The Yom Kippur Avoda | Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | Beit Midrash

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1. The Holy of Holies and Yom Kippur
The Temple in Jerusalem was the repository of all divine values; from it, they flowed forth to the rest of the world. The main structure (heikhal) was comprised of an entrance hall (ulam) and two chambers. The outer chamber, called the Holy (Kodesh), contained the Menora, symbolizing wisdom; the table, symbolizing sustenance; and the incense altar, symbolizing prayer and the yearning to be close to God. Even holier than the Holy was the inner chamber, called the Holy of Holies (Kodesh Ha-kodashim). That was the repository of the foundation of Torah and faith. In other words, it was illuminated by the Torah’s divine foundation and the holiness of the Jewish people, through which God animated the entire world. For this reason, the Holy of Holies housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Tablets that Moshe received at Mount Sinai and the Torah scroll which he wrote. On top of the Ark was the kaporet (golden cover), with two cherubs rising from it. These cherubs symbolized the covenantal connection and the love between God and the Jewish people. The Holy of Holies was built upon the Foundation Rock (Even Shetiya), which our Sages tells us was the rock from which the world was created (Yoma 54b). A parokhet (curtain) separated the Holy from the Holy of Holies, to demarcate the difference between them. For the holiness of the Holy derives from that of the Holy of Holies. Without a separation, the light emanating from the Holy of Holies would have ascended directly to heaven, preventing it from radiating light and blessing to the Holy and from there to the entire world.
True, people were not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies. Nevertheless, the light of the Shekhina (Divine Presence) which radiated from it allowed the Jewish people and all of humanity to return to God, to correct their sins, and to channel their prayers to God, as expressed in King Shlomo’s prayer at the Temple’s dedication. (See 1 Melakhim, ch. 8.)
Even after the Temple’s destruction and the ensuing exile, the imprint of the Divine Presence never budged from the Holy of Holies. The longing of the Jews for the Divine Presence to dwell in the Land guarantees that the redemption will arrive. The sanctification of God’s name will extend to Israel, His people; Jerusalem, His city; Zion, the home of His glory; the kingship of the house of David, His anointed one; and His home, the Temple. God alone will rule over all His creations.
The Holy of Holies is so sanctified and exalted that no one is permitted to step foot there. Anyone who enters it is subject to death at the hand of heaven, as we read, "The Lord said to Moshe: Tell your brother Aharon that he is not to come at will into the holy place behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the Ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover" (Vayikra 16:2). The only person ever permitted to enter the Holy of Holies was the Kohen Gadol on the holy and awe-inspiring Day of Atonement. He would enter with the incense cloud (section 7 below) to perform the day’s avoda (divine service) on behalf of the entire Jewish people, as it is written, "Thus only shall Aharon enter the holy place" (ibid. v. 3). Over the course of Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol was required to enter the Holy of Holies four times. But entering a fifth time – even given his lofty position and the sanctity of Yom Kippur – would have made him liable to death at the hand of heaven (MT, Laws of Entering the Temple 2:4).
2. The Two Ways God Relates to the World
What is the significance of the Kohen Gadol’s service in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur? God relates to the world in two ways: (1) the relationship of justice, which corresponds to yiĥud taĥton, and (2) the relationship of unification, which corresponds to yiĥud elyon. (See above, ch. 2 n. 4; 7:12; 6:4.) The relationship of justice is manifested through the laws of reward and punishment that God embedded in the world, laws which control both the natural and spiritual worlds. Just as someone who cannot be bothered to work becomes poor, so too the individuals or communities who choose evil are punished in this world and the next. Based on these laws, it would seem at first glance that human beings are irredeemable, since as a rule they tend to follow the evil inclination. Even if righteous people do exist, the people who are usually in charge are those who are power-hungry, accept bribes, and follow their evil inclination. Therefore, there is no chance that the world will be redeemed from its suffering. Death, which destroys every living being, will ultimately destroy the world as well.
Yet God also relates to the world in a second way, namely that of unification. This is the elevated, inscrutable way through which God acts behind the scenes and directs everything in the world towards goodness. Thus, even the evil intentions and actions of despots and other wicked people ultimately have good results. This divine relationship with the world is thanks to the Jews, who are connected to God with an eternal covenant, and whose innermost desire is always to repair the world. It is thanks to this mode of divine governance that redemption is assured, as we see in the Torah and the prophets. However, this relationship is hidden and can work only through the relationship of justice. Accordingly, how redemption will take place depends upon how the Jews choose. If they choose goodness, redemption will come quickly and painlessly; if they choose evil (God forbid), redemption will be delayed and accompanied by terrible suffering.
Because the relationship of unification is hidden, it could be perceived only in the Holy of Holies. It was the place beyond place, and its very existence within the mundane world was miraculous. This is the source of the prohibition of entering the Holy of Holies. Additionally, there is a risk in trying to connect to God on this exalted level. A person might conclude incorrectly that since everything is ultimately for the best, it is unnecessary to choose goodness and to fight the evil inclination. In the dazzling light of the Holy of Holies, he might rationalize giving in to his urges, and even claim that everything he is doing is for the best and for the sake of heaven.
Only the Jews as a collective can connect to God on the plane of unification, since this relationship is thanks to them. When this happens, all their suffering inspires them to discover new facets of Torah. However, this positive result is a deep secret, which can be revealed only gradually over the course of time. Therefore, only on the holy and awe-inspiring day of Yom Kippur, when the Jews abstain from melakha and take a break from everything related to this world – eating, drinking, washing, applying cream, wearing shoes, and engaging in marital relations – was the Kohen Gadol able to reach such a lofty level that he could enter the Holy of Holies on behalf of the nation. From there, he was able to draw down purity and atonement for any impurities which may have contaminated the Jewish people superficially. As a result, each and every individual could repent fully, which in turn meant that the Jewish people would deserve a good year, and the world would proceed toward redemption.
Although the Temple no longer exists, all these exalted levels continue in a scaled-down form, thanks to the day’s holiness and the fasting and prayers of the nation.
3. The Kohen Gadol
The job of Kohanim is to connect the Jews to their Father in heaven by serving in the Temple, deepening the Jews’ faith and kindness, and teaching halakha. In order to allow the Kohanim to dedicate themselves to this mission and to free them of the need to support themselves, the Torah commands that they be given a variety of donations and gifts. In order to protect the sanctity of the Kohanim, they are not allowed to become impure by coming into contact with the dead (except for first-degree relatives). They are also not allowed to marry a divorcee or a ĥallala (the daughter of a forbidden Kohen relationship, such as a Kohen and a divorcee).
There is a mitzva to appoint the most outstanding Kohen to serve as Kohen Gadol. The laws pertaining to him were even more restrictive than those pertaining to other Kohanim. He was not allowed to mourn for (or become impure for) anyone, including his parents, and he was only allowed to marry a virgin. Once appointed, he was anointed with special oil and was dressed in eight garments which were designated for him, as the verses state, "The priest who is exalted above his fellows, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear the vestments, shall not bare his head or rend his vestments. He shall not go in where there is any dead body; he shall not defile himself even for his father or mother. He shall not go outside the sanctuary and profane the sanctuary of his God, for upon him is the distinction of the anointing oil of his God, Mine the Lord’s" (Vayikra 21:10-12). The Sanhedrin of 71 sages would decide whom to appoint as Kohen Gadol (MT, Laws of the Temple’s Vessels and Its Workers 4:12-15).
While the other Kohanim wore four special garments when they served in the Temple, the Kohen Gadol added an additional four, for a total of eight. If he performed his duties wearing only seven of them, it invalidated his service. Each of the garments represented a specific concept and helped to atone for sins corresponding to that concept. Thus our Sages tell us: "The kutonet (tunic) atones for the spilling of blood; the mikhnasayim (breeches) atone for sexual sins; the mitznefet (miter) atones for arrogance; the avnet (sash) atones for sinful thoughts; the ĥoshen (breastplate) atones for monetary sins; the ephod (apron) atones for idol worship; the me’il (robe) atones for (public) gossip; the tzitz (gold band worn on the Kohen Gadol’s forehead) atones for brazen deeds" (Arakhin 16a).
The Kohen Gadol was meant to be the most pious of the Kohanim, someone who followed in the footsteps of Aharon, who "loved peace and chased after it; who loved people and drew them closer to Torah" (Avot 1:12). In order to emphasize his devotion to God, the words "holy to God" were engraved on the tzitz. In order to express the Kohen Gadol’s feelings of love and responsibility for the Jewish nation, the names of the patriarchs and the tribes of Israel were engraved on the stones of the ĥoshen which he wore over his heart. The shoulder straps of his ephod also featured two precious stones with the names of the tribes engraved on them (MT, Laws of the Temple’s Vessels and Its Workers 9:1, 7-9). Additionally, the Kohen Gadol needed to be superior to others in strength, wisdom, looks, and wealth. If he possessed all of these except for wealth, his fellow Kohanim would give him money, so that he would possess all of these attributes (Yoma 18a).
If a Kohen Gadol was appointed who was neither pious nor exceptional, bedi’avad the appointment was valid, and the appointee was bound by all the laws pertaining to the Kohen Gadol. However, it should be obvious that the more righteous the Kohen Gadol was, the more successful he would be in his work to draw the Jews closer to their heavenly Father.
The Sages tell us that during the 410 years of the First Temple, eighteen High Priests served. Most of them were righteous, and accordingly were blessed with longevity. In contrast, during the 420 years of the Second Temple, there were over three hundered High Priests. Three of them were righteous and served for extended periods. Almost all of the rest were not righteous. They bought their positions from the ruling powers, and their lives were cut short. Thus we read (Mishlei 10:27), "The fear of the Lord prolongs life, while the years of the wicked will be shortened" (Yoma 9a).
The shortcomings of the High Priests during the Second Temple Period meant that the Jews’ Yom Kippur purity and atonement were compromised. As a result, ultimately the Temple was destroyed, and the Jews began a long exile.
4. The Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur
During the year, any Kohen could perform the Temple service, offering the sacrifices and incense, and preparing the Menora for lighting. However, due to the great sanctity of Yom Kippur, only the Kohen Gadol was permitted to take care of these duties (Yoma 32b; MT, Laws of the Yom Kippur Service 1:2).
The Kohen Gadol offered three categories of sacrifices on Yom Kippur. In the first category were the standard daily offerings – two lambs, one offered in the morning prior to the rest of the sacrifices, and the other offered at twilight after the rest of the sacrifices. This category included other activities as well: offering the incense (which was done on the golden altar twice daily, morning and twilight), as well as preparing and lighting the Menora. The second category was the musaf offerings, which were similar to those of Rosh Ĥodesh and the holidays. On Yom Kippur these consisted of a bull, a ram, and seven lambs for burnt offerings, plus one goat for a sin offering. The third category was specific to Yom Kippur. It comprised a bull for a sin offering to atone for the Kohen Gadol and the rest of the Kohanim, a ram as a burnt offering (both of which the Kohen Gadol paid for himself), and two goats to atone for the Jews. One goat ("for God") was a sin offering, and one (sent to Azazel) was the scapegoat.
The Kohen Gadol needed to be married while serving on Yom Kippur, as we read, "‘To make expiation for himself and for his household’ (Vayikra 16:6). ‘His household’ refers to his wife" (Yoma 13a). This is despite the Kohen Gadol’s obligation to separate from his wife for a week before Yom Kippur, in order to purify and sanctify himself in preparation for the Temple service. Clearly, the Kohen Gadol could separate from his wife only if he had one! The reason he was required to be married is that someone who is not married is considered incomplete (Yevamot 63a), lacking joy, blessing, goodness, Torah, protection, and peace (ibid. 62b). The Kohen Gadol needed to have one wife only; if he had two wives, he was disqualified from serving (Yoma 13a). For only within a monogamous relationship can ideal unity and love be achieved. Once the Kohen Gadol experienced this unity with his wife, he was also able to unite and connect the Jewish people with their Father in heaven.
An alternate Kohen Gadol would be designated, who would step in should the Kohen Gadol become impure or die (Yoma 2a; MT, Laws of Yom Kippur Service 1:2-3, and Laws of the Temple’s Vessels and Its Workers 5:10).
5. The Kohen Gadol’s Yom Kippur Garments
The Kohen Gadol wore his eight special garments when offering the various sacrifices, as he did on all other days. As detailed in Shemot, chapter 28, they were: the kutonet, mikhnasayim, mitznefet, avnet, ĥoshen, ephod, me’il, and tzitz. The kutonet, mikhnasayim, and mitznefet were white, while the other articles were various colors, some also threaded with gold. (Therefore, they are sometimes referred to as the golden garments.) The ephod and ĥoshen were blue, maroon, orange, and white, with gold woven in (Shemot 28:6, Rashi ad loc.). The bells on the me’il were made of gold, as were the tzitz, the straps and rings of the ĥoshen, and the ephod. The stones’ settings on the ĥoshen were also made of gold. Thus, the Kohen Gadol’s garments were rich in glorious colors, symbolizing the dissemination of sanctity in this very diverse world. Each garment represented a specific idea and atoned for a corresponding sin (section 3 above). Therefore, if the Kohen Gadol was not wearing every single one of these items, his service was compromised and therefore invalid.
In contrast, for the part of the Yom Kippur service undertaken inside the Holy of Holies, he wore only his four white linen garments, as we read, "Thus only shall Aharon enter the holy place. . . . He shall be dressed in a sacral linen tunic, with linen breeches next to his flesh, and be girt with a linen sash, and he shall wear a linen miter. They are sacral vestments" (Vayikra 16:3-4). If he performed this service while wearing his golden garments, the service was invalid. For the special service of Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol had to raise himself entirely beyond this-worldly concerns. Even though every aspect of this world has certain pluses, alongside these positives come negatives and sins. In order to atone for them, he had to raise himself to the level of simple unity beyond all the world’s diversity. This unity is hinted at by the color white (Maharal, Gevurot Hashem, ch. 51 and Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha-Torah ch. 10).
There is an additional reason why the Kohen Gadol changed out of his golden garments before entering the Holy of Holies. "Why doesn’t the Kohen Gadol enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur while wearing his golden garments? Because the prosecutor cannot become the defender" (RH 26a). Gold is the most glorious of metals. This is the reason that Temple items were made of it – to reveal the glory of sanctity in this world. However, along with its glory, gold also leads people to chase after money and desires, as we see from the episode of the golden calf. The Sages tell us that it was the wealth and gold which the Jews acquired when they left Egypt that led them to follow their evil inclination and to look for a physical representation of the divine, which they then worshipped (Berakhot 32a). Therefore, when the Kohen Gadol entered the Holy of Holies in order to purge the Jews’ faith from any impurities, he needed to remove his golden garments and wear his white garments instead.
6. Immersion and Sanctification of the Hands and Feet
Before a Kohen serves in the Temple, the Torah commands him to wash his hands and feet in order to sanctify them. This is the case even when he is pure. The Sages further require that he immerse his entire body (in accordance with R. Yehuda in Yoma 30a; MT, Laws of the Yom Kippur Service 2:3). As long as he serves continuously, he does not need to repeat this process. If he urinates, he must sanctify his hands and feet again. If he defecates or leaves the Temple environs for a significant amount of time, he must re-immerse his body and re-sanctify his hands and feet (MT, Laws of Entering the Temple 5:3-5).
The immersion was done in a mikveh adjacent to the Temple courtyard (azara). The sanctification of the hands and feet was done with water that came out of the faucets of the sink located between the heikhal and the outer altar. The Kohen placed his right hand on top of his right foot and washed them together, and then placed his left hand on top of his left foot and washed them together. A Kohen who served in the Temple without first sanctifying his hands and feet was liable to death at the hand of heaven, as we read, "Make a laver of copper and a stand of copper for it, for washing; and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Put water in it, and let Aharon and his sons wash their hands and feet [in water drawn] from it. When they enter the Tent of Meeting they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they approach the altar to serve, to turn into smoke an offering by fire to the Lord, they shall wash their hands and feet, that they may not die" (Shemot 30:18-20).
In addition to the original immersion and sanctification before beginning the divine service, the Kohen Gadol also had to immerse when he switched between his gold garments and his white garments (and back again) on Yom Kippur. Thus we read, "They are sacred vestments; he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on" (Vayikra 16:4), and "Aharon shall go into the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen vestments that he put on when he entered the holy place, and leave them there. He shall bathe his body in water in the holy precinct and put on his vestments" (ibid. 16:23-24).
Additionally, it is a Torah mitzva for the Kohen Gadol to sanctify his hands and feet twice with each change of clothing, once before removing the old set and once after putting on the new. Thus, the Kohen Gadol immersed five times and sanctified his hands and feet ten times on Yom Kippur (Yoma 32a). During the year, he used the sink like the rest of the Kohanim. On Yom Kippur, as a mark of respect, the water was brought to him in a golden vessel so that he would not have to return repeatedly to the sink (Yoma 43b).
Immersion is meant to purify, and to transform a person or object from one state to another. The white garments revealed the sublime unity of the world, while the golden garments revealed the holiness of the diverse aspects of the world. In order to move between these different states which were reflected by the different sets of clothing, the Kohen Gadol had to immerse.
Sanctification of the hands and feet was meant to elevate and unite all the energies of the Kohanim in service of the divine. The sanctification focuses on the hands and feet because these symbolize a person actualizing his potential – working with his hands and digging in with his feet. The ten fingers hint at this as well. They correspond to the ten statements with which God created the world (Avot 5:1). A person, created in the divine image, uses his ten fingers to repair and improve the world.
On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol had to sanctify his hands and feet twice with each change of clothing. The first time was before removing the garments he had served in. This is because when a person is privileged to engage in especially holy and uplifting work, this invigorates him and amplifies all his drives, positive and negative. An intense divine light courses through him, protecting him from the amplified desires which might lead him astray. But when he finishes the work, those same desires may snare him. In order to protect himself from them, the Kohen Gadol was commanded to sanctify his hands and feet before removing the garments. This allowed him to seal in with holiness all his energies, which he tapped into during the divine service. The second time he sanctified his hands and feet was after he put on the new garments. This was in order to purify all his energies prior to undertaking the next element of service, and to ensure that they were not still preoccupied with his previous service (based on Orot Ha-teshuva 14:33).
7. The Incense
While the daily sacrifices were offered on the copper altar (also known as the outer altar or earthen altar), one in the morning and one at twilight, the incense was offered by the Kohanim on the golden altar (also known as the inner altar or the incense altar), in the morning and at twilight. The daily offering expressed the overt connection between the Jews and God. Therefore, the blood was sprinkled, and the limbs were offered on the outside altar, visible to all. This expressed the connection of every living being to God via their physicality. In contrast, the incense expressed the deep inner connection between God and the Jewish people. It was ethereal, expressing the connection of the souls to God, and it was offered on the inner altar, within the Holy.
The incense was made up of eleven finely ground spices. They were thoroughly combined, which gave them a very pleasant fragrance. This reflects the idea that fully uniting all the energies of the Jewish people in the service of holiness perfects the world. The ten spices correspond to the ten levels of holiness which were used in creating the world. The eleventh key spice was galbanum, which smells bad, corresponding to the negative aspects of the world. However, once the galbanum was ground up and mixed with the other spices, not only did it not ruin the incense – it actually improved its fragrance. This teaches us that when all of the Jews’ energies are united in the service of holiness, the inner positives of the sinners of Israel are revealed; they too join the nation and are effective in repairing the world. (See Olat Re’iya, vol. 1, pp. 136-138.)
On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol had a unique mitzva to perform. He offered a handful of incense in the Holy of Holies on behalf of the entire nation. Thus we read, "The Lord said to Moshe: Tell your brother Aharon that he is not to come at will into the holy place behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the Ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover" (Vayikra 16:2). Only after offering the incense in the Holy of Holies, was he permitted to bring in the blood of the bull and goat and sprinkle it on the kaporet, to atone for the defilement of the sacred. (See section 10 below.)
In order to understand the meaning of the incense cloud, one must be aware that this was modeled on the way that God revealed Himself to the Jews in the desert – in the thickness of the cloud. Thus we read, "The cloud covered the mountain. The Presence of the Lord abode on Mount Sinai, and the cloud hid it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moshe from the midst of the cloud" (Shemot 24:15-16). The cloud expresses an exalted and sublime divine revelation, an overwhelming experience which cannot be fully comprehended by human beings. Yet out of the cloud and darkness, a person can reach a partial understanding of the divine, in accordance with his capabilities. Thus, we read that after the Mishkan was completed, "The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the Presence of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of the Lord filled the Tabernacle" (Shemot 40:34-35). Similarly, at the time when the First Temple was established, we read, "The priests brought the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant to its place underneath the wings of the cherubim. . . . The cloud had filled the House of the Lord and the priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence of the Lord filled the House of the Lord" (1 Melakhim 8:6-11). Only following this was there a gradual revelation of the divine, emerging from the cloud and darkness, tailored to the spiritual capabilities of the Kohanim.
The incense offered by the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur in the Holy of Holies expressed the connection of the entire Jewish people to perfect faith, faith rooted in that which defies comprehension. At first it is hidden and concealed in the thickness of the cloud. It emerges from the darkness and gradually becomes clearer in accordance with our abilities to perceive it. Understanding this, the Kohen Gadol could enter the Holy of Holies to achieve atonement for the Jewish people.
8. The Incense on Yom Kippur
This is how the mitzva of offering the incense was performed on Yom Kippur: The Kohen Gadol entered the Holy of Holies with a shovelful of hot coals and a ladle of incense. In the Holy of Holies, he placed two handfuls of incense on the coals. The smoke rose up and spread throughout the Holy of Holies, ultimately covering the kaporet, as we read, "He shall take a panful of glowing coals scooped from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense, and bring this behind the curtain. He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud from the incense screens the cover that is over [the Ark of] the Covenant, lest he die" (Vayikra 16:12-13). This hints at the idea that even the holiest person in the nation cannot intellectually grasp the divine as it is. The Shekhina appears only within smoke and fog. Through the fog, the divine is progressively revealed. Therefore, the Kohen Gadol first had to offer incense in the Holy of Holies. Only once the Holy of Holies was filled with smoke had he fulfilled the mitzva (Yoma 53a).
The Kohen Gadol offered two handfuls of incense, no more and no less (ibid. 48a). This hints at the idea that all his actions and intentions were dedicated to the Jewish people. Additionally, the Kohen Gadol had to ensure that when he took the handfuls of incense, not a single bit fell on the ground. The Sages inform us that this was one of the hardest jobs in the Temple (ibid. 49b). This hints at the idea that the Kohen Gadol must make every effort to connect all the energies of the Jewish people to the Holy of Holies without losing even a single spark.
The incense that was normally offered was finely ground. The incense used on Yom Kippur was ground an additional time, ensuring that it would be superfine. This grinding united all of the tiny grains of incense, symbolizing the deeper level of unity among the Jewish people on Yom Kippur.
Since the incense expressed the deep connection between the Jews’ souls and God, the shovel and incense remained in the Holy of Holies until the day’s service was completed. Throughout the day, the incense continued to burn and the smoke to rise. With the completion of the service, the Kohen Gadol entered the Holy of Holies on behalf of all of Israel, picked up the shovel, and departed.
9. The Two Goats and the Bull
We will now examine a puzzling aspect of the Yom Kippur service. The bull and one goat were the only sacrifices of the entire year whose blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. They atoned for impurity in the Temple, meaning that they atoned for someone who knew he was impure, and nevertheless entered the Temple or ate sacrificial meat (both of which demanded purity). The bull atoned for these sins on the part of the Kohanim, while the goat atoned for these sins on the part of the rest of the nation. The other goat (the scapegoat) atoned for all other sins. How is it possible that the bull and goat atoned for only one specific sin, while the scapegoat atoned for all other sins?
This reflects a very deep and important concept. At the root of all sin is a lack of faith, a lack of connection between a person and the Creator, the source of life. The Temple and its sacrifices were the locus of faith in this world. Therefore, atonement was primarily dependent upon correcting issues of faith at their supernal roots, in the Holy of Holies. After faith itself was purified, all of a person’s other sins fell away because he returned to and reconnected with God. He desired to cling to Torah and mitzvot, and he understood that all his sins were mistakes stemming from external temptations. Therefore, the sins were no longer his. They were consigned to oblivion, sent to Azazel.
The goat sacrificed to God atoned for the Jews (for their sins against the purity of the Temple and sacrifices). The Kohanim, though, who were responsible for preserving the connection between the Jewish people and God, needed additional atonement (for any missteps in their holy work). Therefore, their offering was larger – a bull as a sin offering. It was also offered first, because the Kohen Gadol had to achieve atonement for his sins and the sins of his fellow Kohanim before he could achieve atonement for the Jews.
This is the meaning of "He shall take some of the blood from the bull and sprinkle it with his finger over the cover on the east side; and in front of the cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. He shall then slaughter the people’s goat of sin offering, bring its blood behind the curtain, and do with its blood as he has done with the blood of the bull: he shall sprinkle it over the cover and in front of the cover. Thus he shall purge the holy place of the impurity and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins; and he shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their impurity. . . . He shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and purge it" (Vayikra 16:14-18).
After the Kohen Gadol finished purifying the Temple, all the rest of the sins fell away, and he could send them via the second goat to Azazel in the desert, as we read, "When he has finished purging the holy place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, the live goat shall be brought forward (which was waiting to be sent off). Aharon shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated man. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness" (ibid. 20-22).
10. Temple Defilement and Lack of Faith
There are many offerings whose aim is to atone for the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices. On every Rosh Ĥodesh and festival, we are commanded to offer a goat as a sin offering for this purpose. These sin offerings atoned for someone who entered the Temple or ate from sacrifices while he was impure, although he did not know about it at the time nor did he become aware of it later on. If someone did become aware of his impurity after the fact, his atonement was achieved via the goat offered as a sin offering on the outside altar on Yom Kippur. Even this offering, however, did not atone for someone who intentionally entered the Temple, or ate from an offering, knowing that he was impure. This was atoned for by the bull and goat whose blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. The bull atoned for the Kohanim, while the goat atoned for the rest of the nation.
In any case, all the communal sin offerings of goats offered on Rosh Ĥodesh and festivals atoned for defiling the Temple and sacrifices. Thus our Sages state, "The defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices is more severe than all of the sins in the Torah. All the sins in the Torah can be forgiven by one goat (which is sent to Azazel), while the impurity of the Temple and its sacrifices requires thirty-two goats (offered on Rosh Ĥodesh, festivals, and Yom Kippur) to atone for it. Furthermore, all the sins in the Torah are atoned for once a year (through the scapegoat), while the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices is atoned for every month, as we read, ‘Assuredly, as I live – said the Lord God – because you defiled My Sanctuary with all your detestable things and all your abominations, I in turn will shear [you] away and show no pity. I in turn will show no compassion’ (Yeĥezkel 5:11). Abominable and repugnant sins were bad enough but defiling the Temple and the sacrifices was worst of all" (Tosefta, Shev. 1:3). Let us now elaborate.
Sins relating to the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices express a lack of faith. This lack is the root of all sins and abominations. For when a person’s faith is pure and flawless, he follows in God’s ways and his life force intensifies. His sole wish is to add life and blessing to the world in accordance with the Torah’s instructions; his evil inclination is powerless against him. However, when he lacks faith, the result is a gap between what he wishes and what is right. He imagines that in order to enjoy life he must act against the Torah’s guidance; his evil inclination overpowers him, causing him to sin.
One might say that thinking about faith is similar to treading on holy ground, so a person who has a mistaken belief is comparable to someone who enters the Temple while impure. When one’s understanding of faith is flawed, whether because he did not study Torah properly or because of character defects, he is entering the Temple of faith while impure. If he then acts upon his mistaken beliefs, he is comparable to someone who eats from the sacrificial meat while impure.
There are a number of gradations within incorrect beliefs. Generally, a person thinks superficially about matters of faith and acts accordingly, without realizing that his faith lacks clarity. This fuzziness is atoned for by the goats offered on Rosh Ĥodesh and the festivals. Sometimes, a person is not aware that his faith is flawed until after he has acted upon his mistaken beliefs. This requires more serious atonement, which is provided by the sin offering of the goat on Yom Kippur.
The most serious atonement of all is required for someone who lets an opportunity for atonement slip away. All people at some point begin to think about their life’s purpose, its meaning, and their mission in the world. If at these times a person becomes aware that his faith lacks the proper clarity, but continues with his routine anyway – without attempting to understand Torah more deeply, to improve his character traits, and to clarify his beliefs – he is comparable to someone impure who enters the Temple intentionally. If he continues to insist upon conducting himself in the same way, based on his flawed faith, and without engaging in soul-searching, he is comparable to someone impure who eats from the sacrificial meat intentionally. This is the most profoundly sinful, as the person is willfully destroying his spiritual world. A divine light suddenly illuminated his soul, for a moment he entered the Temple within his soul, but instead of taking this opportunity to purify himself, clarify his faith, and redirect his life, he chose to remain impure and to continue with his routine. Therefore, it is only the sprinkling of the blood of the bull and the goat in the Holy of Holies (together with repentance) that can atone for him.
11. Temple Atonement
The process of atonement for the Temple involved sprinkling the blood of the bull and the goat to "purge the holy place of the impurity and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins" (Vayikra 16:16). This process started with the kaporet, continued with the parokhet, and concluded with the incense altar.
The Holy of Holies, as we have seen (section 2 above), is the location associated with the relationship of unification. It was here that repair could be made to the root of faith, which is linked to the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people. Thanks to this covenant, God guides the world towards redemption. People’s choices cannot change it, and repentance is not a prerequisite for it. People’s choices can only influence the way in which the redemption will arrive – pleasantly or painfully (as explained in 6:4 above). Because the relationship of unification is hidden, it could be perceived only in the Holy of Holies. Only there could atonement begin, in the miraculous place which linked the eternal with the here-and-now, the upper worlds with this one.
The Kohen Gadol stood between the two poles of the Ark and sprinkled the blood towards (but not onto) it and the kaporet. He sprinkled once upward and seven times downward. He started by sprinkling the bull’s blood and followed this with the goat’s blood. This sprinkling expressed our devotion to our covenantal connection with God, as blood is the life force. The blood of the bull symbolized the blood of the Kohanim and of the Kohen Gadol, while the blood of the goat symbolized the blood of the Jews.
All the sprinklings were in the direction of the golden kaporet. It covered the Ark, which represented Torah and mitzvot. The cherubs on the kaporet expressed the covenantal connection between God and the Jewish people. The word kaporet is etymologically related to kapara, "atonement." For our actions ultimately will lead to an increase of faith and divine guidance. Even when the Jews transgress the Torah and are punished, everything will turn out to be for the best; everything will be radiant like gold. Because the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur tapped into the power of this relationship of unification, forgiveness was granted for even the most severe sins of faith.
The Kohen Gadol needed to count the sprinklings out loud. "And this is how he would count: ‘One. One and one. One and two. One and three. One and four. One and five. One and six. One and seven’" (m. Yoma 5:4). The first sprinkling was upward, to connect with the root of faith in the One, and the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people. The other seven sprinklings were downward, to draw downward the power of this faith and covenant, thus allowing it to infuse all aspects of the world. (The number seven represents the world, which was created in seven days.) Since the faith and covenant are at the root of redemption, this infusion would allow it to arrive pleasantly and peacefully, rather than painfully. The Kohen Gadol always repeated the initial count of one sprinkling upward before each of the seven sprinklings downward, because all aspects of the world must be connected to the heavenly root of faith.
After sprinkling toward the kaporet in the Holy of Holies, the Kohen Gadol went out to the Holy and sprinkled toward the parokhet which separated the Holy from the Holy of Holies, once upward and seven times downward. First, he used the blood of the bull, which atoned for him and the rest of the Kohanim. Then he used the blood of the goat, which atoned for the nation. This atonement in the Holy corresponded to the relationship of justice. As we have explained (ch. 2 n. 4), that is when God relates to us with justice, according to which everything is dependent upon our actions. While the relationship of justice is based on the supernal covenant hidden in the Holy of Holies (which corresponds to the relationship of unification), in practice it depends upon our choices. If we choose good, goodness and blessing will abound; if we choose evil, good will be minimized while suffering will be maximized. The Kohen Gadol first sprinkled upward, in order to connect us and commit us to faith in God, Who watches over the Jewish nation at all times. Then he sprinkled downward seven times, so that faith in divine providence would be drawn down into all aspects of the lives of each and every one of us.
The atonement process concluded with the incense altar, as we read, "He shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and purge it: he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he shall sprinkle on it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall cleanse it of the impurity of the Israelites and consecrate it" (Vayikra 16:18-19). The sprinkling on the incense altar was different from that of the two previous locations and did not involve one sprinkling upward and seven downward. This is because the purpose of its atonement was not to draw faith from the upper worlds down to this one. On the contrary, it was to consolidate and elevate the entire range of inclinations in the hearts of the Jews, and to direct them toward complete faith. For every deficiency of faith has a negative impact on people’s character traits, leading them to be angry, dispirited, arrogant, or lecherous.
Sprinkling the blood on the four corners of the altar represents the consolidation of the longing for faith from all four corners of the earth. Sprinkling it seven times on the altar itself represents the consolidation of the seven character traits of the heart. All four and all seven were linked to the eternal covenant which God entered into with us and our ancestors, as well as to faith in divine providence over us. In order to unify all these aspects and direct them toward complete faith, the Kohen Gadol had to mix together the blood of the bull and the goat. He then used this mixture to sprinkle the four corners of the altar and the altar itself (seven times).
12. The Two Goats
Now that we have explored the meaning of the atonement achieved via sprinkling the blood, let us examine the verses pertaining to the mitzvot of the two goats, as they are responsible for the primary atonement of Yom Kippur. We read, "From the Israelite community he shall take two he-goats for a sin offering" (Vayikra 16:5). The Sages explain that the two goats are lumped together to teach us that they must look the same, be the same size, and be worth the same amount (Shev. 13b). It was only casting lots that established which goat was offered to God and which was sent to Azazel, thus demonstrating that divine providence was at play.
Before casting the lots, the Kohen Gadol needed to purify himself. He leaned on the bull that was his sin offering, confessing his sins and those of his wife. Afterwards, he followed this procedure: "Aharon shall take the two he-goats and let them stand before the Lord at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; and he shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for the Lord and the other marked for Azazel. Aharon shall bring forward the goat designated by lot for the Lord, which he is to offer as a sin offering (he brought it to the place designated for the slaughter of sin offerings); while the goat designated by lot for Azazel shall be left standing alive before the Lord, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness for Azazel" (Vayikra 16:7-10).
The Kohen Gadol again approached the bull which was his sin offering and leaned on it, this time confessing the sins of the rest of the Kohanim. He then slaughtered the bull in order to sprinkle its blood in the Holy of Holies. However, to justify entering the Holy of Holies, it was necessary for his first order of business there to be offering the incense. Doing so expressed the covenantal connection between God and the Jewish people. (See sections 7-8 above.) After offering the incense, the Kohen Gadol sprinkled the bull’s blood in the Holy of Holies.
He exited and returned to the goat designated for God. He slaughtered it and sprinkled its blood in the Holy of Holies to atone for the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices. In the Torah’s words: "He shall then slaughter the people’s goat of sin offering, bring its blood behind the curtain, and do with its blood as he has done with the blood of the bull: he shall sprinkle it over the cover (one upwards) and in front of the cover (seven downwards). Thus he shall purge the holy place of the impurity and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins; and he shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their impurity (by sprinkling blood on the curtain). When he goes in to make expiation in the holy place, nobody else shall be in the Tent of Meeting until he comes out. When he has made expiation for himself and his household, and for the whole congregation of Israel, he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord (the copper altar) and purge it: he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he shall sprinkle on it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall cleanse it of the impurity of the Israelites and consecrate it" (ibid. 15-19).
With the completion of the atonement of the Temple and its sacrifices, the soul of the Jewish people was revealed to be pure. It became clear that all the sins clinging to it were due solely to the external influence of the evil inclination. Accordingly, the Kohen Gadol as a representative of the nation could confess to those sins and shake them off. The sins were transferred to the scapegoat, which was sent off to a desolate, isolated place in the desert.
Thus we read, "When he has finished purging the holy place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, the live goat shall be brought forward. Aharon shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated man. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness" (ibid. 20-22).
13. The Significance of the Scapegoat’s Atonement
Why was it specifically a goat that was used for atonement? First, the exceptional vitality of goats makes their blood a better stand-in for human blood than that of any other animal. So, when the blood (of the goat offered to God) was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies, it expressed the Jews’ desire to cling to God with devotion. Second, goats tend to be wild and destructive. As a matter of fact, two angels – the angel of destruction and the wicked Esav’s guardian angel – are called goats, because of their destructive capabilities. When idol worshipers wanted to save themselves from destruction or to wreak destruction on their enemies, they sacrificed to "goats" – gods of evil and destruction. Therefore, the Torah warns the Jews that they must offer their sacrifices to God alone: "They may offer their sacrifices no more to the goat-demons after whom they stray" (Vayikra 17:7; Ramban on 16:8).
The holy and awe-inspiring day of Yom Kippur confirms the eternal covenant between God and the Jews, and they elevate themselves by fasting and refraining from all bodily pleasures. During Temple times, this enabled the Kohen Gadol to enter the Holy of Holies on their behalf and sprinkle there the blood of the goat for God. As we said, the goat blood expressed the inner desire of all Jews to cling with devotion to God, His Torah, and His mitzvot. This allowed the Jews to be purified from the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices. As a result, the forces of impurity ("husks"), which usually prevent the light of faith from illuminating their souls, were driven out. Good and evil, which had been intermingled in the Jews, were now distinct. It became clear that all the sins the Jews had committed were external to them, the result of evil influences which misled them to believe that they would gain by sinning. In truth, these sins wasted their energies, while providing them with no benefit at all. Once evil is separated from good, it loses its power and can no longer lead people astray. (See Derashot HaMaharal, at the end of Derush LeShabbat Teshuvah.) For it is only when evil is intermingled with good and life that it can destroy and devastate; when evil is isolated, it returns to its desolate place and fades away. This was expressed by sending the scapegoat with the Jews’ sins to Azazel in the desert, a desolate and isolated place.
Another profound idea lies behind sending the scapegoat to Azazel. The goat was a present which God commanded us to send on Yom Kippur to Samael/Azazel, the angel of destruction and devastation who dwells in the desert, the desolate and isolated place. To make it clear that this was not an act of worship, the Torah emphasizes that "the goat designated by lot for Azazel shall be left standing alive before the Lord, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness for Azazel" (Vayikra 16:10). We see that the goat stood "before the Lord," and it was God Who commanded us to send it away in order to atone for the Jews. In the formulation of the midrash: "Samael said to God, ‘Master of all worlds, You permit me to lead all the nations of the world astray, but not the Jews?!’ God responded, ‘You have permission to lead them astray on Yom Kippur if they are sinful; but if they are not, the permission is rescinded.’ Therefore, on Yom Kippur we bribe Samael so that he will not prevent the Jews from offering their sacrifice" (Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer 46; see also Ramban on Vayikra 16:8).
This midrash may also be read on a deeper level. All year long we struggle with Samael, the evil inclination. However, on Yom Kippur, when the Kohen Gadol entered the Holy of Holies to connect all Jews with the root of faith, our vision was sweeping enough to perceive the bigger picture. We could see that evil too is created by God and has a role to play. Its existence is responsible for people’s free will, so it is due to evil that people can reach their full potential and give expression to the image of the divine within them. Nevertheless, this idea of the positive value of evil is potentially extremely dangerous, as people may fool themselves into thinking that when they sin, they are really doing something good. Therefore, only on Yom Kippur, when we practice self-denial and refrain from all bodily pleasures, did God command us to send a goat as a present to Azazel. It was only then that we could show Samael that we understood his important role, while not being led astray by him. Samael was gratified that the Jews finally understood him. For the rest of the day, he was no longer interested in leading us astray and accusing us in heaven, and instead joined in defending us. The truth is that even the evil inclination prefers that the Jews choose good over evil.
14. The Beginning of the Avoda
Now that we have dealt with the special aspects of the Yom Kippur avoda, in sections 14-17 we will briefly explore what the Kohen Gadol needed to do over the course of Yom Kippur. All the aspects discussed above will be addressed again, this time chronologically, following the order of the verses in Vayikra 16.
On the night of Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol had to stay awake, in order to ensure that he would not become impure while sleeping. Throughout the night, he would study Torah together with Jerusalem’s most honored Torah scholars. If he knew enough to discuss the Torah, he would do so; if not, they would discuss it in his presence. In addition, throughout the night, people would sing prayers and praises to God in the Kohen Gadol’s presence. If he started falling asleep, young Kohanim would snap their fingers to wake him up. If that did not work, they would suggest that he stand (barefoot) on the cold floor. If that did not work either, they would suggest that he do kida. As we mentioned above (7:14), that is a bow in which the person remains standing with bent knees and brings his head to the ground (Yoma 19b).
The entire Temple service on Yom Kippur was carried out by the Kohen Gadol (section 4 above). This was in order to elevate and connect everything to the root of holiness in the Holy of Holies.
As on every other day, the first offering was the daily offering of the morning, and the last was the daily offering at twilight. When the sun rose and the time came to offer the first daily offering, the Kohen Gadol stripped off his weekday clothing and immersed in preparation for the day. He put on the gold garments and sanctified his hands and feet. He slaughtered the daily offering, collected its blood in a container, and threw it from there onto the altar, as was done every day.
After the daily offering, the Kohen Gadol entered the Holy to offer incense on the golden altar. He cleaned and prepared the Menora for lighting. He went back out to the copper altar and threw the daily offering’s limbs into the fire, then offered the minĥat ĥavitin (the meal offering that the Kohen Gadol was obligated to bring every day). He then poured the wine libation which always accompanied the daily offering on the altar.
Next, he sacrificed the additional (musaf) offerings of Yom Kippur, namely one bull and seven lambs. Having completed the daily offering and the additional offerings, he could now continue with the special service for Yom Kippur. He sanctified his hands and feet, removed his golden garments, immersed, put on the white garments, and once again sanctified his hands and feet.
But before he could offer the goat for God and enter the Holy of Holies to atone for the Jewish people, the Kohen Gadol first had to atone for his own sins by confessing and offering a sacrifice. The Gemara explains, "This is how the divine attribute of din (judgment) works. Better for someone innocent to come and atone for someone guilty, rather than for someone guilty to come and atone for someone else who is guilty" (Shev. 14a). Therefore, the Kohen Gadol was commanded to start by bringing a bull as a sin offering and confessing over it his sins and those of his wife. As we read, "Thus only shall Aharon enter the holy place: with a bull of the herd for a sin offering" (Vayikra 16:3). Unlike the rest of the Yom Kippur offerings, which were bought with communal funds, the bull for the sin offering and the ram for the accompanying burnt offering had to be paid for by the Kohen Gadol out of his own pocket, so that his personal atonement would be complete. As we read, "Aharon is to offer his own bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and for his household" (ibid. v. 6).
15. The Bull, the Incense, and the First Sprinkling
The Kohen Gadol positioned his bull between the ulam and the altar, with its head facing south, and its face facing the Temple in the west. He stood to the east of the bull with his face towards the Temple, placed his two hands on the head of the bull and leaned on it. It was as if he was saying, "What should have been done to me, as punishment for my sins, will be done to this bull which I am bringing to atone for my sins." Then he recited the first confession.
The Kohen Gadol’s three confessions on Yom Kippur were unique. They differed from all other confessions in that the Kohen Gadol would pronounce the Divine Name (which is normally prohibited). Some say that this was the Name which is written in the Torah and which has four letters (yud, heh, vav, heh, also known as the Tetragrammaton), while others maintain that it was the Name of forty-two letters (R. Hai Ga’on). Each of the three times the Kohen Gadol pronounced the Name, the Kohanim and the people standing in the courtyard would kneel, prostrate themselves, and proclaim, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever." This was a profound articulation of self-effacement and repentance.
The formulation of the first confession was as follows: "Please, Lord, I have sinned, I have done wrong, I have rebelled before You – I and my family. Please, by Your name, grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – I and my family. As it is written in the Torah of Moshe Your servant, at the word of Your glory: ‘For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the Lord.’"
Following his personal confession, the Kohen Gadol was now in a position to atone for the nation. First, he cast lots over the two goats, one "for God" in order to atone for the Jews’ sins against the sanctity of the Temple, and the other "for Azazel," to atone for all other sins. When the Kohen Gadol declared the first goat "a sin offering to God," he used the Tetragrammaton, and the Kohanim and the people standing in the courtyard would kneel, prostrate themselves, and proclaim, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever." He then took two orange-red ribbons, tying one around the neck of this goat, and the other around the horns of the goat for Azazel.
However, the Kohen Gadol still could not atone for the nation, because he had not yet atoned for his fellow Kohanim, who were responsible for the people’s sanctity-related needs. In order to accomplish this atonement, he returned to his bull, leaned on it with both hands, and confessed on behalf of the Kohanim. This was the formulation of the second confession: "Please, Lord, I have sinned, I have done wrong, I have rebelled before You – I and my family and the children of Aharon, Your holy people. Please, by Your name, grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – I and my family and the children of Aharon, Your holy people. As it is written in the Torah of Moshe Your servant, at the word of Your glory: ‘For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the Lord.’"
Following this, the Kohen Gadol slaughtered the bull and collected its blood in a container. However, he still was not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle it, because he had not yet offered the special incense of Yom Kippur that expressed the covenantal connection between the Jews and God. But entering the Holy of Holies with the incense was not permitted until he had confessed over the bull and slaughtered it. Now that that was over, he could enter the Holy of Holies and perform both the incense offering and the sprinkling. The Kohen Gadol handed the container of blood to an assistant and entered the Holy of Holies. The Torah describes how he offered the incense: "He shall slaughter his bull of sin offering. And he shall take a panful of glowing coals scooped from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense, and bring this behind the curtain (into the Holy of Holies). He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud from the incense screens the cover that is over [the Ark of] the Covenant, lest he die" (Vayikra 16:11-13).
After the smoke from the incense covered the kaporet (as explained above in sections 7-8), the Kohen Gadol left the Holy of Holies and briefly prayed in the heikhal. His prayer needed to be brief, because had he stayed inside for too long, people would have panicked, thinking that he had died in the Holy of Holies.
The Kohen Gadol then took the container of bull’s blood and re-entered the Holy of Holies. He stood between the two poles of the Ark and sprinkled the blood towards (but not onto) the kaporet – once upward and seven times downward. As we read, "He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger over the cover on the east side; and in front of the cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times" (Vayikra 16:14). He would count the sprinklings out loud (as we explained in section 11). Unfortunately, near the end of the First Temple period, the Ark was hidden away. From then on and during the Second Temple period, the Kohen Gadol would sprinkle in the direction of the Even Shetiya.
Even though he had not yet completed the sprinkling of the bull’s blood to atone for himself and his fellow Kohanim, he interrupted it. Placing the container with the bull’s blood on a golden stand in the heikhal, the Kohen Gadol left the heikhal in order to slaughter the goat for God on behalf of the nation. This interruption was necessary because the atonement for the Kohanim and the atonement for the Jews was interdependent. Since the point of atoning for the Kohanim was for the sake of the nation, it was inconceivable to completely separate the atonement of the Kohanim from the atonement of the nation.
16. The Goat for God and the Final Sprinkling
When the Kohen Gadol went outside, he slaughtered the goat designated for God. He collected its blood in a container and re-entered the Holy of Holies. He stood between the two poles of the Ark and sprinkled the goat’s blood, once upward and seven times downward. As we read, "He shall then slaughter the people’s goat of sin offering, bring its blood behind the curtain, and do with its blood as he has done with the blood of the bull: he shall sprinkle it over the cover and in front of the cover. Thus he shall purge the holy place of the impurity and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins" (Vayikra 16:15-16).
The Kohen Gadol then exited the Holy of Holies, put down the container with the goat’s blood on a second stand and picked up the container with the bull’s blood. He sprinkled it toward the parokhet separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies, upward once and downward seven times. He then did the same thing with the goat’s blood. These sprinklings fulfilled the mandate, "He shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their impurity" (Vayikra 16:16).
After that, the Kohen Gadol took the containers and mixed the two animals’ blood together and walked from the parokhet to the golden altar in the Holy. He smeared blood on the altar’s four corners. He cleared away the coals and ash from the altar, revealing its golden color. He then sprinkled it with blood seven times. As we read, "He shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and purge it: he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he shall sprinkle on it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall cleanse it of the impurity of the Israelites and consecrate it" (Vayikra 16:18-19). He then went outside to the copper altar and spilled what was left of the blood on the western side of its base.
After the Kohen Gadol finished atoning for the defilement of the Temple and its sacrifices, he began the process of atoning for all other sins. He approached the scapegoat, placed both hands on it, and confessed in the name of the entire nation. As we read, "When he has finished purging the holy place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, the live goat shall be brought forward. Aharon shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat" (Vayikra 16:20-21).
This was the formulation of the third confession: "Please, Lord, Your people, the house of Israel, have sinned, have done wrong, have rebelled before You. Please, by Your name, grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that they have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – Your people, the house of Israel. As it is written in the Torah of Moshe Your servant, at the word of Your glory: ‘For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the Lord.’" We said in the previous section that each time the Kohanim and the people heard the Tetragrammaton, they would kneel, prostrate themselves, and proclaim, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever." Thus, during the course of the three confessions, the people bowed down nine times. When we add the bowing when the Kohen Gadol pronounced the Divine Name upon casting the lots, we see that the total was ten bows.
Afterwards, the Kohen Gadol sent the scapegoat away with a designated agent to the desert, as we read, "It shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated man. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness" (Vayikra 16:21-22). The man walked to a mountain that was approximately twelve mil (about eleven kilometers) into the desert. He then ripped in half the ribbon that was tied to the goat’s horns. He left one piece on the goat’s horns and tied the other piece to a rock. Finally, the agent pushed the goat off the clifftop. Before it got halfway down the mountain side, it was already dashed to pieces (Yoma 67a).
17. The Conclusion of the Avoda
At the same time, the Kohen Gadol was removing the innards from the bull and goat (whose blood he had sprinkled in the Holy of Holies) and placing them in a container. Later on, he would offer them on the outer altar, together with the other offerings of the day. (This was the procedure with all the offerings. The blood was sprinkled on the inner altar, and the innards were offered on the outer altar.)
The remains of the bull and goat were taken outside the camp to be burned. Many people went to watch the burning, as it vividly symbolized the eradication of their sins.
The Kohen Gadol waited while the remains of the bull and goat were burned. When he was informed that the scapegoat had arrived at its destination in the desert, he began reading aloud from the Torah scroll. He read the three sections of the Torah which relate to Yom Kippur:
1) The description of the Kohen Gadol’s service on Yom Kippur, in Parshat Aĥarei Mot (Vayikra 16).
2) The section beginning "On the tenth" that deals with the mitzvot of Yom Kippur, in Parshat Emor (Vayikra 23).
3) The section dealing with Yom Kippur’s additional offerings, in Parshat Pinĥas (Bamidbar 29). Since this section was in a different part of the Torah from the other two, he would read it by heart, so as not to burden the congregation with the need to roll the Torah scroll.
The Kohen Gadol recited two berakhot, one before and one after the reading, as is customary when reading from the Torah. Afterwards, he added seven more berakhot, on the following subjects: the service (Retzei), thanks (Modim), forgiveness, the Temple, the nation, the Kohanim, and prayer in general (Shome’a tefila).
He then sanctified his hands and feet, took off his white garments, immersed, put on his golden garments, and sanctified his hands and feet again. Then he went to the outer altar and slaughtered a goat for a musaf sin offering. This was in the category of all the goats as musaf sin offerings on Rosh Ĥodesh and the festivals (section 10 above).
He offered his ram and that of the nation, both as burnt offerings. He also offered up the innards of the bull and goat whose blood he had sprinkled in the Holy of Holies.
Once again, the Kohen Gadol sanctified his hands and feet, took off his golden garments, immersed, put on his white garments, and sanctified his hands and feet. He entered the Holy of Holies one last time, in order to remove the shovel and incense which he had left there. He had not removed them immediately after sprinkling the blood, because the incense expressed the covenantal connection between God and the Jewish people, so it was necessary for its smoke to continue ascending in the Holy of Holies during the entire Yom Kippur service. It would seem that there was a special sanctity associated with the last entrance of the Kohen Gadol into the Holy of Holies, concluding the process of atonement and purification of the Jewish people.
He exited, sanctified his hands and feet, changed out of his white garments, immersed, put on his gold garments, and sanctified his hands and feet. He then concluded the service in the same way as every day: the twilight daily offering, the twilight incense offering on the golden altar, and the lighting of the Menora.
Finally, the Kohen Gadol sanctified his hands and feet, took off his golden garments, and put on his own clothes. He walked home, escorted by a crowd. There he held a party to celebrate having survived the Yom Kippur avoda unscathed.
18. The Yom Kippur Avoda in Prayer Today
As part of our Musaf prayer, the ĥazan recites a description of the Temple service of Yom Kippur (SA 621:4). According to the Gemara, the ĥazan must be very careful and precise in his formulations to ensure that they conform to its rulings concerning the avoda (Yoma 36b and 56b). This is because reciting the description of sacrifices is a substitute for offering them.
Thus, the Sages inform us, "Whoever engages in the study of the sin offering – it is as if he offered it, and whoever engages in the study of the guilt offering – it is as if he offered it" (Menaĥot 110a). The Sages also tell the following story about Avraham. When he became aware that the continued existence of the Jewish people was thanks to the offerings, which ensured that the Jews always kept their connection with God, he asked God, "What will happen if the Temple is destroyed?" God responded, "I have already prepared for them texts that describe the sacrifices. When the Jews read them, I will consider them to be sacrificing to Me, and I will forgive all their sins" (Ta’anit 27b; Megilla 31b).
The idea behind this is that every action has a soul, and the soul of each mitzva is what the Torah says about it. Therefore, when it is impossible to offer the sacrifices, if we recite what the Torah says about them, in a certain sense it is as if we have offered them. This is especially so when we do so publicly, at the time when they would have been offered. The greater our understanding of the meaning of a sacrifice (in Jewish law and Jewish thought), the greater the value of our recitation.
It would seem that even when the Temple is rebuilt (may it be speedily in our day), we will continue to recite the prayers that correspond to the sacrifices, as well as the descriptions of the Kohen Gadol’s service on Yom Kippur. Since the destruction of the Temple, these prayers, which emphasize the spiritual side of the Temple service, have become so meaningful that we will not abandon them. Rather, in every synagogue the ĥazan for Musaf (together with the congregation) will continue to recite the descriptions of the service with great awe and fear. The power of the heartfelt prayers of all these ĥazanim will be added to the power of the Kohen Gadol’s actual service taking place simultaneously in the Third Temple. Meanwhile, those Kohanim and people who will have the privilege of standing in the courtyard and witnessing the service with their own eyes will serve as representatives of the nation. These spectators will not need to recite the prayers, because they will be considered participants in the actual service. In the past as well, the Kohanim and the people standing in the Temple courtyard did not recite the prayers.
May God gather our exiles from the four corners of the earth, return His Shekhina to Zion, sanctify us with His mitzvot, give us a share in His Torah, and purify our hearts to worship Him in truth. May we merit the rebuilding of the Temple speedily in our day. May the sanctity of Yom Kippur be revealed in its full glory, and may God forgive all our sins and atone for all our iniquities. May the light of truth and faith shine forth from the Holy of Holies and light up the entire world. May peace and love spread throughout the entire Jewish people and the entire world. May God comfort Zion and all its ruins, as it says, "Truly the Lord has comforted Zion, comforted all her ruins. He has made her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Gladness and joy shall abide there, thanksgiving and the sound of music. . . . So let the ransomed of the Lord return, and come with shouting to Zion, crowned with joy everlasting. Let them attain joy and gladness while sorrow and sighing flee" (Yeshayahu 51:3, 11).

Yom Kippur

Peninei Halakha