Yoma

with the exceptions of: Thou shalt not take [in vain]1 — ‘Thou shalt not take’ and others of the same kind.2 Come and hear: R. Judah said: For everything from ‘Thou shalt not take’ and down repentance procures atonement, for everything from ‘Thou shalt take’ and up.3 penitence procures suspension [of punishment] and the Day of Atonement procures atonement? — ‘Thou shalt not take’ and others of the same kind. Come and hear: Since in connection with Horeb4 penitence and forgiveness are stated,5 one might assume, that includes the [transgression of] ‘Thou shalt not take’, therefore it says: He will not clear the guilty.6 Then I might have assumed that with all others guilty of having transgressed negative commandments the same is the case, therefore the text reads: ‘[ Will not clear the guilt of him who taketh] His name [in vain].7 i.e., He does not clear the guilt in [the taking in vain of] His name, but He clears the guilt in the transgression of other negative commandments?8 -This is indeed a point of dispute between Tannam; for it was taught: For what transgression does penitence procure atonement? For that of a positive commandment. And in what case does repentance suspend punishment and the Day of Atonement procure atonement? In such as involve extirpation, death-penalty through the Beth din and in actual negative commandments. The Master said: In connection with Horeb [penitence and]9 forgiveness is stated. Whence do we know that? Because it was taught : R. Eleazar said: It is impossible to say. ‘He will not clear the guilt ‘10 Since it says: ‘He will clear the guilt’; nor is it possible to say: ‘He will not clear the guilt’ since it is said: ‘He will clear the guilt’; how is that to be explained? ‘He clears the guilt’ of those who repent, and does not ‘clear the guilt’ of those who do not repent. R. Matthia b. Heresh asked R. Eleazar b. Azariah in Rome: have you heard about the four kinds of sins, concerning which R. Ishmael has lectured? He answered: They are three, and with each is repentance connected — If one transgressed a positive commandment , and repented , then he is forgiven, before he has moved from his place; as it is said: Return, O backsliding chiidren.11 If he has transgressed a prohibition and repented,then repentance suspends [the punishment] and the Day of Atonement procures atonement, as it is said : For on this day shall atonement be made for you ... from all your sins.12 If he has committed [a sin to be punished with] extirpation or death through the Beth din, and repented, then repentance and the Day of Atonement suspend [the punishment thereon], and suffering finishes the atonement,13 as it is said: Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes.14 But if he has been guilty of the profanation of the Name, then penitence has no power to suspend punishment, nor the Day of Atonement to procure atonement, nor suffering to finish it, but all of them together suspend the punishment and only death finishes it , as it is said : And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in my ears; surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die.15 What constitutes profanation of the Name? — Rab said: If, e.g., I take meat for the butcher and do not pay him at once.16 Abaye said: That we have learnt [to regard as profanation] only in a place wherein one does not go out to collect payment, but in a place where one does not go out to collect , there is no harm in it [not paying at once]. Rabina said: And Matha Mehasia17 is a place where one goes out collecting payments due. Whenever Abaye bought meat from two partners, he paid money to each of them, afterwards bringing then, together and squaring accounts with both. R. Johanan said: In my case [it is a profanation if] I walk four cubits without [uttering words of] Torah or [wearing] tefillin.18 Isaac, of the School of R. Jannai. said: If one's colleagues are ashamed of his reputation, that constitutes a profanation of the Name. R. Nahman b. Isaac commented: E.g.. if people say, May the Lord forgive So-and-so. Abaye explained: As it was taught: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God,19 i.e., that the Name of Heaven be beloved because of you. if someone studies Scripture and Mishnah, and attends on the disciples of the wise, is honest in business,20 and speaks pleasantly to persons, what do people then say concerning him? ‘Happy the father who taught him Torah, happy the teacher who taught him Torah; woe unto people who have not studied the Torah; for this man has studied the Torah look how fine his ways are, how righteous his deeds! . Of him does Scripture say: And He said unto me: Thou art My servant, Israel, in, whom I will be glorified.21 But if someone studies Scripture and Mishnah, attends on the disciples of the wise, but is dishonest in business, and discourteous in his relations with people, what do people say about him? ‘ Woe unto him who studied the Torah, woe unto his father who taught him Torah; woe unto his teacher who taught him Torah!’ This man studied the Torah: Look, how corrupt are his deeds, how ugly his ways; of him Scripture says: In that men said of them,: These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of His land.22 R. Hama b. Hanina said: Great is penitence, for it brings healing to the world, as it is said: I will heal their backsliding, I will love then, freely.23 R. Hama b. Hanina pointed out a contradiction: It is written : Return, ye backsliding children,24 I.e., you who were formerly backsliding; and it is written: I will heal your backsliding?25 This is no difficulty: in the one case the reference is where they return out of love, in the other, out of fear.26 Rab Judah pointed out this contradiction: It is written: ‘Return ye backsliding children , I will heal your backsliding’, but it is also written: For I am a lord unto you. and I will take you one of a city. and two of a family?27 This is no contradiction: The one verse speaks [of a return] out of love or fear; the other, when it comes as a result of suffering. R. Levi said: Great is repentance, for it reaches up to the Throne of Glory, as it is said: Return, O Israel, unto the Lord thy God.28 transgression for which penitence procures atonement]. D.S. a.I. children, whereas the second part, which speaks of ‘healing’, implies that they still retain a taint of their former backsliding, v. Rashi]. where it is motivated by fear].