Mesechtas Kreitot

Masechet Kreitot contains 6 chapters and 27 pages. The tractate deals with the laws of all 36 transgressions punishable by karet (spiritual excision).

The Rebbe's Explanations

In the tractate, a dispute is brought regarding Yom Kippur: whether Yom Kippur atones regardless if one did teshuva (repentance) or not, or whether it doesn't atone without teshuva.

A similar dispute exists regarding the fast day of a chatan (groom) and kallah (bride) on their wedding day. There are three reasons given by the poskim (halachic authorities):

1. Because it is a day of forgiveness and atonement similar to Yom Kippur.
2. So they won't become intoxicated.
3. Because the mitzvah is dear to them, in the manner of the early Chassidim who would fast when a beloved mitzvah came their way, such as sukkah and lulav.

According to the first reason, there is specifically a need for a fast, while according to the other two reasons, there is only a need for abstaining from food.

The Rebbe connects this to the same dispute about whether Yom Kippur does not atone without teshuva - if so, the same applies to the wedding day, and therefore a fast of teshuva is needed. However, other poskim maintain that the atonement of the wedding day is not like Yom Kippur through the power of teshuva, but rather a new status conferred by the wedding day itself, and therefore they don't agree with the first reason.

Additional Explanations

• Siyum on Masechtos in Tanach, Berachos, Nazir, Yevamos, Kreisos - Sefer HaSichos 5751 - vol. 2, p. 835 (p. 385).