God as the Mikveh of Israel: The Essence of Masechet Yoma

מִקְוֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ ה' כׇּל־עֹזְבֶ֖יךָ יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ (יסורי) [וְסוּרַי֙] בָּאָ֣רֶץ יִכָּתֵ֔בוּ כִּ֥י עָזְב֛וּ מְק֥וֹר מַֽיִם־חַיִּ֖ים אֶת־ה'׃ {פ}

Jeremiah 17:13

O Hope of Israel! O LORD! All who forsake You shall be put to shame, Those in the land who turn from You Shall be doomed men, For they have forsaken the LORD, The Fount of living waters.

מילון יסטרוב, מִקְוֶה א׳

...

Jastrow, מִקְוֶה 1

מִקְוֶה m. (b. h.; קָוָה) gathering of water, esp. the ritual bath of purification. Yoma VIII, 9 (play on מקוה hope, Jer. XVII, 13) מה מ׳ מטהר וכ׳ as the bath purifies the unclean, so does the Lord &c. Ib. 31ᵃ מי מ׳ ארבעים סאה the contents of a ritual bath must be forty S’ah; Num. R. s. 18. Mikv. I, 7 שוה למ׳ וכ׳ has the qualification of a ritual miḳveh when gathered in a pond, contrad. to מַעְיָן; a. v. fr.—Trnsf. means of purification. Kidd. 64ᵃ בנות ישראל מִקְוֵה טהרה וכ׳ daughters of common Israelites are the means of purity (reinstatement to priestly status) for (the issue of) degraded priests, i.e. the daughter of an Israelite woman and a degraded priest may marry into priesthood; ib. 77ᵃ; Tosef. ib. V, 3; a. e.—Pl. מִקְווֹת, מִקְוָאוֹת, מִקְוָו׳. Y. Ter. IV, 43ᵃ bot. שני מקוות; Mikv. II, 3 שני מ׳ וכ׳ two adjacent reservoirs one of which contains &c. Ib. I, 1; a. fr.—Miḳvaoth, name of a treatise of Mishnah and Tosefta of the Order of Tohăroth.

יומא פ״ה ב:ז׳

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.

Yoma 85b:7

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.

יומא פ״ה ב:ח׳

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.

Yoma 85b:8

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.

Hope

יומא ס״ח ב:ז׳-ט׳

מתני׳ אמרו לו לכהן גדול הגיע שעיר למדבר ומניין היו יודעין שהגיע שעיר למדבר דירכאות היו עושין ומניפין בסודרין ויודעין שהגיע שעיר למדבר

אמר ר' יהודה והלא סימן גדול היה להם מירושלים ועד בית חדודו שלשה מילין הולכין מיל וחוזרין מיל ושוהין כדי מיל ויודעין שהגיע שעיר למדבר

ר' ישמעאל אומר והלא סימן אחר היה להם לשון של זהורית היה קשור על פתחו של היכל וכשהגיע שעיר למדבר היה הלשון מלבין שנאמר (ישעיהו א, יח) אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו

Yoma 68b:7-9

MISHNA: They said to the High Priest: The goat has reached the wilderness. And how did they know in the Temple that the goat reached the wilderness? They would build platforms [dirkaot] all along the way and people would stand on them and wave scarves [sudarin] to signal when the goat arrived. And therefore they knew that the goat reached the wilderness.

Rabbi Yehuda said: Why did they need these platforms? Didn’t they already have a reliable indicator? From Jerusalem to Beit Ḥiddudo, the edge of the wilderness, where the mitzva of dispatching the goat was performed, was a distance of three mil. Since the nobles of Jerusalem walked a mil to escort the dispatcher and returned a mil, and waited the time equivalent to the time it takes to walk a mil, they knew that the goat reached the wilderness. There was no need for the platforms.

Rabbi Yishmael says: Didn’t they have a different indicator? There was a strip of crimson tied to the entrance to the Sanctuary, and when the goat reached the wilderness and the mitzva was fulfilled the strip would turn white, as it is stated: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

יומא ס״ח ב:י׳

גְּמָ׳ אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ בֵּית חֲדוֹדוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר קָיְימָא, וְהָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּקָסָבַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ שָׂעִיר לַמִּדְבָּר — נַעֲשֵׂית מִצְוָתוֹ.

Yoma 68b:10

GEMARA: Abaye said: Learn from this that Beit Ḥiddudo is located in the wilderness, and this comes to teach us that Rabbi Yehuda holds that once the goat has reached the wilderness, its mitzva is complete even before it is pushed off the cliff, and there is no need to wait any longer.

Collection

יומא ס״ח ב:י״ב

בָּא לוֹ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל לִקְרוֹת, אִם רָצָה לִקְרוֹת בְּבִגְדֵי בוּץ — קוֹרֵא, וְאִם לָאו — קוֹרֵא בְּאִצְטְלִית לָבָן מִשֶּׁלּוֹ.

Yoma 68b:12

MISHNA: The High Priest came to read the Torah. If he wished to read the Torah while still dressed in the fine linen garments, i.e., the priestly vestments he wore during the previous service, he may read wearing them; and if not he is permitted to read in a white robe of his own, which is not a priestly vestment.

יומא ס״ח ב:י״ג

חַזַּן הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹטֵל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹתְנוֹ לַסְּגָן, וְהַסְּגָן נוֹתְנוֹ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל עוֹמֵד וּמְקַבֵּל, וְקוֹרֵא בְּ״אַחֲרֵי מוֹת״ וְ״אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר״, וְגוֹלֵל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּחֵיקוֹ וְאוֹמֵר: יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרָאתִי לִפְנֵיכֶם כָּתוּב כָּאן. ״וּבֶעָשׂוֹר״ שֶׁבְּחוֹמֶשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים קוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה.

Yoma 68b:13

The synagogue attendant takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue that stood on the Temple Mount; and the head of the synagogue gives it to the deputy High Priest, and the Deputy gives it to the High Priest, and the High Priest stands and receives the scroll from his hands. And he reads from the scroll the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1) and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26), and furls the Torah scroll and places it on his bosom and says: More than what I have read before you is written here. The Torah portion beginning with the verse: “And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (29:7), he then reads by heart.

יומא ס״ח ב:ט״ו

הָרוֹאֶה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל כְּשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא — אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה פַּר וְשָׂעִיר הַנִּשְׂרָפִין, וְהָרוֹאֶה פַּר וְשָׂעִיר הַנִּשְׂרָפִין — אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל כְּשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא. וְלֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיְתָה דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה, וּמְלֶאכֶת שְׁנֵיהֶן שָׁוָה כְּאַחַת.

Yoma 68b:15

The Mishna comments: One who sees the High Priest reading the Torah does not see the bull and goat that are burned; and one who sees the bull and goat that are burned does not see the High Priest reading the Torah. The Mishna explains: And this is not due to the fact that one is not permitted to see both, but because there was a distant path between them, and the performance of both of them is undertaken simultaneously.

מחזור אשכנז ליום כיפור, תפלת מוסף, סדר העבודה י״ח

לְהַגִּיד כִּי מְטַהֲרָם מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים. מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מְנַקָּם מַיִם נֶאֱמָנוּ. בְּטֹהַר וּבְנִקָּיוֹן יִנָּקוּ וְיֻטְהָרוּ. יְחֻדְּשׁוּ כַּחֲדָשֵׁי בְקָרִים מִכֶּתֶם יְצֻחְצָחוּ. רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל יֶהְגוּ בִגְרוֹנָם בִּלְשׁוֹנָם רוֹן בְּפִימוֹ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ. יָגִילוּ בְרַעַד יַעַבְדוּ בְּיִרְאָה. קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַדֵּשׁ קְדוֹשִׁים. לְשַׁנֵּן לְרַנֵּן לְתוֹפֵף וּלְצַלְצֵל. וּלְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת וּלְהַנְעִים זֶמֶר. נֶחֱבָקִים בְעוֹז יָמִין רוֹמֵמָה. יַחַד נִתְמָכִים בִּמְלֵאָה צֶדֶק. מְשׁוּכִים לָבֹא שְׁעָרָיו בִּרְנָנָה. וְשָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ נֶצַח שָׂשִׂים וְגָלִים בִּשְׁמוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם חָדִים בְּשִׂמְחָה אֶת פָּנָיו זִיו אוֹרָם כַּשַּׁחַר יִבָּקַע. קוֹלָם יִשְׂאוּ וְיָרֹנּוּ בִּגְאוֹן צוּר עוֹלָמִים: אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ. אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁה' אֱלֹקָיו: וְיוֹם טוֹב הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל לְכָל אוֹהֲבָיו כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס בְּשָׁלוֹם וְיָצָא בְשָׁלוֹם בְּלִי פֶּֽגַע

Machzor Yom Kippur Ashkenaz, Musaf for Yom Kippur, The Avodah Service 18

To tell all, that their Purifier [God] is a source of living water. The purifying waters of Yisrael had cleansed them with [His] faithful waters. With purity and cleanliness, they will be cleaned and purified. They will be renewed, like the renewal of morning; from their stain, they will be polished clean. The praises of the Almighty will be spoken in their throats, on their tongues will be singing, from their mouths will come a new song. They will rejoice, with trembling and will worship with awe. The Holy One of Yisrael, Who sanctifies His holy people. To cheer, to sing, to beat the drum, and beat the cymbal; to sing songs, and to play music. Embraced, with the strength of the glorious Right Hand of God. Supported in unity, filled with righteousness, they will be drawn to enter His gates, with joy. Joy and happiness will be theirs forever. Rejoicing and celebrating in His Name the entire day, together in joy in His Presence. The splendor of their light will be like the break of dawn. They will lift their voices and sing of the greatness of Him Who is the strength of the world. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus. Fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God. And a celebration was made by the High Priest for all his loved ones, after entering the [Holy of Holies] in peace, and leaving peacefully, unharmed.

Process

משנה יומא ח׳: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:

Mishnah Yoma 8:8

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. 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.

יומא פ״ו א:י״ד

אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא (בַּר) חֲנִינָא: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁמְּבִיאָה רִפְאוּת לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אוֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה״.

Yoma 86a:14

§ Further on the topic of repentance, Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Great is repentance, as it brings healing to the world, as it is stated: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hosea 14:5), which teaches that repentance from sin brings healing.

יומא פ״ו ב:ב׳

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה (שֶׁמְּקָרֶבֶת) אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״, מָה טַעַם ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּ״שָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״.

Yoma 86b:2

Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). What is the reason that a redeemer will come to Zion? It is because there are those who repent from transgression in Jacob.

יומא פ״ו ב:ד׳

אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁמַּאֲרֶכֶת שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ (חָיוֹ) יִחְיֶה״.

Yoma 86b:4

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which lengthens the years of a person’s life, as it is stated: “When the wicked man turns from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will preserve his life” (Ezekiel 18:27).

יומא פ״ו ב:ז׳

תַּנְיָא, הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה — מוֹחֲלִין לְכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אוֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה כִּי שָׁב אַפִּי מִמֶּנּוּ״. ״מֵהֶם״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״מִמֶּנּוּ״.

Yoma 86b:7

It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: Great is repentance because the entire world is forgiven on account of one individual who repents, as it is stated: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger has turned away from him” (Hosea 14:5). It does not say: From them, i.e., from the sinners, but “from him,” i.e., from that individual. Because he repented, everyone will be healed.