BY YORAM ETTINGER
1. Yom Kippur’s central theme is the plea for forgiveness from fellow human-beings, highlighting the most essential attributes of constructive leadership, healthy relationships and family and national cohesion: humility (admitting fallibility), faith, soul-searching, thoughtfulness, being considerate, compassion, accepting responsibility, minimizing personal hostility, magnanimity. In order to penetrate the heart of fellow human-beings, the plea for forgiveness must emanate from the heart. Yom Kippur is not driven by punishment, but by behavioral-enhancement.
2. The Jubilee – sanctifying each 50th year by proclaiming liberty, as inscribed also on the Liberty Bell – is announced by blowing the Shofar (a
ritual horn) on Yom Kippur. The Jubilee liberates persons physically and spiritually. The word “jubilee” is a Hebrew synonym for “Shofar.” Yom Kippur
and Jubilee highlight the subordination of human-beings to God.
3. Yom Kippur culminates the ten days of a genuine, heart-driven atonement/repentance, which begin on the first day of the Jewish month of
Tishrei – an Akkadian word for forgiveness and Genesis. It is observed on the tenth day of Tishrei. Ten has special significance in Judaism: G-D’s abbreviation is the tenth Hebrew letter (Yod – י); Ten attributes of God – Divine perfection – during the Creation; the Ten Commandments; the Ten Plagues; Ten reasons for blowing the Shofar; Ten percent gift to God (tithe); The Ten Martyrs (Rabbis who were tortured/murdered by the Roman Empire); Ten generations between Adam & Noah and ten generations between Noah & Abraham; a Ten worshippers quorum (Minyan) is required for a collective Jewish prayer; etc.
4. Yom Kippur is a Happy Jewish Holiday, replacing vindictiveness and rage with peace-of-mind and peaceful co-existence between God and human-beings
and primarily among human-beings. Yom Kippur emphasizes God’s Covenant with the Jewish People, ending God’s rage over the sin of the Golden Calf and commemorating Abraham’s circumcision, which initialed God’s covenant with the Jewish People.
5. The Hebrew word Kippur כיפור (atonement/repentance) is a derivative of the Biblical words Kaporet כפורת – which covered the Holy Ark at the
Sanctuary – and Kopher כופר, which covered Noah’s Ark and the Holy Altar at the Temple. The reference is to a spiritual cover (dome), which does not cover-up, but separates between the holy and the mundane, between spiritualism and materialism. The Kippa כיפה (skullcap, Yarmulke), which covers one’s head during prayers, reflects a spiritual dome. Thus, Yom Kippur constitutes the cover (Dome) of the Ten Days of Atonement (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), separating them from the rest of the year.
6. Yom Kippur calls for Teshuvah-תשובה, which is the Hebrew word for repentance. The root of Teshuvah is similar to root of the Hebrew word for Return שיבה – returning to positive God-inspired values – and Shvitah שביתה – cessation (strike) of mundane thoughts and actions and eating. It is also similar to the root of Shabbat שבת. Yom Kippur is also called Shabbat Shabbaton – the supreme Sabbath. The last Sabbath before Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Teshuvah (based on Hosea’s prophesy, chapter 4). While the Sabbath is the soul of the week, Yom Kippur is the soul of the year.
7. The Hebrew spelling of “fast” (צם/צום) – abstinence from food – reflects the substance of Yom Kippur. The Hebrew word for “fast” is the root of the Hebrew word for “reduction” and “shrinking” (צמצום) of one’s wrong-doing. It is also the root of the Hebrew words for “slave” (צמית) and “eternity” (צמיתות) – enslavement to God, but not to human-beings. “Fast” is also the root of עצמי (being oneself), עצום (awesome), עצמה (power), עצמאות (independence), which are gained through the process of fasting, soul-searching, spiritual enhancement and trust in God.
8. The prayer of Veedooi-וידוי (confession/confirmation/reaffirmation in Hebrew) is recited Ten times during Yom Kippur, re-entrenching genuine repentance and plea for forgiveness. The prerequisites for forgiveness are the expression & exercise (talking & walking) of confession; assuming full-responsibility for one’s (mis)behavior, and significantly altering one’s behavior. King Saul sinned only once – ignoring the commandment to annihilate the Amalekites – but was banished from the crown and killed, because he shirked responsibility, while responding to Samuel’s accusation. King David sinned twice (The “Bat-Sheba Gate” and the “Census Gate”), but was forgiven, because he accepted full-responsibility and the death sentence (as proclaimed by Nathan the Prophet), which was promptly rescinded.
9. The initial prayer on the eve of Yom Kippur, Tefilah Zakah (pure prayer), enables each worshipper to announce universal forgiveness. While transgressions between human-beings and G-D are forgiven summarily via prayers, transgressions among human-beings require explicit forgiveness. Ill-speaking of other persons may not be forgiven.
10. The Memorial Candle, commemorating one’s parent(s), is lit during Yom Kippur. It reaffirms Honor Thy Father and Mother, providing another opportunity to ask forgiveness of one’s parent(s), as well as asking forgiveness on their behalf.
11. The Scroll of Jonas is read on Yom Kippur. It demonstrates that repentance and forgiveness is universal to all Peoples, commanding one to assume responsibility, to get involved socially-politically, to sound the alarm when wrong-doing is committed anywhere in the world, to display compassion for all peoples and to adhere to Faith and Optimism, in defiance of all odds. It behooves good folks to roll up their sleeves, lest evil triumphs!
12. A long sound of the Shofar concludes Yom Kippur. It commemorates the covenant with God (the almost-sacrifice of Isaac), the receipt of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, Liberty (Jubilee) and the opening of Gods gates of forgiveness. The Hebrew root of Shofar שופר means to enhance/improve oneself (שפר). A Hebrew synonym for Shofar is Keseh כסה, which also means cover-Kaporet-Kippur.
Thank you soooo much!!! I am a christian who loves God’s people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem every day. I consider myself spiritually connected to my Jewish brethren and know that all Israel will be saved as it is written! I am a physician and work around Jewish physicians all day and many of them are preparing for the High Holidays. I am glad for this article so I can sound a little more knowlegeable around my brethren today. A few have even thanked me for making them aware of the digitized version of The Dead Sea Scrolls recently made available online through Google. I wish you all a blessed year 5772 as we await the arrival of our King. See you next year in Jerusalem, Shalom!!!!
Thank you Jacqueline. Its so good to be interested in these holidays and I love your story about the DSS on Google. It brings us closer to our Jewish messiah and our Jewish colleauges! The best thing to say to a Jewish person on Yom Kippur is “Peace to your Fast.”
Thank you for all this enlightment. It helps when reading the Word of God. God bless you all!!!
God Bless you Bertha!
Although your explanation reflects traditional Jewish thought, you missed the most beautiful part, the spiritual significance. The work of the High Priest on Yom Kippur was an enactment of the work of Christ in making atonement for our sins. The High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sin offering. He stood before the Ark containing the abbreviated law which condemned the sinner. He sprinkled blood one time on the Mercy Seat and seven times in front. The blood made atonement for the sins of the people. The blood of the sin offering was a type of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. However, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Heb. 9:12). The High Priest was acting out what Jesus would literally do on the cross. Before the High Priest entered the sanctuary, he changed clothes putting on a humble linen garment. He did not have bells on his garment, nor a rope around his foot. Once his redemptive work was finished, he redressed himself in his glorious garments. The changing of his garments into the simple linen represented the incarnation of Jesus Christ to make atonement for our sins (Phil. 2:5-11; Lev. 16).
Thanks for this Bobby! Great word.
GOD bless HIS chosen people through HIS covenant with ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB on this HOLY DAY and eternally. Let us continually support, encourage, and pray for ISRAEL and GOD’S elect. PSALM 122:6.
Amen!
BARUCK HABA HASHEM ADONAI! May you find JOY KNOWING your name is written in the LAMB’s BOOK of LIFE, for eternity! Read Isaiah 61:1 and than look for the OT to be revealed in the NT letters of Shaul in the book of Romans.
Will do!
thank you for this wonderful teaching…
I believe these are principle that everyone should attempt to apply daily!
As Bertha, Bobbie, Patricia all state the understanding of G-d’s Word in incomplete when one’s understanding is mostly just Tanakh (Old Covenant) or Brit Chadessah (Renewed Covenant) oriented. Reading in “church” much is not truly understood; while reading in synagogue, much is unfulfilled. Thanks be to HaShem Adonai, God that He is removing the scales from many Jewish eyes hearts and spirits concerning Messiah; while causing the returning of the Christian children back to knowing their parents in the Faith. And it all centers around Yeshua Ha Maschiah known also as Jesus, Yesu, and a myriad of related names.