Yoma

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Yoma resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

Yoma 19: Yom Kippur Sleep

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The kohen gadol had a hard day of work on Yom Kippur. The avodah, the special Yom Kippur Temple service, was intricate and difficult, and had to be performed after the kohen gadol was forced to stay up all night. He was kept up…
Article

Yoma 18: Look Who Saved Torah From Oblivion

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Sometimes the choices we make turn out to be better than we could have imagined in our wildest dreams. The baseball player drafted in the 11th round who becomes a superstar; the shul rabbi who is the fourth choice of the board, yet is an inspiration…
Article

Yoma 13: When the Competition Gets Tough...

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“And he shall atone for himself and for his household” (Vayikra 16:6). The Rabbis derive from this verse that the kohen gadol, in order to effect atonement, must be married[1]. What if the kohen gadol should suddenly become single? What…
Article

Yoma 12: Messianic Laws

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The opening Mishnah of Yoma teaches that a backup kohen gadol was to be prepared lest the kohen gadol become tameh, ritually impure, and thereby unable to perform the avodah, ritual service, on Yom Kippur. What…
Article

Yoma 10: Home Sweet Home

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house” (Devarim 6:9). The mitzvah of mezuzah is a most beloved and popular one—and many a Jew far from traditional practice proudly identifies his home as a Jewish one. The…
Article

Yoma 9: Sinning in Secret

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Although it is mashechet Gittin (55b-57b) that records the stories relating to the destruction of the Temple[1], the famous Talmudic passage stating that the first Temple was destroyed because of the three cardinal sins of idolatry, adultery, and…
Article

Yoma 8: Dying for Glory

Rabbi Jay Kelman

About twenty-five years ago, a series of studies[1] found that upwards of 50% of elite athletes would take a drug that would guarantee overwhelming success such as an Olympic gold medal, yet would kill them within five years. Later researchers…
Article

Yoma 3: To Work or Study

Rabbi Jay Kelman

"Abba Chanan said, in the name of Rav Elazar: One verse says, 'make for you an ark of acacia wood' and one verse says and 'they (not you) shall make an ark of acacia wood'. How is it [possible]? This verse refers to when…
Article

Yoma: Some Opening Thoughts

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Seder Moed, the order of Mishnah dealing with our festivals, begins with Shabbat and includes such tractates as Pesachim, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkah and Megillah. One need not be well versed in Jewish law to immediately know the main theme of each of the…
Article