrong, I have transgressed, I have sinned before You, I and my house and the sons of Aaron, Your holy people. Please, ‘Hashem’! Forgive the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the sins which I have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, I and my house and the sons of Aaron, Your holy people, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant: “For on this day shall atonement be made for you," etc. [to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord”] (Leviticus 16:30). And they answered after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”
He slaughtered it [the bull] and received its blood in a bowl, and he gave it to the one who stirs it up on the fourth terrace within the sanctuary so that it should not congeal.  He took the coal-pan and went up to the top of the altar, cleared the coals to both sides, took out coals from the glowing middle [of the fire on the altar], came down and placed it [the coal-pan] on the fourth terrace in the Temple courtyard.
On every [other] day he would take out [the coals] with a silver coal-pan, and empty it into one of gold, but this day he took them out with a golden coal-pan and in it he brought them [into the Heikhal].  On other days he would take them up with a coal-pan containing four <em>kavin</em>, and empty it into one containing three <em>kavin</em>, but this day he took them out with one containing three <em>kavin</em>, and in it he brought them in. Rabbi Yosi says: on other days he would take them out with a coal-pan containing one <em>se’ah</em> [six <em>kavin</em>], and empty it into one containing three <em>kavin</em>, this day he took them out with one containing three <em>kavin</em>, and in it he brought them in.  On other days the pan was heavy, on this day it was light.  On other days its handle was short, on this day it was long.  On other days it was of yellowish gold, on this day, of reddish gold, the words of Rabbi Menachem.  On other days he would offer half a <em>p'ras</em> in the morning and half a <em>p'ras</em> in the afternoon, today he adds also the two handfuls [of incense].  On other days [the incense] was finely ground, but today it was the most finely ground possible.
On every [other] day the priests would go up on the east side of the ramp and come down on the west side, but on this day the High Priest goes up in the middle and comes down in the middle.  Rabbi Yehudah says: the High Priest always goes up in the middle and comes down in the middle. On other days the high priest washed his hands and feet from the laver, but on this day from a golden ladle.  Rabbi Yehudah says: the High Priest always sanctifies his hands and feet from a golden ladle.
On every [other] day there were four wood-piles there [on the altar], but on this day five, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosi says: on other days three, but on this day four. Rabbi Yehudah says: on other days two, but on this day three.

Chapter 5

They brought out to him the ladle and the coal-pan, and he took two hands full [of incense] and put it into the ladle: a large [high priest] according to his size, a small one according to his size, and thus was its measure. He took the coal-pan in his right hand and the ladle in his left hand.  He walked through the Heikhal [sanctuary] until he came to the place between the two curtains which separated the Holy from the Holy of Holies; between them was [a space of] one cubit.  Rabbi Yose says: there was but one curtain, as it is said: “And the curtain shall serve you as a partition between the Holy and the Holy of Holies” (Exodus 26:33).  The outer curtain was looped on the south side and the inner curtain on the north side.  He walked along between them until he reached the north side. When he reached the north side he turned around to the south and went on along the curtain, to his left, until he reached the Ark.  When he reached the Ark he put the coal-pan between the two poles.  He heaped up the incense upon the coals and the whole house became full with smoke.  He came out by the way he entered and in the outer house he uttered a short prayer.  He did not make the prayer long so as not to frighten Israel.
After the Ark was taken away, there was a stone there, from the days of the earlier prophets, called <em>Shtiyah</em>, three fingers above the ground, on which he would place [the coal-pan].
He would take the blood from the one who was stirring it, and enter [again] into the place where he had entered, and stand [again] on the place on which he had stood, and sprinkle once upwards and seven times downwards, and he did not intend to sprinkle [simply] upwards nor downwards but rather like one who cracks a whip.  And thus would he count: one, one and one, one and two, one and three, one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven.  Then he would go out and put it on the golden stand in the Heikhal.
They would bring him the goat.  He would slaughter it and receive its blood in a bowl.  He entered [again] into the place where he had entered, and stood [again] on the place on which he had stood, and sprinkled once upwards and seven times downwards, and he did not intend to sprinkle [simply] upwards or downwards but rather like one who cracks a whip.  And thus would he count: one, one and one, one and two, one and three, one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven. Then he would go out and place [the bowl] on the second stand in the Heikhal.  Rabbi Yehudah said: there was only one stand there. He would take the blood of the bull and put down the blood of the goat, and sprinkle from it upon the curtains facing the Ark outside, once upwards, seven times downward, intending to sprinkle neither [simply] upwards nor downwards, but rather like one who cracks a whip. Thus would he count [as above]. Then he would take the blood of the goat, and put down the blood of the bull, and sprinkle from it upon the curtain facing the ark outside once upwards, seven times downwards [as above].  Then he would pour the blood of the bull into the blood of the goat, emptying the full vessel into the empty one.
“And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:18): that is the golden altar. He then began to purify [the altar by sprinkling] in downward motion. From where does he begin? From the northeast horn [of the altar], then the northwest, then the southwest, then the southeast.  From the place where he begins [sprinkling when offering] a sin-offering on the outer altar, there he completes [sprinkling] on the inner altar.  Rabbi Eliezer says: he remained in his place and sprinkled. And on every horn he would sprinkle from below upwards, with the exception of the horn at which he was standing, which he would sprinkle from above downwards.
Then he sprinkled the body of the altar seven times.  And he would pour out the remainder of the blood at the western base of the outer altar.  And [the remainder of the blood sprinkled] on the outer altar he poured out at the southern base. Both mingled in the aqueduct and flowed into Nahal Kidron; and they were sold to gardeners as fertilizer, and are subject to <em>meilah</em> [misappropriation of sanctified property]. 
Concerning every act of Yom Kippur mentioned in the prescribed order [in the Mishnah]: if he performed one [later] act before an [earlier] one, it is as if it had not been done at all. If he dealt with the blood of the goat before the blood of the bull, he must start over again, and sprinkle the blood of the goat after the blood of the bull.  If before he had finished the sprinklings within [the Holy of Holies] the blood was poured out, he must bring other blood, and start over again and sprinkle again within [the Holy of Holies]. Similarly, in the Heikhal and at the golden altar, since they are each a separate act of atonement.  Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: wherever he stopped, there he may begin again.

Chapter 6

The two [sacrificial] goats of Yom Kippur, it is a mitzvah that they be equal in appearance, height, value and be bought at the same time. But even if they are not equal, they are kosher. If one was bought one day, and another the next day, they are kosher. If one [of the goats] dies, if it dies before the lots were drawn, a partner for the second should be bought. If it dies after the lots were drawn, then another pair [of goats] should be brought and lots drawn over them as before, and [the one drawing lots] should say, if [the goat that was intended] for Hashem died, "Let the one for which the lot 'for Hashem' is drawn be established in its place." And if [the goat that was intended for] Azazel died, "Let the one for which the lot "for Azazel" is drawn be established in its place." The second [remaining goat] is left to graze until it develops a blemish, and then is sold, and its monetary value [is used to buy] free-will offerings, for we do not leave a communal <em>chattat</em> [sin] offering to die. Rabbi Yehuda says, We leave it to die.  Rabbi Yehuda also said, if [the goat for Hashem's] blood spilled [before it could be sprinkled], the goat sent [to Azazel] is left to die [and another pair are brought]. If the goat sent [to Azazel] has died [first], then the blood [of the goat for Hashem] must be poured out [i.e., discarded, and another pair are brought].
[The High Priest] would come to the goat for Azazel and place his two hands on it, and confess. And this is what he would say: "Please God, we, Your people the House of Israel, have committed wrongdoing, transgressed, and sinned before You. Please God, please forgive the wrongdoing, transgressions and sins that we, Your people the House of Israel, have committed, transgressed, and sinned before You. As it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant (Leviticus 16:30), 'On this day, you will be forgiven and cleansed from all your sins—before Hashem you will be cleansed.'" Then, the priests and the people standing in the courtyard, when they heard the explicit Name from the mouth of the High Priest, would bend their knees, bow down and fall on their faces, and they would say, "Blessed be the Honored Name of His Sovereignty forever."
They turned over [the goat sent to Azazel] to the person leading it [out to the wilderness].  Anyone could lead the goat out; however, the leading priests fixed a procedure [that a priest would lead it out] and would not allow a Yisrael [Jew not a member of the tribe of Levi] to lead it out. Rabbi Yose says, It once happened that Arsala led it out and he was a Yisrael.  
They made a special ramp for him [who led the goat out], because of the Babylonians who used to pull at his hair, and say to him, Take [our sins] and go quickly, take [our sins] and go quickly. The leading citizens of Jerusalem would accompany him to the first booth. There were ten booths from Jerusalem to Tzuk [the cliff to which the goat was taken], a distance of ninety <em>ris</em> [2/15 of a <em>mil</em>], seven and a half <em>ris</em> per <em>mil</em> [two thousand cubits, for a total distance of twelve <em>milin</em>]. 
At every booth, they would say to him, Here is food and water. And they would accompany him from one booth to the next, except for the last one, since the escort would not go with him all the way to the cliff, but rather, he would watch his actions from a distance. 
What did he do [when he reached the cliff]? He divided the thread of the crimson wool, tied half to the rock, and tied the other half between its horns, and he pushed it from behind. It went rolling down, and before it reached half-way downhill, it was dashed to pieces. He returned and sat in the last booth until it became dark. And at what point did his garments become impure? From the moment he left the walls of Jerusalem. Rabbi Shimon says: from the moment he pushed it off the cliff. 
He [the High Priest] would go to the bull and the goat for the burnt offering [after sending off the goat to Azazel]. He would split [their carcasses] and remove their fats, place them on a tray and offer them on the altar. He reassembled the carcasses and took them out to the place of burning.  And at what point would his clothing become impure? From the moment he went outside the walls of the Temple court.  Rabbi Shimon says: From the moment the fire took hold in the majority [of the carcasses].
They would say to the High Priest: The goat [for Azazel] has reached the wilderness. And how did they know that the goat had reached the wilderness? They used to set up towers and wave signal cloths, and thus they would know that the goat had reached the wilderness. Rabbi Yehuda says: But did they not have an obvious sign? The distance from Jerusalem to the place where the goat was pushed [off the cliff] was three <em>milin</em>. They could thus walk a <em>mil</em>, return a <em>mil</em>, and wait the amount of time it would take to walk a <em>mil</em>, and thus, they would know that the goat  had reached the wilderness. Rabbi Yishmael says: But did they not also have another sign? They had a strip of crimson wool tied to the door of the Heikhal, and when the goat reached the wilderness, the crimson wool turned white, as it is written, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). 

Chapter 7

The High Priest then came to read [the Torah portion for the day]. He could read either wearing linen garments, or his own white robe. The synagogue attendant would take the Torah scroll, and hand it to the head of the synagogue, and the head of the synagogue would hand it to the assistant [High Priest] and the assistant would hand it over to the High Priest. The High Priest would stand, and receive it, and read "After the death" (Leviticus 16:1-34) and "On the tenth" (Leviticus 23:26-36).  Then he would roll up the scroll, hold it close to his bosom, and say, "More than that which I have read before you, is written here."  He would then recite by heart “On the tenth day" (Numbers 29:7-11). He recites over it eight blessings: for the Torah, for the Temple Service, for thanksgiving, for the forgiveness of sins, and for the Temple separately, and for Israel separately, and for Jerusalem separately, for the priests separately, and for the rest of the prayer. 
The one who sees the High Priest while he is reading does not see the bull and he-goat that are burned, and the one seeing the bull and the he-goat being burned does not see the High Priest while he is reading.  Not because it is prohibited to do so, but because the distance between the two areas was great, and both rituals were performed simultaneously. 
If he read in the garments of linen, he would then wash his hands and feet, undress, and go down to immerse. He came up, and dried himself, while they brought him his gold vestments. He dressed and then washed his hands and feet. He then went  out and offered his ram, and the people's ram, and the seven unblemished one-year-old male sheep; these are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Akiva says: They were brought with the morning <em>Tamid</em> offering, as well as the bull for a burnt-offering. But the he-goat which is done outside was brought with the afternoon <em>Tamid</em> offering. 
He washed his hands and feet, undressed, and went down and immersed. He came up, and dried himself. Then they brought him his white garments, and he dressed and washed his hands and feet. He went inside to remove the ladle and coal-pan, washed his hands and feet, undressed, went down, immersed, came up, and dried himself. Then, they brought him his gold garments, he dressed, washed his hands and feet, and went into the sanctuary to burn the afternoon incense and light the lamps. He washed his hands and feet, and undressed. They then brought his personal garments. He got dressed, and they would go with him to his residence. And he would make a feast for those close to him, for having exited the Holy [of Holies] in peace. 
The High Priest served in eight vestments, and the ordinary priest in four. The ordinary priest wore a tunic, pants, hat, and belt. The High Priest added to these the breastplate, the <em>efod</em> [apron], robe, and <em>tsits</em> [forehead plate]. They were only allowed to question the <em>urim vetumim</em> [oracular device carried in the breastplate] while wearing these eight vestments. The <em>urim vetumim</em> was only questioned on behalf of the king, court, or someone the community requires [for leadership]. 

Chapter 8

On Yom Kippur, it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint, and to wear leather shoes and to have sexual relations. The King and the bride may wash their faces, and the newly delivered mother may wear leather shoes: the words of Rabbi Eliezer; and the Sages prohibit this.
One who eats food to the size of a large date, that is, the date with the kernel, or drinks a mouthful, is guilty. All kinds of food combine for the size of the date, and all liquids for the mouthful; but food and drink do not combine in the computation.
If one eats and drinks on a single occasion of obliviousness, he is liable to one sin-offering; if he has eaten and [also] done work, he is liable to two [separate] sin-offerings; if he has eaten food which is not suitable for consumption, or has drunk liquids which are not suitable for drinking, or brine or fish-brine, he is exempt [from bringing a sin-offering].
We do not force small children to fast on Yom Kippur. Rather, we train them a year or two before [they reach the age of being subject to the commandments]  so that they will become accustomed to [performing] the commandments.
We feed a pregnant woman who smells [and craves food], even unkosher [food] until she recovers. We feed a sick person on the advice of an expert [doctor]. And if there is not an expert there, we feed him on his own word, until he says enough. 
If one is seized with a pathological craving [for food], he is to be fed even with unkosher food, until he recovers. A person who is bitten by a mad dog must not be fed any of the dog's liver, but Rabbi Matya ben Charash permits it. Moreover, Rabbi Matya ben Charash said, If a person has a sore throat, it is permitted to put medicines into his mouth on the Sabbath, because of possible danger to his life, and whatever threatens to endanger life supersedes [the observance of] the Sabbath.
If debris falls and it is unknown whether any person is buried [under it] or not; or whether he is dead or alive, or whether he is a gentile or a Jew, we remove the debris from him on the Sabbath; if he be found alive, we extricate him, but if he is dead, we leave him.
The sin-offering and guilt-offering atone [for sin]. Death and Yom Kippur atone with repentance. Repentance atones for minor transgressions of positive or negative commandments; for grave transgressions, it obtains a respite until Yom Kippur completes the atonement.
One who says, "I will sin, and then repent, I will sin [again], and then repent," will not receive an opportunity to repent; [for one who says] "I will sin, and Yom Kipur will atone," Yom Kippur will not atone. Yom Kippur atones for transgressions between a person and God, but for a transgression against one's neighbor, Yom Kipur cannot atone, until he appeases his neighbor. Thus R. Eleazar ben Azariah expounds the text, "From all your sins before the Lord shall ye be clean": For transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones, for transgressions against one's neighbor, Yom Kippur cannot atone, until he appeases his neighbor. R. Akiva says, Happy are you, Israel! Before whom are you purified, and who purifies you [of your transgressions]? Your Father Who is in heaven. For it is said, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean"; and it is also said, "The ‏ritual bath‎ [lit. Hope] of Israel is the Lord"; even as a ritual bath purifies the unclean, so does the Holy One, Blessed be He, purify Israel.