Why Is It That on Yom Kippur All Pleasures Are Forbidden Besides for Smelling Fragrances?
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Why Is It That on Yom Kippur All Pleasures Are Forbidden Besides for Smelling Fragrances?
(The following has been adapted from the Sefer Abir Yaakov written by R' Yaakov Chaim Orlof shlita)
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 612-615) brings the dinim of the afflictions of Yom Kippur. The five afflictions are: 1) No eating/drinking, 2) No washing, 3) No anointing, 4) No wearing leather shoes and 5) No marital relations.
Why didn't the Torah also prohibit smelling fragrances on Yom Kippur in order to increase the affliction?
The Soul Is Never Damaged by Sin
The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 17b) teaches:
ה' ה' - אני הוא קודם שיחטא האדם, ואני הוא לאחר שיחטא האדם ויעשה תשובה.
“Hashem, Hashem — I am He before a person sins, and I am He after he sins and repents.”
Rashi explains: “Hashem, Hashem is the attribute of Mercy, and Hashem shows mercy before one sins, and He also shows Mercy after one sins if he repents.”
The meforshim already ask: Why do we need the attribute of Mercy before one sins, surely one hasn't done anything wrong yet?
The Ben Yehoyada explains: When Hashem sees that one is about to sin, he quickly removes part of the soul in order that the soul doesn't get damaged from the sin. This is the attribute of Mercy that comes into play before one sins.
The five afflictions on Yom Kippur come to repair the damage done to the body by sin, like we say in Tefillas Zakah: “Through the affliction of eating and drinking, atone for what we sinned in forbidden foods... through the affliction of washing and anointing, atone for worldly pleasures...”
Based on this we can understand why smelling fragrances is permitted on Yom Kippur. The benefit that the body derives from smell goes to the neshomah [soul] not the physical body. The Gemara in Berachos (43b) teaches: “What pleasure does the soul enjoy but not the body? Smell.”
Since the soul is never damaged by sin because Hashem with His attribute of Kindness removes it before we sin, there is no need to afflict the soul. Therefore, smelling fragrances is permitted on Yom Kippur.