A Bride And Groom On Their Wedding Day
‘Except For The Day After Yom Kippur’
(Kerisos 25a)
The mishnah on our daf tells of a pious custom practiced by Bava ben Buta who brought an asham talui every day for fear that he had committed a transgression. In his opinion, an asham talui is an asham chassidim, as the mishnah terms it, and a person may donate a sacrifice every day to atone for unwitting sins that he is unaware of. Bava ben Buta would offer his sacrifice every day aside from the 11th of Tishrei, as he figured that he surely did not commit a transgression on the day following Yom Kippur.
Omit The Yehi Ratzon
The Shulchan Aruch states: “It is good to say the parshah of the Akeidah and the parshah of the manna and the Ten Commandments and the parshah of the olah, minchah, shelamim, chatas and asham, and say afterwards, ‘May it be His will as though I sacrificed….’ ” The Shav Yaakov (I, 2) writes that on the 11th of Tishrei, one should not say “Yehi ratzon…” after saying the verses of the asham talui since we do not suspect a person of sinning within one day of Yom Kippur (and the doubtful sins he perhaps committed before Yom Kippur were already atoned for and forgiven on the Holy Day itself).
To Fast Or Not To Fast?
A couple who were to be married on the eve of the 12th of Teves asked Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l (Igros Moshe, O.C. 1:167) whether they should fast on the day of their wedding as is customary (to atone for their sins). Perhaps since they already fasted on the 10th of Teves, there is no reason to fast again on the 11th on the assumption that they would not have sinned within such a short span of time.
The Efficacy Of A Fast
Rav Moshe Feinstein replied that not only must they fast but even a chasan marrying on the 11th of Tishrei must fast (see Magen Avraham 573:1). Rav Moshe writes that we do worry that a person will commit unintentional sins on the day after Yom Kippur. However, the fast of the bride and groom also atones for intentional sins and for those, it is fitting to fast even on the day after Yom Kippur.
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