Yoma 86a (פו.) — the Talmud in English

except for the severe negative commandment of [Exodus 20], the oath taken in vain,

the prohibition

“You shall not take

the Name of the Lord your God in vain.”

One might have thought that repentance is ineffective for this negative commandment because of its severity, as the verse says concerning it: “For the Lord will not absolve anyone who takes His Name in vain.”

And we answer: The tanna intends to say that repentance atones only for a positive commandment and for a negative commandment that is remedied by a positive commandment. And when he says “except for You shall not take,” he means the prohibition of

You shall not take

and

every

full-fledged negative commandment, which is not remedied by a positive commandment and for which one is liable to lashes,

which is similar to it.

Come and hear,

a proof contrary to Rav Yehuda, from that which was taught:

Rabbi Yehuda says: Every

minor negative commandment, because

it is

at a level of severity

from “You shall not take” and below—

repentance atones

for it.

And every severe negative commandment, whose level of severity is

from “You shall not take” and above—

repentance

only

suspends judgment

over him, protecting him from suffering,

and Yom Kippur atones.

And the Gemara assumed that all ordinary prohibitions concerning which the severity expressed by “the Lord will not absolve” was not stated are included among the minor prohibitions, for which repentance alone atones—and this is contrary to Rav Yehuda.

And we answer: Rabbi Yehuda’s intent in the beraita is to say that the prohibition of

You shall not take,

for which one is liable to lashes,

and every

negative commandment

that is similar to it

in that one is liable to lashes are not atoned for by repentance alone, in accordance with the words of Rav Yehuda.

Come and hear,

another proof against Rav Yehuda:

For it was taught:

Since it was said at

the ascent of Moses our teacher to Mount

Horeb

that atonement through

repentance

alone is possible, as it is written among the Thirteen Attributes stated to Moses on Mount Horeb:

“He absolves

”—the meaning of which is atonement through repentance alone.

One might even

the prohibition

“You shall not take”

be included

with them,

so that it too is atoned for through repentance alone.

The verse therefore states

concerning it:

“He will not absolve.”

One might even say that the other people liable for violations of negative commandments are likewise subject to this rule?

The verse therefore states: “For the Lord will not absolve anyone who takes

His

Name

in vain.”

It is only concerning one who takes

His Name

in vain that

He does not absolve

through repentance alone.

But He does absolve

through repentance alone those guilty of

the other violations of negative commandments!

And we say: Whether repentance atones for those liable for negative commandments for which one receives lashes is

a dispute among the tannaim,

as is taught.

For it was taught

in another beraita that those liable for negative commandments are not atoned for through repentance alone:

For what does repentance atone—

for a positive commandment and for a negative commandment that is remedied by a positive commandment.

And for what does repentance suspend judgment, while Yom Kippur atones—

for sins punishable by karet, for offenses punishable by death imposed by the court, and for a full-fledged negative commandment.

The master said

in the earlier beraita: Repentance alone atones

since it is stated at Horeb, “He absolves.”

The Gemara asks:

From where do we know

that “He absolves” means atonement through repentance?

And we answer: From that

which was taught: Rabbi Elazar says: It is impossible to say, “He absolves

alone, since

it has already been stated, “He will not absolve.”

And it is impossible to say, “He will not absolve

alone, since

it has already been stated, “He absolves.”

How, then, is this to be understood?

He absolves those who repent, but He does not absolve those who do not repent.

The Gemara now cites a beraita dealing with the fundamental categories of repentance:

Rabbi Mattiya ben Ḥeresh asked Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya in Rome:

Have you

heard

of

the four divisions of atonement that Rabbi Yishmael would expound?

He said

to him:

There are three, and repentance—

together with each and every one of them.

1.

If one violated a positive commandment and repented—he

does not move from there until

they forgive him.

As it is stated [Jeremiah 3]:

“Return, wayward children.”

Immediately afterward it is written: “I will heal their waywardness.” And it is reasonable that this verse refers to positive commandments, which are the least severe.

2.

If one violated a negative commandment and repented—

repentance suspends judgment, and Yom Kippur atones.

As it is stated [Leviticus 16]:

“For on this day He shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins.”

From here we learn that there are transgressions more severe, which require the atonement of Yom Kippur; it is reasonable that these are the negative commandments, which are more severe than positive commandments.

3.

If one violated prohibitions punishable by karet or offenses punishable by death imposed by the court and repented—

repentance and Yom Kippur suspend judgment, while suffering cleanses.

As it is stated [Psalms 89]:

“I will punish their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with plagues.”

But one who has the desecration of God’s Name in his hands,

who sins and causes the multitudes to sin—

he has no

power

for repentance to suspend judgment

for him,

nor for Yom Kippur to atone

for him,

nor for suffering to cleanse

him.

Rather, all of them

together

suspend judgment, and

only

death cleanses,

absolving him.

As it is stated [Isaiah 22]:

“It was revealed in the ears of the Lord of Hosts: Surely this iniquity shall not be atoned for

—

the desecration of the Lord’s Name—

for you

until you die.”

From here we learn that there is a severe transgression that is atoned for only through death; it is reasonable that this refers to the desecration of God’s Name, which is the most severe transgression.

And the Gemara explains:

What are the circumstances of the desecration of God’s Name?

Rav said: For example, in my case, if I take meat from a butcher

if I take meat from the butcher

and do not give him the money

and do not pay him

immediately,

at once, for if I delay he will think that I am a robber and have little regard for the prohibition against robbery; this is the desecration of God’s Name, as people learn from him to sin.

Abaye said: They taught

that delayed payment to a butcher constitutes a desecration of God’s Name

only in a place

where

they do not demand payment,

where it is not customary for the butcher to go and collect his outstanding debts; rather, each person brings him the money himself.

But in a place where they do demand payment,

where it is customary for the butcher to come and demand payment of his outstanding debts—

we have no concern,

as there is no need to fear a desecration of God’s Name, since this is the practice in that place.

Ravina said: And

in my place, called

Mata Meḥasya—

it is a place where they demand payment.

When Abaye would purchase

meat

from two partners,

whose property it was,

he would give one coin to this one and one coin to that one,

and he would not give both coins to one partner, so that the other would not suspect him of failing to pay.

And afterward,

and then

he would bring them together

and summon them

to one another

together,

and make an accounting.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said:

What are the circumstances of the desecration of God’s Name?

For example, in my case, when I walk

when I walk

four cubits without Torah and without tefillin.

People might learn from me to neglect Torah study and the donning of tefillin.

Yitzḥak of the school of Rabbi Yannai said:

The desecration of God’s Name applies to

every

person

whose associates are embarrassed

because of him

on account of his reputation,

the bad name that has gone out concerning him.

What are the circumstances?

Rav Naḥman said: For example, when people say

about him:

May

he be forgiven by

his Master

the Lord

for so-and-so,

because of his evil deeds.

Abaye said: As it is taught: “And you shall love the Lord your God.”

That the Name of Heaven should become beloved through you.

That

a person

read

Scripture,

study

Mishna,

and serve Torah scholars.

And his business dealings should be conducted pleasantly with other people.

And then,

what do people say about him?

“Fortunate is his father who taught him Torah; fortunate is his teacher who taught him Torah.”

“Woe to the people who did not study Torah.”

For

so-and-so who studied Torah—

see how fine his ways are, how upright his deeds! Concerning him the verse says [Isaiah 49]:

“And He said to me: You are My servant, Israel, through whom I will be glorified.”

But one who reads and studies, serves Torah scholars, and does not conduct his business dealings faithfully, and whose speech with other people is not pleasant—

what do people say about him—

“Woe to so-and-so who studied Torah; woe to his father who taught him Torah; woe to his teacher who taught him Torah.”

“So-and-so who studied Torah—

see how corrupt his deeds are and how repulsive his ways!”

And concerning him the verse says: [Ezekiel 36] “And they profaned My holy Name,

by saying

among the nations

about them:

“These are the people of the Lord, yet they have gone out of His land,”

and the Lord was unable to save them from exile.

Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: Great is repentance, for it brings healing to the world.

As it is stated [Hosea 14]:

“I will heal their waywardness; I will love them freely.”

Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina posed a contradiction

between two verses that appear, at first glance, to contradict one another:

It is written, “Return, wayward children.”

This implies that when you repent, it is considered as though

from the outset,

at the time of the sin,

you were wayward,

and had not sinned, for it was merely waywardness.

and as though you had not sinned, for this was nothing but faithlessness.

But

on the other hand,

it is written, “I will heal your waywardness,”

implying that only from this point onward are they healed, but the record of the sins committed previously still remains and has not been erased as though they had never occurred.

And we answer:

It is not difficult.

Here,

where they are erased retroactively when they repent

out of love.

Here,

where they are erased only from that point onward, when they repent

out of fear.

Rav Yehuda posed a contradiction:

It is written [Jeremiah 3]:

“Return, wayward children; I will heal your waywardness.”

For they are called children of the Lord.

But

on the other hand,

it is written [Jeremiah 3]:

“For I have taken possession of you, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family.”

This is language denoting ownership of slaves.

It is not difficult.

Here—

when they repent

out of love or out of fear.

Here—

when they repent

through suffering.

Rabbi Levi said: Great is repentance, for it reaches the Throne of Glory.

As it is stated [Hosea 14]:

“Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.”