(כו) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (כז) אַ֡ךְ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֨י הַזֶּ֜ה י֧וֹם הַכִּפֻּרִ֣ים ה֗וּא מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֥ם אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃ (כח) וְכׇל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י י֤וֹם כִּפֻּרִים֙ ה֔וּא לְכַפֵּ֣ר עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (כט) כִּ֤י כׇל־הַנֶּ֙פֶשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־תְעֻנֶּ֔ה בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְנִכְרְתָ֖ה מֵֽעַמֶּֽיהָ׃
(26) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (27) Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to יהוה; (28) you shall do no work throughout that day. For it is a Day of Atonement, on which expiation (act of making amends) is made on your behalf before your God יהוה. (29) For whoever does not afflict his soul through this day, shall be cut off from his people.
What are the core elements of this "Day of Atonement?"
Why is the act of making amends so important? And, is it fair that those who do not make amends should be cut off? Why or Why not?
(יז) וְכׇל־אָדָ֞ם לֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה ׀ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד בְּבֹא֛וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ עַד־צֵאת֑וֹ וְכִפֶּ֤ר בַּעֲדוֹ֙ וּבְעַ֣ד בֵּית֔וֹ וּבְעַ֖ד כׇּל־קְהַ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(17) When he goes in to make expiation in the Shrine, 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,
In the holiest place, what is the significance of the order in which we are called to make amends? Why is this the case?
(ב) הִנְנִי הֶעָנִי מִמַּֽעַשׂ, נִרְעַשׁ וְנִפְחַד מִפַּֽחַד יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בָּֽאתִי לַעֲמֹד וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן לְפָנֶֽיךָ עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחֽוּנִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינִי כְּדַאי וְהָגוּן לְכָךְ. לָכֵן אֲבַקֵּשׁ מִמְּךָ...מַצְלִֽיחַ דַּרְכִּי אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לַעֲמֹד וּלְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עָלַי וְעַל שׁוֹלְחָי. נָא אַל תַּפְשִׁיעֵם בְּחַטֹּאתַי וְאַל תְּחַיְּבֵם בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי. כִּי חוֹטֵא וּפוֹשֵֽׁעַ אָֽנִי. וְאַל יִכָּלְמוּ בִּפְשָׁעַי וְאַל יֵבֽוֹשׁוּ הֵם בִּי וְאַל אֵבוֹשׁ אֲנִי בָּהֶם...כִּי אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵֽעַ תְּפִלַּת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵֽעַ תְּפִלָּה:
(2) Behold, I stand here, impoverished in good deeds, perturbed and frightened in fear. Who is enthroned upon the praises of Yisrael. I have come to stand and to plead before You in behalf of Your people, Yisrael, who have appointed me their messenger; even though I am not worthy or qualified for the task. I therefore beseech You...help me succeed in the mission which I have undertaken to stand [before You] and to seek mercy for myself and for those who have appointed me. Do not hold them responsible for my sins, nor condemn them for my iniquities, as I am a sinner and a transgressor. Let them not be disgraced through my transgressions; may they not be ashamed of me, nor may I be ashamed of them....For You hear the prayers of Your people, Yisrael, with compassion. Blessed are You Who hears prayers.
Go through the Hineni prayer, and take note of any words that resonate with you. These can be words that you connect with, but also words that you feel tension with.
What is the responsibility of the Hazzan in this prayer? Why is it important that this prayer comes before the repetition of the Amidah?
Think about moments in your life when you have been in positions of ambassadorship or leadership. What was that experience like? Do any of these words connect you to those moments?
The Kohen Gadol (High Preist) and their Golden Rope:
The Zohar on Parashat Acharei Mot (67a) describes the Kohen Gadol’s preparation before entering the Kodesh Hakodashim and states that “a gold rope was tied to his leg,”
Rabbi Uri Sherki (modern day) explained:
The Kohen Gadol, upon entering the Kodesh Hakodashim on Yom Kippur, can become so overwhelmed by the spiritual that he is liable to “forget” to leave. The Zohar uses the imagery of a “rope” as a reminder to the Kohen Gadol that the Jewish people need him and he must “pull” himself back to this world after the extraordinary otherworldly experience of Yom Kippur.
Why do you think there was a rope tied around the Kohen's leg?
Think about allegorical ropes that are in your life. Are these ropes there for support? Do they restrict? Provide safety?
Imagine that you are all alone either on the Bima at Shul, or in the Holy of Holies. What would be going through your mind in that moment? How are these thoughts similar or different to you might be experiencing during services?
Yom Kippur, Adrienne Rich, 1984
For whoever does not afflict his soul through this day, shall be
cut off from his people.
—Leviticus 23:29
What is a Jew in solitude?
What would it mean not to feel lonely or afraid
far from your own or those you have called your own?
What is a woman in solitude: a queer woman or man?
In the empty street, on the empty beach, in the desert
what in this world as it is can solitude mean?