Yom Kippur
[A] (Halacha 94)
The Prohibition of Anointing
One of the five afflictions on Yom Kippur is the prohibition of anointing, and so writes the Alter Rebbe1: 'How does anointing apply? It is forbidden to anoint part of one's body just as [it is forbidden to anoint] one's entire body. And if one was ill — even if there is no danger — or if he has scabs [=sores] on his head, he anoints in his usual manner and need not be concerned, for they only prohibited anointing for pleasure. But without any illness, even if he does not intend for pleasure but [only] to remove the filth, it is forbidden. And this is unlike washing, where whatever is not intended for pleasure is permitted, because one derives more pleasure from anointing than from the pleasure of washing; therefore they were more stringent regarding it (and prohibited it even when one does not intend for pleasure) unless the anointing is not for pleasure at all, such as when one anoints for medicinal purposes'.
Question: Is it permitted on Yom Kippur to use deodorant in order to remove a bad odor, and is there a difference between a roll-on and a spray?
Answer: A roll-on deodorant is forbidden to use on account of [the prohibition of] anointing, and although the use is intended only to remove a bad odor, nevertheless anointing was prohibited even in such a situation, except in a situation of illness.
Regarding a spray, some have written2 not to use even a spray, and according to their view this too is forbidden on account of [the prohibition of] anointing.
But in practice one may use a spray deodorant in a situation of bad odor, since this is not an act of anointing, for anointing means the spreading of oil and the like upon [the body] so that it be absorbed into the body, as explained in OC siman 327, and not the spraying of a substance (and on account of [the prohibition of] washing too there is no reason to forbid it, since washing in order to remove filth is permitted3)4.
[However, there is one who has written5 to be stringent in this on account of [the prohibition of] a "psik reisha" of producing a scent (for although he intends to remove the bad odor, yet through this a good scent is generated upon the person) which is forbidden on Shabbos6, and the same applies to Yom Kippur, which is called "a Shabbos of complete rest" and is like Shabbos (and only on Yom Tov is it permitted); but in practice we hold7 that there is no difference between Shabbos and Yom Tov, and even on Shabbos we do not apply "psik reisha" regarding scent, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav8].
Notes:
1 סי' תריד ס"א ↩
2 נטעי גבריאל - יום כיפור פרק מו ס"ב. פסקי תשובות סי' תריד אות א ↩
3 ראה גם שוע"ר סי' תריג ס"א ↩
4 וכ"כ בהליכות שלמה מועדי השנה ניסן - אב פרק יד בהערה 56 ↩
5 הגרמש"א ז"ל בקובץ הלכות ליו"כ שנת תשע"ה ↩
6 בשוע"ר סי' שכא ס"ז ↩
7 שבת כהלכה ח"ג פי"ח ס"ד ובביאורים אות ב ↩
8 סי' תקיא ס"ז ↩
[B] (Halacha 378)
Question: Why does one recite an additional confession (besides the Mincha tefillah) on the eve of Yom Kippur before sunset?
Answer: The Gemara in Maseches Yoma1 says: 'The Rabbis taught: The mitzvah of confession is on the eve of Yom Kippur at nightfall. But the Sages said: one should confess before he eats and drinks, lest his mind become confused during the seudah. And even though he confessed before he ate and drank — he confesses after he eats and drinks, lest some mishap occur during the seudah. And even though he confessed at the evening [tefillah] — he should confess in the morning; in the morning — he should confess at Musaf; at Musaf — he should confess at Mincha; at Mincha — he should confess at Neilah'.
And the Rishonim disagreed as to the meaning of the words of the Gemara 'the mitzvah of confession on the eve of Yom Kippur at nightfall'; some explained that the meaning is from when Yom Kippur enters, and some wrote that the essence of the confession is before the day enters, as follows:
Rashi2 wrote: 'After eating, once he has accepted upon himself Yom Kippur'. And so wrote the Ran3: The Rabbis taught: the mitzvah of confession on the eve of Yom Kippur at nightfall. After eating, once he has accepted upon himself Yom Kippur .. he must confess after he eats and drinks, in the evening tefillah — thus did the Rishonim of blessed memory explain.
But the Ramban4 wrote: 'It appears, according to the precision of this language, that the confession that he confesses after eating is not in the evening tefillah .. but rather it implies that this is what it teaches: the mitzvah of confession of the eve of Yom Kippur — that one must confess in order to enter the day in repentance — is at nightfall close to the day itself, so that there be no opportunity to sin between the confession and the day .. And what supports me further with clear support is what I found in the Tosefta which teaches: the mitzvah of confession on the eve of Yom Kippur at nightfall .. And even though he confessed before he eats and drinks, he must confess after eating and drinking, lest some mishap occur during the seudah; and even though he confessed after he ate and drank, he must confess at the evening [tefillah] .. And the G-d of truth, abundant in kindness and truth, shall answer us with truth and with kindness and with mercy, and forgive our iniquities and our transgressions, Amen, and so may it be His will'.
If so, according to the Ramban the essential point is as written in the Tosefta, that one must also confess after the eating, before the evening [tefillah], whereas according to the other Rishonim, who wrote only the version of the Gemara before us, as is written in Tosafos HaRosh on Yoma there: 'And the Sages say one must confess before eating etc. And even though he confessed before eating, he should confess in the evening; and in the Tosefta the reading is "he should confess after eating and drinking, and even though he confessed after eating and drinking he should confess in the evening", and it appears that it is a scribal error, for this additional confession we have not found in the Talmud'.
And the Beis Yosef5 wrote: 'And people have not adopted the practice according to the words of the Ramban'.
However, the Shelah6 wrote: 'And it is fitting for every G-d-fearing person to do so, according to the words of the Ramban, since he brought proof from the Tosefta. And even though the Beis Yosef, siman 607, wrote that people have not adopted the practice according to the words of the Ramban, nevertheless I say that one who conducts himself according to the words of the Ramban — it is a good and upright custom in the eyes of G-d. And so I conduct myself: when I see twilight approaching and it is close to nightfall, I confess with all my ability'.
And some had the custom to recite before sunset piyyutim that contain a confession, in order to take into account the words of the Ramban, as the Pri Chadash7 wrote: 'And nowadays the custom is to recite "Lecha Eli Teshukasi" which contains a confession, and one must rise at the time of the confession to fulfill the view of the Ramban, and this is correct'. And similarly the Mishnah Berurah8 wrote: 'And so is the custom in our times, that they then recite "Tefillah Zakah"'.
And according to our custom, the Alter Rebbe9 first writes the view of Rashi: 'And the mitzvah of confession by law is at the beginning of the time of atonement, namely from when it becomes dark on the night of Yom Kippur; but the Sages were concerned lest some mishap of drunkenness or the like occur during the seudah hamafseket and he be unable to confess at the beginning of the time of atonement; therefore they ordained that every person confess on the eve of Yom Kippur at Mincha before he eats the seudah hamafseket.
And afterward10 he writes the view of the Ramban: And some say that the time of the mitzvah of confession by law is before the beginning of the time of atonement, namely at nightfall, in order that one enter the day in repentance and there be no opportunity to sin between the confession and the beginning of the time of atonement; but the Sages were concerned lest some mishap occur to him during the seudah and he be unable to confess at nightfall; therefore they ordained to confess at Mincha. And even though he confessed at Mincha, he again confesses at nightfall, which is the essential time of confession by law, lest some matter of transgression occur to him after Mincha; and even though he confessed at nightfall, he again confesses at the evening tefillah and at every tefillah of the day, since certainly on Yom Kippur itself too he is obligated to confess and to return in complete repentance'.
And he rules: 'And the halacha is like the first view; nevertheless it is fitting for every person to be stringent upon himself like the second view, and when he sees twilight approaching he should stand and confess'.
If so, in practice it is fitting to be stringent and recite a confession before sunset in the moments before the entry of the festival.
The Rebbe Rayatz11 related that his father the Rebbe Rashab would prolong somewhat in the confession before the entry of Yom Kippur. And he further wrote12 in the name of his father the Rebbe Rashab, from his words on the night following Yom Kippur of 5659 (in translation to the Holy Tongue): 'On Yom Kippur — one must derive pleasure from the fast and from the matters of Yom Kippur; the eve of Yom Kippur until after the "Al Cheit" that is after the acceptance of the fast is the time of bitterness, but from after "Kol Nidrei" begins the spiritual pleasure of Yom Kippur13'.
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Notes:
1 פז, ב ↩
2 שם בד"ה עם חשיכה ↩
3 יומא ו, א מדפי הרי"ף ↩
4 בחידושיו ליומא שם (הובא בר"ן שם) ↩
5 מסכת יומא פרק נר מצוה והביאו המג"א בסי' תרז סק"ז ↩
6 סימן תרז ס"ק א ↩
7 סימן תרז ס"ק א, וכ"כ כף החיים סי' תרז סק"ב ↩
8 סי' תרז ס"א ↩
9 ס"ב ↩
10 סה"ש תרצ"א ע' 147 ↩
11 אג"ק ח"ג ע' תצ - תצא ↩
12 להעיר משיחת ליל ש"ק האזינו התש"ה (סה"ש תש"ה ע' 22): *אחר וידוי ה'על חטא' שקודם החשיכה, הי' הוד כ"ק אאמו"ר הרה"ק [הרש"ב] בתנועה של טוב לבב (אויפגעלייגט)*, וכן בעת 'כל נדרי' ↩
[3] (Halacha 922)
Setting the Table on Yom Kippur
Question: Does one need to place tablecloths on the table even though one does not eat on Yom Kippur?
Answer: The Mordechai1 wrote: 'And one kindles lights upon their table and sets the table just as on Shabbos, because it is called "a Shabbos of complete rest"'.
The Beis Yosef2 cited his words and wrote: 'And I do not know what place there is for setting the table on Yom Kippur'.
But in practice this custom was cited in the customs of Ashkenaz, as is written in the Minhagei Tirna3: 'In the evening one sets the table just as on Shabbos and kindles two lights and recite a bracha upon them. Asheri and Mordechai'.
And so wrote the Rema in Darkei Moshe4: 'But in the Minhagim it is written like the words of the Mordechai and so is the custom'.
And so it is written in the Shulchan Aruch5 in the gloss: 'And some say that one should set out the tables on Yom Kippur just as on Shabbos, and so is the practice'.
And regarding what the Beis Yosef wrote, that he does not know what place there is for setting the table, the Nezirus Shimshon wrote to explain: 'And it appears to me that it is in order that one always remember that it is Yom Kippur and not desecrate it with anything, as is written in siman 301:16 in the gloss, that one should not go out on Shabbos in the manner that he goes out on a weekday. And for this same reason one sets out the table on Shabbos and Yom Tov the entire day, as the Rema wrote at the beginning of siman 262, and so it appears'.
And these are the words of the Alter Rebbe6: 'In every place the custom is to spread out beautiful garments in the synagogue, and also in the homes to spread a beautiful cloth upon the table just as on Shabbos7 and Yom Tov'.
And some have also mentioned the spreading out of the beds [upon which one sits], as the Mateh Efraim8 wrote: 'And so too the custom is to set out the tables and the beds just as on Shabbos'.
And so wrote the Aruch HaShulchan9: 'Furthermore our master the Rema wrote that some say one should set out the tables on Yom Kippur just as on Shabbos, end of quote; that is to say, although there is no eating on Yom Kippur, nevertheless this too is included in honoring [the day], and therefore one should also set out the beds, and likewise the house should be clean just as on Shabbos and Yom Tov'.
The custom of spreading the cloth was also cited in the Ben Ish Chai10: 'For the holy day of Hashem, honored — this is Yom Kippur — honor it with clean garments, and our Sages of blessed memory said one sets out the bed and the table [and] spreads upon it a beautiful cloth just as on Shabbos'. And it was cited in the Kaf HaChaim11.
A special custom was cited in the Maamar Mordechai12: 'Some say that one should set out the tables on Yom Kippur just as on Shabbos — so wrote the Mordechai, and our master of blessed memory wrote concerning it: "and I do not know a reason for setting the table on Yom Kippur", end of quote. And behold, the custom is widespread among us, after the seudah on the eve of Yom Kippur, to set the table with a beautiful cloth and to set out upon it many seforim in place of the bread, and to cover them with another cloth just as one covers the bread on Shabbosos and festivals, and to leave it thus until the conclusion of Yom Kippur. And it appears to me that it is a very proper custom, which should not be changed at all, since there is here an allusion that alludes to the fact that this is a mighty and awesome day, exceedingly honored, and we are not to honor it with eating and drinking but rather to return to Hashem, to engage in words of Torah and tefillah and words of appeasement and supplication, to appease our Creator, blessed and exalted be He, as above'.
And the Ben Ish Chai in his sefer Mekabtziel13 wrote: 'And one places upon the table the five fifths of the Torah, to indicate [that] on this day the sustenance is from the five sounds'.
If so, we have seen that on the eve of Yom Kippur one must set the table and spread the cloth just as on every Shabbos eve and festival, [and there are communities that had the custom to place seforim in place of the bread].
Notes:
1 יומא רמז תשכה ↩
2 או"ח סי' תרי ↩
3 ערב יו"כ ↩
4 או"ח שם אות ג ↩
5 או"ח שם ס"ד ↩
6 שו"ע או"ח שם ס"ד ↩
7 ושם בסי' רסב ס"א כתב: 'צריך אדם לסדר שלחנו בערב שבת ללילי שבת ויציע המטות שיושבים עליהם ויתקן כל עניני הבית שימצאנו ערוך ומסודר בבואו מבית הכנסת שזהו כבוד השבת ונוהגין שהשלחן הוא ערוך במפה כל יום השבת לכבוד השבת ואין לשנות ויש נוהגין להיות ב' מפות על השלחן מלבד העליונה שעל הלחם משום שכשמנערין הפת נמצא השלחן מגולה' ↩
8 סי' תרט-תרי ס"ז ↩
9 או"ח סי' תרי ס"ב ↩
10 ש"א וילך סי"ז ↩
11 או"ח שם ס"ק ח ↩
12 או"ח שם ס"ק ג. והביאו הגר"ח פלאגי' במועד לכל חי סי' טז אות לד ↩
13 ש"א פרשת וילך ↩
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