The Torah reading for
Yom Kippur morning describes the service performed on this day by the
Kohen Gadol (high priest) in the
Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
A special feature of the Yom Kippur service was the
casting of lots over two he-goats -- equal in age, size and appearance -- to determine which shall be
offered to G-d in the Holy Temple, and which shall be dispatched to carry off the
sins of Israel to the
wilderness.
The climax of the service was when the
Kohen Gadol entered the innermost chamber in the Temple, the "
Holy of Holies." Wearing special garments of
pure white linen, the
Kohen Gadol would enter the sacred place with a pan of
burning coals in his right hand, and a ladle containing an exact handful of
ketoret in his left. Inside the Holy of Holies, he would place the
ketoret over the coals, wait for the room to fill with its aromatic smoke, and hastily retreat from the holy place.
"This shall be an everlasting statute for you," the Torah reading concludes. "...For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G-d...
once a year."
During the afternoon Minchah service, we read chapter 18 of Leviticus, which details the prohibitions against incest and other deviant sexual behaviors. The Torah reading is followed by a
haftorah (reading from the Prophets) which tells the
story of Jonah -- the prophet who was sent to prophesy the destruction of the sinful city of Ninveh, ran away from G-d, was
swallowed by a fish, and learned the power of
prayer and
repentance to evoke G-ds mercy and annul the harshest decrees.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario