Class Resources & Information

In this shiur we will begin by learning the fascinating mishna in Masechet Kritut (25a) from which comes the statement quoted by our gemara, that Yom Kippur removes the obligation to bring an אשם תלוי . We will also see there the gemara's midrashic explanation of why this is the case. This can give us some new insights into the nature of Yom Kippur's power in general to effect atonement. I am posting here the gemara page in Keritut for those who are interested in looking it over in advance.

We will then move on to the next segment of our own gemara in Yoma, which explains the second statement in our mishna and probes the dynamics of the interaction and interdependency between Yom Kippur and teshuva.  Time allowing, we will go further in the gemara, and learn its discussion of the power of teshuva itself, and then we will learn the beraita which is the source of the concept of the Four Divisions in Kappara.

Please review what we did in the last shiur.  You are welcome to ask any questions about the previous material, either by email or at the beginning of shiur.

In this shiur we will continue to clarify the meaning of the concepts in the first parts of the mishna, that have to do with our "atonement toolkit", and in specific we will be examining the interactions between them. This in turn will help us better understand how each of them effect kapara, atonement, which is the subject of the first several lines of the gemara. As part of this study, we will also learn segments of the mishna and gemara in Masechet Kritut (כריתות) found Daf 25a and 25b.

It is important that the background material be well understood before we do all of that. So please learn the sections of the Rambam that are in the source document that I posted for the previous shiur, specifically the sections that explain the sacrifices חטאת, אשם תלוי and אשם ודאי. I will go over some of this material, but quickly.

Also, of course as always please review what we did in the last shiur, and if you have any questions about it please ask at the beginning of this shiur.

Welcome to Gemara II ! I look forward to meeting online those of you who are new to the shiur, and continuing with those of you who have been with us in the past. Please feel free to email me with questions at any point during the zman. Questions are also welcome before, during and after shiur. That's what our interactive online shiurim are all about!

In this short Elul zman (our shiur has only 5 meetings) we will be learning material from the last pages of the gemara in Masechet Yoma, a masechet that is all about Yom Kippur.
The material is about the practical aspects of atonement that are facilitated by Yom Kippur, and what we individuals must do for this atonement to happen.

In this first shiur we will start with the verses in the Torah about Yom Kippur, and then we will study the Mishna found on Daf 85b (in editions of the Mishna it is broken into two smaller mishnayot), which is the last mishna of Masechet Yoma.

Then we will begin with the first lines of the gemara on this mishna. The mishna itself, and this first small piece of gemara, introduce several concepts that we will try to understand in depth: The role of sacrifices in expiation of sin, namely the  אשם ודאי, חטאת  and אשם תלוי;    atonement (כפרה) itself; repentence (תשובה), and the relationships between all of these. 

I have posted here some material that you can look at to familiarize yourselves with background information that will help make the gemara study easier. In the attached document you will find sources from the Torah and from the Rambam. It would be helpful if you would read in advance the pesukim from the Torah, and read through the quoted sections of Rambam as much as you can. I know there's a lot, but whatever you have seen will make things a little easier as we begin learning. In shiur, I will go over selected parts of each, but not all of what is quoted.