## Yoma Daf 85b

###### Yoma 85b:1
[Yoma 85b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:1)

אֲבָל לְהַחֲיוֹת — אֲפִילּוּ מֵעַל מִזְבְּחִי. וּמָה זֶה, שֶׁסָּפֵק יֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו סָפֵק אֵין מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו, וַעֲבוֹדָה דּוֹחָה שַׁבָּת — קַל וָחוֹמֶר לְפִקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. נַעֲנָה רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר: וּמָה מִילָה שֶׁהִיא אֶחָד מִמָּאתַיִם וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה אֵיבָרִים שֶׁבָּאָדָם דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת — קַל וָחוֹמֶר לְכׇל גּוּפוֹ שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**but to preserve a life,** e.g., if the priest can testify to the innocence of one who is sentenced to death, one removes him **even from on top of My altar,** even while he is sacrificing an offering. **Just as this** priest, about whom **there is uncertainty whether there is substance to his words** of testimony **or whether there is no substance to his words,** is taken from the Temple service in order to save a life, **and** Temple **service overrides Shabbat,** so too, ***a fortiori*, saving a life overrides Shabbat. Rabbi Elazar** ben Azarya **answered and said: Just as** the mitzva **of circumcision, which** rectifies only **one of the 248 limbs of the body, overrides Shabbat,** so too, ***a fortiori*,** saving **one’s whole body,** which is entirely involved in mitzvot, **overrides Shabbat.**


###### Yoma 85b:2
[Yoma 85b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:2)

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: ״אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ״, יָכוֹל לַכֹּל — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אַךְ״ חָלַק. רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בֶּן יוֹסֵף אוֹמֵר: ״כִּי קוֹדֶשׁ הִיא לָכֶם״, הִיא מְסוּרָה בְּיֶדְכֶם וְלֹא אַתֶּם מְסוּרִים בְּיָדָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Other *tanna’im* debated this same issue. **Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says** that **it** is stated: “But **keep my *Shabbatot*”** (Exodus 31:13). One **might** have thought that this applies **to everyone** in all circumstances; therefore, **the verse states “but,”** a term that restricts and **qualifies.** It implies that there are circumstances where one must keep Shabbat and circumstances where one must desecrate it, i.e., to save a life. **Rabbi Yonatan ben Yosef says** that **it** is stated: **“For it is sacred to you”** (Exodus 31:14). This implies that Shabbat **is given into your hands, and you are not given to it** to die on account of Shabbat.


###### Yoma 85b:3
[Yoma 85b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:3)

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר: ״וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת״, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: חַלֵּל עָלָיו שַׁבָּת אַחַת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמוֹר שַׁבָּתוֹת הַרְבֵּה. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: אִי הֲוַאי הָתָם, הֲוָה אָמֵינָא דִּידִי עֲדִיפָא מִדִּידְהוּ: ״וְחַי בָּהֶם״ — וְלֹא שֶׁיָּמוּת בָּהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said:** It is stated: **“And the children of Israel shall keep Shabbat,** to observe Shabbat” (Exodus 31:16).**The Torah said: Desecrate one Shabbat on his behalf so he will observe many *Shabbatot*. Rav Yehuda said** that **Shmuel said: If I would** have been **there** among those Sages who debated this question, **I would have said** that **my proof is preferable to theirs,** as it states: “You shall keep My statutes and My ordinances, which a person shall do **and live by them”** (Leviticus 18:5), **and not that he** should **die by them.** In all circumstances, one must take care not to die as a result of fulfilling the mitzvot.


###### Yoma 85b:4
[Yoma 85b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:4)

אָמַר רָבָא: לְכוּלְּהוּ אִית לְהוּ פִּירְכָא, בַּר מִדִּשְׁמוּאֵל דְּלֵית לֵיהּ פִּירְכָא. דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל — דִּילְמָא כִּדְרָבָא. דְּאָמַר רָבָא: מַאי טַעְמָא דְּמַחְתֶּרֶת? חֲזָקָה, אֵין אָדָם מַעֲמִיד עַצְמוֹ עַל מָמוֹנוֹ. וְהַאי מִידָּע יָדַע דְּקָאֵי לְאַפֵּיהּ, וְאָמַר אִי קָאֵי לְאַפַּאי — קָטֵילְנָא לֵיהּ, וְהַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה: בָּא לְהׇרְגְּךָ — הַשְׁכֵּם לְהׇרְגוֹ. וְאַשְׁכְּחַן וַדַּאי, סָפֵק מְנָלַן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava** commented on this: **All of these** arguments **have refutations except for** that **of Shmuel, which has no refutation.** The Gemara explains Rava’s claim: The proof brought **by Rabbi Yishmael** from the thief who breaks in could **perhaps** be refuted based on the principle **of Rava,** as **Rava said: What is the reason** for the *halakha* **about** the thief who **breaks in?** There is **a presumption** that while **a person** is being robbed he **does not restrain himself with respect to his money. And this** thief **knows that** the homeowner **will rise to oppose him** and **said** to himself from the start: **If he rises against me, I will kill him. And the Torah states:** If a person **comes to kill you, rise to kill him first. We found** a source for saving a life that is in **certain** danger, but **from where do we** derive that even in a case where there is **uncertainty** as to whether a life is in danger one may desecrate Shabbat? Consequently, Rabbi Yishmael’s argument is refuted.


###### Yoma 85b:5
[Yoma 85b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:5)

דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא נָמֵי — דִּילְמָא כִּדְאַבָּיֵי. דְּאָמַר אַבָּיֵי: מָסְרִינַן לֵיהּ זוּגָא דְרַבָּנַן לֵידַע אִם מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו. וְאַשְׁכְּחַן וַדַּאי, סָפֵק מְנָא לַן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The proof **of Rabbi Akiva** can **also** be refuted. He brought the case of removing a priest from altar service in order to have him testify on another’s behalf, since his testimony might acquit the accused and save him from execution. But **perhaps** that *halakha* is **in accordance with** the opinion **of Abaye, as Abaye said:** If the accused says he has a witness in his favor, **we send a pair of rabbis** on **his** behalf **to determine if his words** of testimony have **substance.** These rabbis would first check that the testimony of the priest is substantive before removing him from the altar. If so, **we** have **found** that one interrupts the Temple service to save a life from **certain** danger, but **from where do we** derive that one interrupts the Temple service when the likelihood of saving life is **uncertain?**


###### Yoma 85b:6
[Yoma 85b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:6)

וְכוּלְּהוּ אַשְׁכְּחַן וַדַּאי, סָפֵק מְנָא לַן? וְדִשְׁמוּאֵל, וַדַּאי לֵית לֵיהּ פִּירְכָא. אָמַר רָבִינָא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: טָבָא חֲדָא פִּלְפַּלְתָּא חֲרִיפָא מִמְּלָא צַנָּא דְקָרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And for all** the other arguments as well, **we** have **found** proofs for saving a life from **certain** danger. But for cases of uncertainty, **from where do we** derive this? For this reason, all the arguments are refuted. However, the proof **that Shmuel** brought from the verse: “And live by them,” which teaches that one should not even put a life in possible danger to observe mitzvot, **there is certainly no refutation. Ravina said, and some say it was Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak** who said with regard to this superior proof of Shmuel: **One spicy pepper is better than a whole basket of squash,** since its flavor is more powerful than all the others.


###### Yoma 85b:7
[Yoma 85b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:7)

**מַתְנִי׳** חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם וַדַּאי — מְכַפְּרִין. מִיתָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים — מְכַפְּרִין עִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה. תְּשׁוּבָה — מְכַפֶּרֶת עַל עֲבֵירוֹת קַלּוֹת: עַל עֲשֵׂה, וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וְעַל הַחֲמוּרוֹת הוּא תּוֹלֶה, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וִיכַפֵּר. הָאוֹמֵר: אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב — אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר — אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם — יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ — אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **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. Repentance** itself **atones for minor transgressions, for** both **positive** mitzvot **and negative** mitzvot. **And** repentance places punishment **for severe** transgressions **in abeyance until Yom Kippur comes and** completely **atones** for the transgression. With regard to **one who says: I will sin and** then **I will repent, I will sin and I will repent,** Heaven **does not provide him the opportunity to repent,** and he will remain a sinner all his days. 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. Furthermore, for **transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones;** however, for **transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases** the **other** person.


###### Yoma 85b:8
[Yoma 85b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:8)

דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה: ״מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי ה׳ תִּטְהָרוּ״. עֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם — יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ — אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל! לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם מִטַּהֲרִין, מִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם? אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל (ה׳)״, מָה מִקְוֶה מְטַהֵר אֶת הַטְּמֵאִים — אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְטַהֵר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya taught** that point from the verse: **“From all your sins you shall be cleansed before the Lord”** (Leviticus 16:30). For **transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones;** however, for **transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases** the **other** person. 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). **And it says: “The ritual bath of Israel is God”** (Jeremiah 17:13). **Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so too, the Holy One, Blessed be He, purifies Israel.**


###### Yoma 85b:9
[Yoma 85b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:9)

**גְּמָ׳** אָשָׁם וַדַּאי — אִין, אָשָׁם תָּלוּי — לָא. וְהָא כַּפָּרָה כְּתִיבָא בֵּיהּ? הָנָךְ מְכַפְּרִי כַּפָּרָה גְּמוּרָה, אָשָׁם תָּלוּי אֵינוֹ מְכַפֵּר כַּפָּרָה גְּמוּרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna says that a definite guilt-offering atones for sins. The Gemara analyzes this: With regard to **a definite guilt-offering, yes,** it does atone for sins. This implies that **an uncertain guilt-offering** does **not.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t atonement written with regard to it?** Why, then, doesn’t it atone? The Gemara answers: **Those,** the sin-offerings and definite guilt-offerings, **facilitate complete atonement,** but **an uncertain guilt-offering does not facilitate complete atonement.** Instead, this offering provides temporary atonement for an individual, to protect him from punishment until he becomes aware of his sin and brings the appropriate offering.


###### Yoma 85b:10
[Yoma 85b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:10)

אִי נָמֵי: הָנָךְ אֵין אַחֵר מְכַפֵּר כַּפָּרָתָן, אָשָׁם תָּלוּי אַחֵר מְכַפֵּר כַּפָּרָתָן, דִּתְנַן: חַיָּיבֵי חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת וַדָּאִין שֶׁעָבַר עֲלֵיהֶן יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים — חַיָּיבִין, אֲשָׁמוֹת תְּלוּיִן — פְּטוּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Alternatively,** there is this distinction: **Nothing else facilitates the atonement of those** sin-offerings and definite guilt-offerings, whereas something **else does facilitate the atonement of the uncertain guilt-offering, as we learned** in a mishna: If **Yom Kippur passed, those who are obligated to bring sin-offerings and definite guilt-offerings are** still **obligated** to bring their offerings; however, those obligated to bring **uncertain guilt-offerings are exempt** because Yom Kippur atoned for them.


###### Yoma 85b:11
[Yoma 85b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:11)

מִיתָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפְּרִין עִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה. עִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה — אִין, בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן — לָא. נֵימָא דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: עַל כׇּל עֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, בֵּין עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה בֵּין לֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה — יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, חוּץ (מִפּוֹרֵק עוֹל), וּמְגַלֶּה פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וּמֵיפֵר בְּרִית בָּשָׂר, שֶׁאִם עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה — יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, וְאִם לֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה — אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the mishna that **death and Yom Kippur atone** for sins when accompanied **by repentance.** The Gemara analyzes this: **With repentance, yes,** they do atone for sins; **but by themselves,** without repentance, **they do not. Let us say** that the mishna is **not in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, **as it was taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says** that **for all transgressions in the Torah, whether one repented or did not repent, Yom Kippur atones,** with the **exception** of **rejecting the yoke** of Torah and mitzvot; and denying the Holy One, Blessed be He; **and interpreting the Torah falsely; and violating the covenant of the flesh,** i.e., circumcision. In these cases, **if one repents Yom Kippur atones** for his sin, **and if one does not repent Yom Kippur does not atone** for his sin.


###### Yoma 85b:12
[Yoma 85b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:12)

אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבִּי: תְּשׁוּבָה בָּעֲיָא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לָא בָּעֲיָא תְּשׁוּבָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this: This is no proof; **even** if **you say** that the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, the mishna can be understood as follows: **Repentance** still **requires Yom Kippur** in order to complete the atonement, whereas **Yom Kippur does not require repentance** but atones even without it.


###### Yoma 85b:13
[Yoma 85b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:13)

תְּשׁוּבָה מְכַפֶּרֶת עַל עֲבֵירוֹת קַלּוֹת: עַל עֲשֵׂה וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. הַשְׁתָּא עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה מְכַפֶּרֶת, עַל עֲשֵׂה מִיבַּעְיָא? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, הָכִי קָאָמַר: עַל עֲשֵׂה, וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנִּיתַּק לַעֲשֵׂה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the mishna: **Repentance** itself **atones for minor transgressions, for** both **a positive** mitzva **and for a negative** mitzva. The Gemara is surprised at this: **Now** that it was stated that repentance **atones for a negative** mitzva, which is severe and warrants lashes, is it **necessary** to also teach that it atones **for a positive** mitzva, which is more lenient? **Rav Yehuda said: This is** what **it said,** i.e., the mishna should be understood as follows: Repentance atones **for a positive** mitzva **and for a negative** mitzva whose violation **can be rectified by a positive** mitzva. One is not punished by a court for violating a prohibition for which the Torah prescribes a positive act as a corrective measure and which thereby has the same *halakha* as a positive mitzva.


###### Yoma 85b:14
[Yoma 85b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/85b:14)

וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה גָּמוּר לָא? וּרְמִינְהוּ, אֵלּוּ הֵן קַלּוֹת: עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** does repentance **not** atone **for a full-fledged negative** mitzva? The Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a separate source: It was taught that **these are minor** transgressions: **A positive** mitzva **and a negative** mitzva,