Mishnah Keritot 6:4-5

Sugya Map

• Issue: The impact of Yom Kippur on the obligation to bring various korbanot, specifically distinguishing between Asham Talui (provisional guilt offering for uncertain sins) and Chatat / Asham Vadai (definite sin/guilt offerings).
• Nafka Mina(s): Whether one remains obligated to bring a specific offering after Yom Kippur has passed, highlighting the difference between an Asham Talui (exempt) and Chatat / Asham Vadai (obligated).
• Primary Sources: Mishnah Keritot 6:4-5; Vayikra 16:30 ("מכל חטאתיכם לפני ה' תטהרו").

Text Snapshot

"חייבי חטאות ואשמות ודאין שעבר עליהן יום הכיפורים חייבין להביא לאחר יום הכיפורין. וחייבי אשמות תלויים פטורין."^1 "מי שבא על ידו ספק עבירה ביום הכיפורין אפילו עם חשיכה פטור שכל יום הכיפורים מכפר."^2

Dikduk/Leshon Nuance

The Mishnah's stark juxtaposition of "חייבין" (obligated) and "פטורין" (exempt) immediately signals a fundamental halakhic distinction in Yom Kippur's atoning power. The concluding phrase, "שכל יום הכיפורים מכפר" (for the entire day of Yom Kippur atones), serves as an expansive, all-encompassing declaration of its efficacy.

Readings

• Rambam^3 & Bartenura^4: Both Rishonim assert that Yom Kippur atones for "חטא שאין מכיר בו אלא המקום" (a sin known only to God), but not for "איסורא דידע ביה" (a known prohibition). This precisely delineates Yom Kippur's scope, explaining the Mishnah's distinction: Asham Talui addresses safek (uncertainty), aligning with sins "known only to God," while Chatat / Asham Vadai are for vadai (definite) sins.
• Mishnat Eretz Yisrael (ME"Y)^5: Proposes that this specific exemption for Asham Talui reflects a post-Churban "compromise." Yom Kippur's inherent atonement (especially paired with Teshuvah) gained prominence, particularly for uncertain sins. During the Temple era, the prevailing view was "רק הדם כיפר" (only the blood atoned).

Friction

The most salient kushya is why Yom Kippur, the preeminent day of atonement, wouldn't annul the obligation for all korbanot, particularly definite Chatat and Asham Vadai. What renders Asham Talui uniquely susceptible to Yom Kippur's atoning embrace?

Terutz

The Rambam and Bartenura provide the elegant terutz: Yom Kippur specifically atones for sins "known only to God," i.e., those of which one is genuinely unaware or uncertain.^6 An Asham Talui is, by definition, brought for such a safek—a sin whose very existence is in doubt. Chatat or Asham Vadai, conversely, address vadai sins, even if unwittingly committed, where the fact of the transgression is known to the individual, demanding a different expiatory path.

Intertext

The foundational verse cited by Rishonim as the source for Yom Kippur's distinct atoning power is Vayikra 16:30, "מכל חטאתיכם לפני ה' תטהרו,"^7 which implies purification for sins that are "before Hashem," thereby encompassing those unknown to the individual.

Psak/Practice

Halakhically, the Asham Talui obligation is nullified by Yom Kippur if the uncertainty persists. This underscores a meta-halakhic principle: atonement for unknown or uncertain transgressions operates via a distinct mechanism from those for known transgressions. While korbanot are currently absent, the principle of Teshuvah and Yom Kippur's atonement for unknown sins remains a potent spiritual reality.

Takeaway

Yom Kippur's atoning power, while vast, is also remarkably precise: it specifically addresses sins known only to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, offering unique respite for the perpetually anxious Asham Talui.

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1. Mishnah Keritot 6:4.
2. Mishnah Keritot 6:4.
3. Rambam on Mishnah Keritot 6:4:1.
4. Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot 6:4:1.
5. Mishnat Eretz Yisrael on Mishnah Keritot 6:4:4-5.
6. Rambam on Mishnah Keritot 6:4:1; Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot 6:4:1.
7. Vayikra 16:30.