Study Yoma folio 86A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
חוץ מ״לא תשא״! ״לא תשא״ וכל דדמי ליה.
except for: “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” (Exodus 20:7), about which the Torah states: “For God will not absolve him who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). The Talmud answers: It is not that this is the only negative mitzva that is not a minor transgression; rather, it is: “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” and any prohibition similar to it, meaning all severe prohibitions that carry punishment by a court.
תא שמע, רבי יהודה אומר: כל שהוא מ״לא תשא״ ולמטה — תשובה מכפרת, מ״לא תשא״ ולמעלה — תשובה תולה ויום הכפורים מכפר. ״לא תשא״ וכל דדמי ליה.
The Talmud proposes: Come and hear from that which was taught: R' Yehuda says: For any sin from “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” and below, i.e., prohibitions less severe than that, repentance atones. For any sin from “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” and above, repentance suspends punishment and Yom Kippur atones. The Talmud rejects this: This does not constitute proof either, since one could say that it is referring to: “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” and anything similar to it.
תא שמע: לפי שנאמר בחורב תשובה ״ונקה״, יכול אף ״לא תשא״ עמהן — תלמוד לומר: ״לא ינקה״. יכול אף שאר חייבי לאוין כן — תלמוד לומר: ״את שמו״, שמו הוא דאינו מנקה, אבל מנקה שאר חייבי לאוין.
Come and hear from a different source that was taught: Since it was stated at Horeb with regard to repentance: “Absolve,” one might have thought that even the transgression of: “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain” is included among them; therefore, the verses states: “Will not absolve” (Exodus 20:6). One might have thought this is also true for those who are liable for violating all other prohibitions; therefore, the verse states: “His name.” God does not absolve the one who disrespects His name, but He absolves those who are liable for violating all other prohibitions and repent. This is proof that those who violate all other prohibitions are not comparable to one who violates: “You should not take the name of YHWH, your God, in vain.”