We spent Yom Kippur in a beautiful little town in the territory of Benjamin in the region of Judea & Samaria, Israel (also known as ‘The West Bank‘). Our group consisted of some who had never kept Yom Kippur before, even those who might not have ever even heard of or thought of Yom Kippur to those who have been keeping the day for years – and all stages in between. It was a great day! On Erev Yom HaKippurim our group spent a lot of time discussing the issue of covering and the husband/father’s role as the covering over his family. The young men in the group had wonderful questions and comments to add to the conversation and it was truly a blessed time. Part way through our study time together it occurred to me that many in our group might not be aware that The Day Of Atonements can also be translated as The Day Of Coverings, and when this was addressed it tied in all of our conversation which some seemed to think was unrelated to this High Holy Day. It was truly wonderful how HaShem works things together!
In the morning I woke with the sun with many thoughts on my mind. I write them down and thought I’d share them here if for no other reason that for my own safe-keeping. But I’d love to hear the thoughts of my friends too, you know how I love learning through dialogue!
Morning Thoughts on Leviticus 16
The Nadab and Abihu incident is how this portion opens up. It is a reminder that our G-d is a consuming fire and to approach Him flippantly or inapproprately is dangerous.
Aaron covers himself and his household – all the Levites. He is Cohen HaGadol and stands as the representative of not only his own family but his household. He is dressed more humbly today than any other day even though this is the day he does special work. It is only after he and his household are covered and cleansed that he can begin the work of covering & cleansing the nation. First is the sin offering of the bull’s blood and the associated prayers and incense brought into the inner sanctuaries for himself. Incense goes first on the coals in the firepan to fill the room. It is said that HaShem is present only in the smoke from the incense above the Ark. This is His presence in our prayers. Next comes the blood of the sin offering for himself and his household. It is critical that our leaders, our priests, be covered and pure before beginning to address anyone else’s defilement, even that of their own household. Once the work for his household (the Levites) is complete, he can then begin to address the defilement of the nation and the proselytes (the ger toshav).
The sin offering for the people is a goat. The same is done with the sacrificial goat for the people as was done with the bull for Cohen HaGadol and his household. Verse 16 specifies “inadvertent misdeeds” and that the tent remains with them even while they are unclean. Yom HaKippurim is about the physical cleansing after a time of deep soul searching and spiritual cleansing. Cohen HaGadol does this work in the Tabernacle/Temple alone. When he is finished with the sacrifices and the sprinkling and the incense, the goat for Azazel is prepared. On the head of the goat for Azazel he lays his hands and thereby he transfers the identity of the people onto the goat. The goat now stands in the place of the people. This goat carries away the sin and uncleanness of the people, taking them out of the camp never to return. This reminds me of the tashlich ceremony – the casting away of our sins with permanence. You cannot retrieve your tashlich stones and you cannot retrieve and revive the goat for Azazel. Just the same, on that Great Day we will be unable to retrieve the record of our sins that is cast into the sea (Micah 7:19).
When the work of Cohen HaGadol is complete, he returns to his fine clothes, his regular daily attire with the vestments and the bells. Until now he has been wearing only a 4 piece outfit of pure white linen. Now he dresses in his regular 8 piece outfit arrayed in splendor. He did his work in a state of purity and humility, wearing fine while linen (which symbolizes the righteousness of the saints).
Fasting on Yom Kippur is throughout this portion, but you have to have eyes to see. Here we see the humility and strength of our Cohen HaGadol as well as his righteousness. He is to be the ultimate tzaddik. He is our covering because this is the order that HaShem has set in place for His people. He is to be our example, the one we look to. The humility and strength we observe on Yom HaKippurim is tangable with fasting. Fasting is always connected with humility and prayer. Humility is always associated with strength. When we afflict our souls, we become most humble. Of course we can go through the motions of fasting and not be humbled in our souls and this is when Yom HaKippurim becomes a burden to us and to HaShem. This day is intended and designed to be a joy and a day to look toward with reverent awe – not dread.
Each year we have the opportunity to prepare ourselves as individuals and as a community for judgement. We can (or could) bring our sin offerings to HaShem anytime, but this is a day set aside specifically for community covering and cleansing. This includes the proselyte – the ger toshav.
We have spent the last 40 days doing spiritual housecleaning, making restitution for our crimes and seeking forgiveness from our fellows as we have extended forgiveness to our fellows. We remember that we will be forgiven measure for measure – “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Remember that the Master taught us about prayer and forgiveness here in Matthew just after He spoke about our standing at the alter and remembering that our brother has something against us that we must stop right there and make amends first before we continue with our sacrifice. Have you ever noticed that that He combines these teachings of forgiveness, yeshivah and fasting? Our humility is of great value as are our relationships with our brothers and our King. We have spent the last 10 days of these 40 days repairing the breech between ourselves and our G-d by doing teshuvah. Now we are prepared for our outer cleansing – the mikvah and the covering of the blood. Today we become totally clean, white as snow. But because we continually fail, our fine white linen garments, our righteousness, becomes spotted once again and our filth piles up. Because HaShem cannot dwell in the midst of filth, he made a way to cleanse the camp, to cleanse the nation. It is because of this that we can continue to draw near to HaShem.
Do you see now how Yeshua fills the role of Cohen HaGadol in the heavenly tabernacle for us? The analogies of Messiah being a lamb are not about our covering and cleansing of sin, the sin offering is to be a goat. The blood of the lamb saves us from destruction, like at Pesach. Messiah is the One Who brings us to HaShem through His perfect/complete work in the Heavenly Tabernacle on our behalf. He is our tzaddik, our Cohen HaGadol, the One in Whom there is no sin and no defilement. His work was perfect/complete once and for all in the Heavenly Tabernacle, not needing to be repeated. We, however, are still earthbound and require continual covering – atonement. Until That Day – the Great Day of Judgement prior to the World to Come, we will continue to require daily forgiveness of sin, covering and regular cleansing. Messiah did not do away with this day through His work, He only has done it completely/perfectly for all time to come so that when that time comes, we would understand. Once we reach “eternity” there seems to be no more need for the Day of Atonements/Coverings (as it appears to be in Ezekiel) because HaShem and His Prince will dwell among a people who are pure and holy, when no longer will each man teach his neighbor saying ‘know the L-RD’ because they will all know Him, from the smallest to the oldest.
In seeing the significance of the incense, which is our prayers, in the day of Yom HaKippurim, we can see why the Jewish people willingly spend so much of the day in corporate prayer. They are spending the day in worship and awe. We would do well to humble ourselves (fast) and pray as well.
I apologize if my thoughts ramble and don’t weave together very well, I copied what I wrote and made only a few edits. Besides, it was what was working itself through in my mind, so it all made sense at the time. ;)
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