Yom Kippur: Before Hashem, You Shall be Pure

The one who burned them shall wash those clothes and bathe the body in water—and after that may re-enter the camp. And this shall be to you a law for all time: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you. For on this day atonement shall be made for you to purify you of all your sins; you shall be pure before יהוה. It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall practice self-denial; it is a law for all time. The priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as priest in place of his father shall make expiation. He shall put on the linen vestments, the sacral vestments. He shall purge the innermost Shrine; he shall purge the Tent of Meeting and the altar; and he shall make expiation for the priests and for all the people of the congregation. This shall be to you a law for all time: to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year. And Moses did as יהוה had commanded him.

IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, YE SHALL AFFLICT YOUR SOULS. Since Scripture writes, And let your soul delight itself in fatness (Is. 55:2), we know that affliction is the reverse of delight and that affliction of the soul refers to fasting. Furthermore, Scripture states, And satisfy the afflicted soul (Is. 58:10), the meaning of which is like And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry (Ibid.), for it is the style of the prophets to repeat themselves. Now since we have tradition there is no reason to go on searching. I afflicted my soul with fasting (Ps. 35:13) is no proof because the word fast is mentioned. The general rule is, whenever we find in Scripture the word affliction connected to soul, the reference is to a fast.

TE’ANU’ (YE SHALL AFFLICT) YOUR SOULS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already explained — in order to silence the words of the Karaites, may their name be blotted out — that all expressions of inuy (affliction) found in Scripture together with the word “soul,” mean fasting.

לחקת עולם, as an eternal statute. The reason for the word עולם is because some people would reason that the purpose of the affliction is to expiate for sins. He who feels he has not sinned might decide that he need not submit to the afflictions either. The Torah therefore tells us that the statute is not connected to the guilt or otherwise of the individual, or even of the nation as a whole. On a more profound level, the word עולם with its connotation of something concealed is a reference to the hereafter. Our afflictions in this world have a profound effect on our wellbeing in the hereafter.

כי ביום הזה יכפר, the reason why the other factors mentioned just now are required in addition to the sacrificial service is that if the entire load of achieving atonement were to be placed on the shoulders of the High Priest this would amount only to “downgrading” of the seriousness of the sins which is what the term of כיפור is all about. The individual must prepare himself mentally for obtaining forgiveness from his Maker by these additional measures.

Rabbi Matya ben Heresh went to Rabbi Yishmael ben Elazar HaKappar in Ludkia in order to learn about the four categories of atonement. He said to him: Have you heard about the four categories of atonement that Rabbi Yishmael used to teach? He replied: I have heard of three, and that repentance is essential for each one. One verse says (Jeremiah 3:22), “Return, you wayward children, says the Eternal, and I will heal your afflictions.” And another verse says (Leviticus 16:30), “On that day, he will atone for you, to purify you.” And another verse says (Psalms 89:33), “I will attend to their transgressions with my staff, and to their sins with plagues.” And another verse says (Isaiah 22:14), “This sin will not be forgiven until you die.” How do we make sense of all these? If a person transgresses a positive commandment and then repents, he is forgiven immediately. This is what is meant by “Return, you wayward children.” If a person transgresses a negative commandment and repents, the repentance is held over until Yom Kippur atones for him, as it says, “On that day, he will atone for you.” If a person transgresses a commandment for which he incurs spiritual excommunication [karet] or death by the court, and then repents, the repentance and Yom Kippur are held over until he is cleansed through suffering. This is what is meant by “I will attend to their transgressions with my staff.” But someone who profanes the heavenly Name has no possibility of repenting and waiting for forgiveness. Suffering will not cleanse him. Yom Kippur will not atone for him. They are all held over until death comes and cleanses him. This is what is meant by “This sin will not be forgiven until you die.”

Similarly, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya taught that point from the verse: “From all your sins you shall be cleansed before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30). For transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases the other person. In conclusion, Rabbi Akiva said: How fortunate are you, Israel; before Whom are you purified, and Who purifies you? It is your Father in Heaven, as it is stated: “And I will sprinkle purifying water upon you, and you shall be purified” (Ezekiel 36:25). And it says: “The ritual bath of Israel is God” (Jeremiah 17:13). Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so too, the Holy One, Blessed be He, purifies Israel.