Today is Erev Yom Kippur, the eve of the Day of Atonement, which is, Biblically speaking, the holiest day of the year. By mid-afternoon, all the businesses and shops will be closed, not even one gas station will be open. By nightfall, there will not be a car on the street. All that will be playing on the television tonight will be a still photo of a shofar calling the people of Israel to fast and pray. Even Jewish radio stations will be shut down. If Christians unfamiliar with Yom Kippur were here in Israel for the first time, they might think that the Rapture had taken place and that they were left behind. Tonight as the sun sets, the Jewish People here in Israel and all around the world will attend their local synagogue. With its themes of atonement and repentance, the tenth of Tishri is so significant that it’s observed by many secular Jews who don’t observe other Jewish holidays. “It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, the native-born, or the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.” (Leviticus 16:29) The month of Tishri is the seventh month on the Jewish calendar—the month we add another number to the year (we are now in the year 5774) and the month we make atonement for sin. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Leviticus 16:1–34; Isaiah 57:14–58:14 Yom Kippur is a solemn fast day. Because of that, all kinds of preparations are underway during the day in order to keep Yom Kippur properly, including two festive meals today. On Yom Kippur, for nearly 26 hours, we “afflict our souls” in the following five ways: 1. We don’t eat or drink; 2. We don’t wash; 3. We don’t use lotions or perfumes; 4. We don’t wear leather footwear; and 5. We abstain from marital relations. Despite this afflicting of ourselves, the observance of Yom Kippur is characterized by a sense of peace because of our confidence in our relationship with God and His provision for atonement. Before the sun sets tonight, the Jewish People will gather in their synagogues to hear the cantor chant Kol Nidre (All Vows) and recite penitential prayers from a special prayer book called the Machzor. Tomorrow morning, we will return to our synagogues for the Shabbat service. During the afternoon service, the entire Book of Jonah will be read. This service concludes shortly before sunset with the Ne’ila (Closing of the Gates) prayer, which is the last moment for repenting before God seals His judgments in His Book. Yom Kippur will end at nightfall tomorrow with the blowing of the shofar, and we will return home to enjoy a festive meal. Tomorrow night, many of us will also begin building our Sukkah for the holiday of Sukkot, which begins next Wednesday night. Making Atonement During Temple Times “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die.” (Leviticus 16:2) Yom Kippur was the one day in the year that the Cohen HaGadol (High Priest) could enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation of Israel. In order to minister before the Lord on this holy day, the priest first bathed in water (immersed himself in the mikvah) and then put on a special linen tunic. In the Holy of Holies, the high priest was not to wear his usual golden garments, designed for splendor and beauty; instead, he was to wear simple, white linen clothing that represented purity and humility, which befits this most sacred of all days.
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 13:19:52 +0000
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