Mishnaic Tractate Yoma

The mishnaic tractate Yoma is the rabbinic interpretation of Leviticus 16. It is generally viewed upon that Leviticus 16 is not only the center of the book of Leviticus, but also the center of the Torah. In Leviticus 16, the rituals of the Day of Atonement are recounted in great detail during the first temple time period. The biblically stated purpose of Yom Kippur is to purify the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and to purify the high priests, priests, and the people of Israel. The purpose of the Mishnah is to interpret and give a rabbinic viewpoint of the ritual. The Mishna was redacted in 200 C.E. and reflects back on how the Yom Kippur rituals were performed during the second temple period. A correspondence can be drawn between Leviticus 16 and Mishnah

Yoma makes it abundantly clear which activities during the Leviticus 16 rituals are crucial and central and which are more peripheral. Although tractate Yoma adds various details to the biblical core in a more modernized sense, it still remains devoted to the framework and logic of the Levitical text. Of the eight chapters of Yoma, the first seven provide a narrative of the Day of Atonement while the eighth and final chapter speaks of fasting and ultimately links atonement to repentance. In Leviticus 16, Aaron enters the Mishkan on the first Day of Atonement, various rituals have to take place as he can only enter after following the prescribed set of ritual procedures. Everything that will be taken to the Mishkan that day, including himself, need to be clean and free from impurities. Leviticus 16 exhibits the story of a man, a bull, and two goats. It is extremely symbolic and ritualistic. Yoma depicts a complex principle peopled with sages, priests, and worshippers. Tractate Yoma carefully creates the unique activities of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 into a greater text of normal and reoccurring priestly activities. This text highlights the important principles of the Day of atonement but also normalizes and modernizes

In Leviticus 16, the priest purges for himself and his family by presenting his own bull. This is imperative before purging for the rest of the community. Yoma on the other hand, follows the framework of Leviticus 16 rather closely, but adds more detail to the location and instructions. The goat offering also reflects some key disparities between the two texts. The two goats are presented in front of the Tent of Meeting, there the high priest adjudicates on which goat to use in the ritual and which one to set free. In Yoma, it is made clear both goats need to be the same in appearance, height, and value. In Leviticus, once the goat has entered the wilderness, the high priest must remove his garments and leave them at the sanctuary. Besides that he needs to wash himself due to him entering the sanctuary and put on his customary priestly garments so that he may function at the altar of the whole offering without endangering the congregation standing in that area. The priest then must sacrifice the offerings for himself, his family, then his community. These whole offerings make further expiation for himself and the people. He is then to burn the fat of the purification offering on the altar. Mishnah Yoma explains this. Mishnah Yoma explains in great detail how the high priest is aware of the goat reaching the wilderness. Yoma explains that sentinel posts and waved flags were constructed. Yoma goes into further detail explaining