About the Day of Atonement

Learning about the Jewish Celebration

By Bruce Kane |  September 21, 2009

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays, the "Sabbath of Sabbaths."

By Yom Kippur the 40 days of repentance, that begin with the first of Elul, have passed. On Rosh Hoshana  God has judged most of mankind and has recorded his judgement in the Book of Life. But he has given a 10 day reprieve.  These 10 days are observed between the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement with acts of repentance.  Not only are prayers of repentance offered to God, but acts of repentance are lived out in relationship to others and to God.  Wrongs are made right between estranged friends, stolen items are returned, debts are paid, apologies are made...  These acts help us to make our hearts right before God.
The practice of a Day of Atonement was ordained by God with Moses in Leviticus 16.  From ancient times, the need for a sacrifice for the cost of sin has been known to God's people.  As you read Leviticus 16, look carefully at the way that the scapegoat was sent away from God's presence and the community with God's people.  Here we see the institution of a substitute to pay the price of our sin.

Yom Kippur is a day of "NOT" doing. There is no blowing of the Shofar (the horn calling for the celebration of God's blessing) and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. To fast on Yom Kippur is an act signifying the seriousness of our sin and our desperate need for God's forgiving atonement.

The Five Prohibitions of Yom Kippur

  1. Eating and drinking-this to remind us of the seriousness of our sin by eliminating not only a creature comfort, but a physical need.
  2. Anointing with perfumes or lotions-in modern interpretations of this prohibition within Judaism, this is connected to a prohibition of make-up and jewelry and said to prevent us from reminding God of the golden calf at Sinai and causing Him to be angered on this important day.  The evidence suggests that this prohibition began as an additional elimination of creature comforts.
  3. Marital relation-since Yom Kippur is a very holy day, this prohibition is designed to keep our minds and our spirits focused on spiritual things.
  4. Washing-a ceremonial washing is required before the Day of Atonement and is to be protected throughout the observance.  In modern celebrations, it is said that this aligns followers with the angels in Heaven who do not eat, drink, or wash.
  5. Wearing leather shoes-This is a direct remembrance of Moses' encounters with God at Sinai.  Since atonement is directly related to our failure to keep God's holy law, we remind ourselves of the holiness of God and His law in this way.  Inside the ancient temple, shoes were completely forbidden in honor of God's holiness in the place.  So as we come before God personally for forgiveness, we remind ourselves of His holiness in a similar fashion.
While Yom Kippur is devoted to fasting, the day before is devoted to eating. According to the The Talmud the person "who eats on the ninth of Tishri (and fasts on the tenth) , it is as if he had fasted both the ninth and tenth." Prayer is also down played so that Jews can concentrate on eating and preparing for the fast.
 
In the epic celebration of the Day of Atonement, we have called for 1 week of repentance using a repentance box and a daily devotional guide dedicated to helping us see the areas in which God is calling us to a new and living way.  These are our days of repentance.  We will celebrate the Day of Atonement on a Sunday mainly for the convenience of our on-going schedule, but also in accordance to the early Christ-followers who (as recorded in Acts 20) chose the day of Christ's resurrection as their main day of worship and rest.  This will be our day of fasting, worship, rest, and relationship.
 
If you did not receive a repentance box, or a week or repentance devotional guide, contact bruce:  epic.bruce@gmail.com.  We'll get one to you as soon as possible.
 


Back