Yoma, Chapter 8, Mishnah 1. Now that we have finished studying the Yom Kippur service in the Beis HaMikdash, the Mishnah turns to the laws that apply to a person himself on this day: the laws of eating, drinking and the other afflictions.
The Six Things Forbidden on Yom Kippur:
The Mishnah states: "Yom HaKippurim asur ba'achilah uvishtiyah uvirchitzah uvsichah uvin'ilas hasandal uvtashmish hamitah" - Yom Kippur is forbidden in eating, drinking, washing, anointing, wearing shoes and marital relations. These are they:
"Ba'achilah" - one may not eat.
"Uvishtiyah" - and one may not drink.
"Uvirchitzah" - one may not wash the body.
"Uvsichah" - one may not anoint the body with oil.
"Uvin'ilas hasandal" - one may not wear leather shoes.
"Uvtashmish hamitah" - and one may not have marital relations on Yom Kippur.
The commentators disagree about the source of these prohibitions:
Some understand that all of these afflictions are from the Torah, except that the Torah imposed the punishment of kareis only for eating and drinking, and not for the others.
Others understand that apart from eating and drinking, the remaining afflictions are not from the Torah at all, but are rabbinic.
The Cases That Were Permitted:
The Mishnah continues: "Vehamelech vehakallah yirchatzu es peneihem" - a king, who must appear dignified, and a bride, who must appear beautiful, are permitted to wash their faces. And here is the reason for each of them:
The king: as the verse says, "Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty" - he must be seen in his beauty.
The bride: so that she will find favor in her husband's eyes, especially close to their wedding. The Gemara explains that for this purpose a woman is called a bride during the first thirty days.
The Mishnah further says: "Vehachayah tin'ol es hasandal" - a woman who has just given birth is permitted to wear leather shoes, for otherwise she will feel the cold, and this is difficult for her.
"Divrei Rabbi Eliezer":
All of these leniencies are the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer - not only regarding a woman who has given birth, but also regarding the king and the bride. "Vachachamim osrin" - the Sages disagree and hold that the king and the bride do not wash their faces, and even a woman who has given birth does not wear a shoe. All of this is assuming that there is no danger to life involved.
In summary: In this Mishnah we learned the six things forbidden on Yom Kippur - eating, drinking, washing, anointing, wearing shoes and marital relations; the dispute among the commentators whether all of them are from the Torah (with kareis stated only for eating and drinking) or most of them are rabbinic; and the leniencies according to Rabbi Eliezer - washing the face for a king and a bride, and wearing shoes for a woman who has given birth - which the Sages dispute, all of this in a case where there is no danger to life.