יוֹם כִּיפּוּר

ויקרא טז: כט-לא וְהָיְתָה לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ תְּעַנּוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם וְכָל מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי ה" תִּטְהָרוּ שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן הִיא לָכֶם וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם: “… In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and you shall not do any work… For on that day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins… It shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall practice self-denial; it is a law for all time.”

To Answer With Your Partner 1.What is the Hebrew date for Yom Kippur? How do you know this from the Torah text? 2.What do you think the Torah means by “afflict your souls.” 3.What is atonement? 4.What is שבת שבתון (a Sabbath of complete rest)? 5.What do you think the Torah means by self-denial? 6.Why does the Torah call it a law for all time? Aren’t all the mitzvot for “all time”?

Vocabulary תְֹשוּבָה Return / Repentence 4 steps בֵּית הַמִקְדָֹש The Holy Temple כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל High Priest Aaron was the first one מִֹשְכַּן The portable sanctuary Housed the original set of broken tablets יוֹם כִּיפּוּר Day of Atonement 10th of Tishrei Home of the Holy of Holies

יוֹם כִּיפּוּר One of the most important Jewish holidays –Second only to Shabbat A day to “afflict the soul” –We atone for sins –We fast to afflict ourselves The last chance to change any “bad judgment” that we may have received on רֹאֹש הַֹשָנָה –“On רֹאֹש הַֹשָנָה it is written, on יוֹם כִּיפּוּר it is sealed…”. – יוֹם כִּיפּוּר only atones for sins between people and God, not for sins against other people

In the תוֹרָה The first יוֹם כִּיפּוּר took place after Moses came down from his second trip to Mt. Sinai After the sin of the golden calf, Moshe sees that the people have done תְֹשוּבָה

To Answer With Your Partner 1.How many days from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur? 2.What are those days called? 3.What does it mean that “On רֹאֹש הַֹשָנָה it is written, on יוֹם כִּיפּוּר it is sealed…”. 4.What does Yom Kippur atone for and what does it not atone for? Why? 5.What is the connection between teshuvah, Yom Kippur and the golden calf? (name 2 things)

In the Desert Moses’ older brother, Aaron (the כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל ) would immerse himself in a מִקְוֶוה, and make the sacrifices The כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל was able to purify himself, his family and his nation

בֵּית הַמִקְדָֹש The כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל atoned for the peoples’ sins The כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל lived in the בֵּית הַמִקְדָֹש a week before יוֹם כִּיפּוּר The morning of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר, the כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל took two goats: –One would be offered as a sacrifice to God –The other “carried” the sins of the entire people of Israel –The second goat would be taken by another priest to a spot miles away –The “scapegoat” would be pushed off of a cliff

בֵּית הַמִקְדָֹש He would signal back to the people at the Temple that the sins of the people had been forgiven The כּוֹהֵן גָדוֹל would do the following: –Change his clothes –Go into the מִקְוֶוה many times –Wash his hands and feet –Make the sacrifices and incense offerings –Enter the Holy of Holies, and say God’s name

After the בֵּית הַמִקְדָֹש The emphasis of the יוֹם כִּיפּוּר service switched: –From sacrifice and Temple ritual (the goat) –To prayer, repentance and tzedakah (the things we do today)

To Answer With Your Partner 1.What was the original scapegoat? 2.How is the word scapegoat used today? 3.Give an example of when Jews have been scapegoats. 4.Give an example of when you or someone you know has been a scapegoat. (Don’t use names) 5.Why do people look for scapegoats?

Laws and Customs of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר : A complete Sabbath, a day with no work A fast day –a complete 25 hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before יוֹם כִּיפּוּר and ending after nightfall on the day of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר Additional laws: –no washing or bathing –no anointing one’s body (with makeup, deodorants, soaps, shampoos, brushing teeth, etc.) –no wearing of leather shoes

Laws and Customs of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר : Certain people should not fast on יוֹם כִּיפּוּר –Children –People who are sick or take medication –Pregnant women

Other Customs כָּפָּרוֹת –A custom of swinging a live chicken around one’s head –A prayer is said asking that the chicken be considered atonement for sins (transferring the sins onto the chicken) –Then the chicken is slaughtered (and given to the poor). –Today some people do it by placing a few coins in a handkerchief and then donating the money וִידוּי –Confession –Said during the afternoon service on the day before יוֹם כִּיפּוּר –Repeated in the יוֹם כִּיפּוּר service

Other Customs Wearing white symbolizes purity סְעוּדָה הַמַפְסֶקֶת the final meal before יוֹם כִּיפּוּר נֵר יִזְכּוֹר a special candle lit in memory of those who have died Lighting candles signals the beginning of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר

Central Prayers and Services: כֹּל נִדְרֵי- means “all vows” –The opening service for יוֹם כִּיפּוּר –Said on עֶרֶב יוֹם כִּיפּוּר –Erases all promises we make to God and may not be able to keep in the coming year –This is only for promises made to God, such as “If I pass this test, I’ll pray every day for the next six months.” –Historically, this prayer was important when Jews had to “promise” to convert to avoid punishment or death

עַל חֵטְא The confession of sins –Sins are confessed in the plural (we have done this, we have done that) –Many of the sins involve mistreatment of other people: Many parts of this prayer are about speech לַֹשוֹן הַרַע literally means “evil tongue” This includes offensive speech, slander, swearing falsely, etc. –עַל חֵטְא is said 10 times during יוֹם כִּיפּוּר Central Prayers and Services:

מַעֲרִיב Evening service, it includes the וִידוּי and other סְלִיכוֹת prayers ֹשָחֲרִית Morning service, it includes extra poems, Torah and Haftarah readings יִזְכּוֹר A memorial service for the dead –In some congregations this is said for everyone –In some congregations it is only said by those who have lost a parent

Central Prayers and Services: מוּסַף an additional service מִנְחָה Afternoon service, when read the Book of Jonah נְעִילָה means “locked” –Concluding service of יוֹם כִּיפּוּר –The ark remains opened and people stand –Sometimes referred to as the closing of the gates –The last opportunity for prayer before the “book” is sealed –The service ends with a very long blast of the ֹשוֹפַר –After this service we do הַבְדָלָה and then break the fast

Read on יוֹם כִּיפּוּר Jonah and the big fish –Jonah was a prophet who tried to run away from God –This story reminds us not to be like Jonah –It teaches about תְֹשוּבָה –We should have compassion and forgive others