The Day of Atonement (Continued)
On His return to the Holy Place where he had left the vessel containing the blood of the bullock, he completed a ceremony in which he used the blood of both animals, first separately, and then mixed, to purify the veil and the holy furniture. Finally, he emptied out any excess blood at the Great Altar where finally it ran down into the brook Kidron.
The ritual continued with the dispatch of the scapegoat. He took the goat, laid his two hands upon it, and made a third confession. “O Lord, your people, the house of Israel, has committed iniquity, transgressed, and sinned before you. Forgive, O Lord, I pray, the iniquities, transgressions, and sins, which your people, the house of Israel, have committed, transgressed, and sinned before you, as it is written in the Torah of Moses, your servant, For on this day shall atonement be made for you to clean you. From all your sins shall you be clean before the Lord (Lev. 16:30).” For a third time, the priests and people prostrated themselves on hearing the Name of God pronounced, and yet again say, “Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom forever and ever.” The scapegoat was given over to the one who was to lead it out. It was taken out through the exit gate on the eastern wall. From there it was led to a place some distance from Jerusalem, where it was thrown down a ravine. Preparations had been made prior to the Day of Expiation. Tents had been set up a mile distant from each other, where some waited to accompany the man that had charge of the scapegoat. Some senior men conducted him to the first tent, where others took that responsibility and traveled with him to the second. This was repeated until they reached the tenth. From the tenth tent the goat was taken a further two miles to the rock Tsok from which it would be thrown down to its death.
After the scapegoat had left the Temple mount, the High Priest began the procedure to dispose of the carcasses of the animals that had been used as sin offerings and killed in the court of priests. They were burned ‘outside the camp’. The High Priest and the people also waited for news that the scapegoat had reached ‘the wilderness’. The message was relayed back to the Temple by the use of flags through a chain of sentinel posts, although the Mishnah also says they had another sign. R. Ishmael says, “There was a crimson thread tied to the door of the sanctuary. When the goat had reached the wilderness, the thread would turn white, as it says, Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah. 1:18).
From the elaborate ritual and the threefold confession, it is clear that the Day of Atonement was a day of solemnity when the people had to mean business with God.
The High Priest’s duties were not yet over. Having bathed again, and now clothed in fresh white apparel he went out through the great Nicanor door, and faced the people in the court of prayer (the court of women). There he was given sections of the Torah to read. The first was Leviticus 16, which describes the Day of Atonement ritual, then Leviticus 23.26-32 which again describes the activities of the Day of Atonement. The third portion (Numbers 29.7-11) which deals with the ceremonies of the Day, he repeated by heart, while holding the Torah scroll to his bosom. Then he said eight blessings over it, “… for the Torah, … for the Temple service, … for the confession, … for the forgiveness of sin, … for the sanctuary (by itself), for Israel (by themselves), … and for the priests (by themselves), and for the rest of) the Prayer”, the prayer here meaning the Shemoneh ’Esreh, the eighteen benedictions.
The High Priest now turned to the next section of the duties of the Day. He bathed again and dressed in his robes of beauty and glory, to offer burnt offerings – first for himself and his brother priests, and then for the people. With constant washing of hands and feet, and a further change of clothes into white linen garments, the High Priest recovered the instruments used for the burning of incense from the Sanctuary. Finally, dressed in his own clothes and accompanied by many friends he returned home for an evening of celebration.
At the heart of the requirements of the Day is the phrase, “you shall afflict your souls”. Mostly it is interpreted as a day of fasting. The Mishnah lists the prohibitions: “On the Day of Atonement it is forbidden to (1) eat, (2) drink, (3) bathe, (4) put on any sort of oil, (5) put on a sandal, (6) or engage in sexual relations.” To this day Rosh HaShanah is celebrated with joy while Yom Kippur is celebrated with solemnity.
More Next Time
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