Q & A: The Five Inuyim (Afflictions) Of Yom Kippur

Question: I am aware that there are five pleasurable activities from which we have to abstain on Yom Kippur. Can you explain them? Are they of equal importance?

Martin Wainman
Via Email

Answer: What you refer to are commonly known as the “chamisha innuyyim,” the five self-afflictions one is to observe on Yom Kippur. These address the injunction to deprive oneself of pleasures to which one is accustomed.

The source is the text in Parashat Emor (Leviticus 23:26-32). In addition to shevita, namely the command to refrain from all prohibited labors – as on the Sabbath – we are also instructed, “Ve’initem et nafshoteichem… Ki chol hanefesh asher lo te’uneh be’etzem hayom hazeh, venich’reta me’ameha” – You shall afflict your souls… For any soul that will not be afflicted in the course of this day will be cut off from its people. Scripture concludes with the verse, “Shabbat Shabbaton hu lachem ve’initem et nafshoteichem” – It shall be for you a Sabbath of solemn rest and you shall afflict your souls.

The Mishna in Tractate Yoma (73b) states, “Yom HaKippurim assur be’achila uvi’shetiya uvi’rechitza uve’sicha uvi’ne’ilat hasandal uve’tashmish hamita” – On the Day of Atonement it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint oneself (i.e., applying salves or ointments to one’s body), to put on sandals, or to have marital relations. The Gemara proceeds to explain (ibid. 76a – we will give only a brief overview of the entire text) that these five specific abstentions are indicated by the fact that the term “to afflict oneself” is mentioned five times in connection with Yom Kippur, specifically in Parashat Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:29 and 16:31; ibid. 23:27and 23:32); and Parashat Pinchas (Numbers 29:7).

The question arises: Didn’t we enumerate six deprivations in the Mishna? The answer is that eating and drinking are considered part of one abstention.

The Gemara also discusses the phrase “assur be…” which means, “It is forbidden to… [do such-and-such on the Day of Atonement],” which is used by the Mishna for all five abstentions. However, the punishment for violating these innuyyim is not the same in all these cases. Thus, for eating and drinking as well as engaging in labor, the punishment is karet (lit. “being cut off”), that is, death by Heavenly decree, whereas the other activities are only prohibited. Also, eating and drinking are judged according to the standard of a “shiur,” a minimum amount ingested that will make a person liable for karet, whereas less than a shiur of food or drink is prohibited but will not incur the punishment of karet.

Finally, the Talmud points out a fundamental difference between eating and drinking and the other deprivations by referring to the phrase, “I will destroy that soul from among its people” (Parashat Acharei Mot – Leviticus 23:30), which indicates that an affliction which causes a destruction of life can only refer to abstention from eating and drinking. The other deprivations do not cause a destruction of life.

But all these activities – not just eating and drinking – from which we must refrain on Yom Kippur also provide pleasure. Since they, too, are based on Biblical verses (see Yoma 76a- 77a), why is there no liability of karet for them? The Tur (Orach Chayyim) explains that although we quote verses to indicate that abstention from these activities constitutes deprivation (for the purpose of innuy on Yom Kippur), nevertheless the verses are only in the category of asmachtot, or supporting proofs.

The Rambam (Hilchot Shevitat Asor 1:5) refers to these deprivations as “mipi hashemu’a,” derived from instructions given to Moshe at Sinai (“halacha leMoshe miSinai”). The Kesef Mishneh also explains the various verses quoted in the Talmudic discussion as “supporting verses.”

The Tur (op. cit. 614) also discusses the wearing of shoes on Yom Kippur. He states that only shoes made of leather are prohibited. The Beit Yosef (ibid.) cites various opinions as to whether the prohibition extends to non-leather shoes, as some posit, but concludes that inasmuch as halachic decisors such as the Rif and the Rosh opt for leniency, we follow their rulings.

While we thus see the seriousness of the afflictions we are enjoined to practice on the Day of Atonement, we cannot but point out that there is much more to Yom Kippur than compliance with self-affliction and abstentions. The main theme of Yom Kippur is repentance, and, as detailed by Maimonides in Hilchot Teshuva (chap. 4), there are 24 matters that delay the teshuva process – among them many that concern the relationship between man and his fellow man (“bein adam lachavero”).

The aforementioned innuyyim are the command of G-d, and their performance will not only cancel the punishment for sins committed but will also find favor in the eyes of G-d. However, transgressions between man and his fellow man remain a major obstacle in the process of teshuva, in part because many of them are so difficult to rectify. A case in point is the example brought by the Rambam (loc. cit.) of a person who shares stolen merchandise (or the profits thereof) with a thief. He does not even know whose possessions they are since the thief steals from many people, and thus he cannot make restitution.

We must therefore put great emphasis on rectifying all our transgressions against our fellow man as well as repenting for our sins toward G-d, so that we will all merit a Happy and Healthy New Year.