This week’s reading comes under the General Torah Reading Title of “Acharey Mos,” which covers chapters 16 through 28 in the Cepher of Leviticus/Vayiqra.
Shabbat Shalom on this warm but otherwise beautiful Sabbath in the DFW.
Our reading here today is contained within 16:1-34. The primary topic is “The Day of Atonement.”
Our reading starts off with a reference to the tragic deaths of Aharon’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, as recorded in Leviticus 10:1-3 (16:1). And it seems that Yehovah put forth the content of our reading in response to their deaths. For we will find that it is Yehovah Most High who sets the parameters by which He may be worshiped. Those parameters would entail the manner and time His people may enter the Holy of Holies. The tragedy of Nadab and Abihu serves as a clear lesson and reminder of Yah’s holiness, that it is not to be taken lightly nor for granted by anyone, regardless of their rank in the congregation of Yisra’el. Furthermore, it served to accentuate in the hearts and minds of Yisra’el that there was, and remains even to this day, only ONE for man to approach Yehovah. Nadab and Abihu, regardless of their original intent, approached Yehovah in an unprescribed and unsanctioned manner, which ultimately cost them their lives.
And so, Yehovah, through His grace and steadfast mercies, had Moshe instruct Aharon, and by extension those who would follow after Aharon, that the Cohen Gadol (aka the High Priest) was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies just one time each biblical calendar year. And that assigned day was, of course, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippurim (the 10th day of the 7th Month). For Yah’s presence dwelt within the Holy of Holies, within the veil, before the Ark’s cover, in the form of a cloud above the Ark itself (16:2). Yah did not leave this critical aspect of worship to question. For He would spell out the whys and wherefores to Aharon so that there would not be a repeat of what happened to his sons.
The Manner by which the Cohen Gadol is to Enter Yah’s Presence
Because the Cohen Gadol was human and subject to his sinful flesh, his sin had first to be dealt with through the prescribed atonement sacrifices (a sin and a burnt offering). For without the proper atonement for his sins, he was not suited to address the sins of the nation and others. And so, in presenting these offerings to Yehovah, he would confess his and his family’s sins unto Yah, enunciating in the process what has been referred to by the Rabbis as Yah’s ineffable Name. (It should be understood that the prohibition against declaring (uttering) the Name of the Creator is a rabbinic invention that has served over the centuries to erase the Creator’s Name from the hearts, minds, and ears of humanity. Even to this very day, orthodox Judaism has endeavored to prevent the world from knowing His Name. This, I believe, was a sin that still today hasn’t been fully dealt with by Yehovah. For Yehovah has determined that He be known among the nation peoples of the world. And that knowing includes the world knowing His Name. Praise Yah, however, for His set-apart people who are called by His set-apart Name are endeavoring to make His Name known throughout and throughout the world. Oh, there may be some disagreement as to how Yah’s Name is pronounced, but in due time, the true and correct pronunciation of His Name will be restored to His people and to the world. The enemy’s plans to deny Yehovah to the people nations of this world are being foiled, and Yah will ultimately gain the victory.)
The Cohen Gadol was to sprinkle the blood of that sin offering with one of his fingers upon and before the Ark of the Covenant 7 times. This served to expiate his and his family’s sins.
Secondly, the Cohen Gadol had to be mikvehed and then properly attire himself in “holy garments“: Not the distinctive garments that Yehovah proscribed for him to wear for “splendor and distinction,” but simple linen garments that would be emblematic, as described by J.H. Hertz, “of the lowliness and purity of thought demanded by the Sacred Day” (Hertz; Torah and Haftarah; pg. 480). These garments were emblematic of the Cohen Gadol’s purity, as well as provided a prophetic shadow picture of Yeshua, who came to affect atonement for humanity in the humbleness of human form. It was not until that sacrifice and atonement were completed that He, like the Levitical Cohen Gadol, would be clothed in majesty, power, and glory by His Father (Hebrews 1:3).
Thirdly, before he could enter into the presence of Yehovah within the veil above the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant, the Cohen Gadol had to create a “smoke screen” of sorts with the burning of the sacred incense. The “smoke screen” would hide the manifestation of Yah from the Cohen Gadol, permitting him to continue with his purification duties within the Holy of Holies. Failure to do this would result in the death of the Cohen Gadol.
Addressing the Sins of the Congregation
Fourth, the Cohen Gadol was to offer up the prescribed sin and burnt offerings on behalf of the Congregation of Yisra’el. This included the selection of two goats that would be presented before the Tent of Meeting. Lots would be cast to determine which goat would be designated as the sin-offering to be slain on behalf of the congregation of Yisra’el. The other goat would be designated as the “Azazel,” some translations giving it the title of the “scapegoat.” Tim Hegg expounds that the deeper meaning of the title or appellation Azazel is “the goat that departs,” and by extension, “the goat that carries away evil” (Studies in the Torah–Leviticus; pg. 112).
The designated goat of the sin offering, like the blood of the Cohen Gadol’s sin offering, was to be sprinkled seven times upon and before the Ark of the Covenant to expiate the sins of the Congregation of Yisra’el.
Additionally, the two bloods (the Cohen Gadol’s offering and the goat offering for the people) that would have been collected in a basin would also be sprinkled upon the Tent of Meeting and applied to the Brazen Altar to address the impurities that would have certainly been incurred by these facilities throughout the year through its continued use.
Then the Azazel Goat, still alive at that time, was to be brought before the Holy Place and the Cohen Gadol. The Cohen Gadol would confer upon the Azazel via a solemn pronouncement and through both of his hands resting upon its head, the sins of the Congregation of Yisra’el. This is the vicarious nature of such offerings and sacrifices. The sins of a people are conferred upon an innocent animal. This conference would include sins of commission and omission, wilfully committed sins, as well as sins committed in ignorance and human error. In particular, the rebelliousness of the people was addressed in this part of the ceremony.
At the conclusion of this part of the ceremony, the Azazel was taken into the wilderness by an able-bodied man and abandoned there. The place in the wilderness had to be remote enough from the encampment of the nation that it would be impossible for it to find its way back to the camp. Symbolically, the Azazel bore upon itself the entirety of the sins of the nation. Its abandonment in the stark wilderness was symbolic of the sins of the nation being cast away, out from the sight of Yehovah. And that able-bodied man who led the Azazel into the wilderness would, upon returning to the camp, be mikvehed, after which he was readmitted into the fellowship of the congregation.
Also, the Cohen Gadol would remove his holy garments and be mikvehed.
The fat of both sin offerings would be burnt upon the Brazen Altar, while that which remained burned outside the camp in their entirety.
The burnt offerings, symbolizing peaceful communion with the Almighty, would also be burnt upon the Altar.
The Efficacy and Applicability of Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement
Yehovah Most High sanctioned and commanded that this ceremony, which became known as the Day of [the] Atonements, in the Hebrew, Yom HaKippurim, be observed in perpetuity. However, Yom haKippurim was not to be observed as an annual ceremony that was to be performed by the Cohen Gadol. The Congregation of Yisra’el had a role to play as well. In fact, it fell to the nation as a whole to “inflict their souls” on that day. The inflicting of one’s soul is commonly understood to be a complete fast (i.e., no food or water is to be consumed). Unfortunately, this fasting or abstaining from all nourishment has been the focus of many who keep this day each year. But the affliction of one’s soul goes well beyond that of a simple fast for the day. It entails, quite frankly, the affliction of one’s soul! That means not just abstaining from nourishment for the day but abstaining from all things that serve to gratify one’s flesh. It means giving up any and all things that address our perceived needs and wants for the day.
I would humbly encourage you, if you’ve not already done so, to either listen to or read my post entitled: “Getting to the Heart of Yom Kippur-Day of Atonement.” In that post, I go into stark detail about what Yehovah expects from His chosen ones as it relates to “afflicting their souls” on this holiest day of the sacred calendar year.
Thus, it fell to the entire nation to afflict their souls on Yom HaKippurim. For the various sin offerings to be of any effect, the people had to undergo solemn introspection, which was to lead to a broken heart and contrite spirit as a result of recognizing how far away they were from Yehovah’s established mark of righteousness. It was a time of confession of sin, repentance, and teshuvah. It was to involve a true and substantive change of each member’s heart and mind. Without any of these, the Day of Atonement would have no true effect upon the state of the people before Yehovah and the court of heaven.
Furthermore, Yom haKippurim was to be a day where work of any kind was prohibited. Since it was a day of complete fasting, not even food preparation was permitted.
Obviously, with the passing away of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle/Temple, and the Levitical Priesthood and her associated sacrificial system, the ceremony, as outlined in our reading here today, is no longer applicable. What does remain, in perpetuity, though, is the soul of the day itself. For Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement is to be kept and honored by Yehovah’s set-apart ones. No, it is not to be kept and honored in accordance with the various rabbinic inventions that have polluted and reduced the day to something that is nothing like that which Yehovah originally intended when He commanded His people to keep the day. Man has this uncanny tendency to take the things and ways of Yehovah and twist them in such a manner as to force those things to fit their particular whims and perspectives.
The true spirit and force of Yom haKippurim are to be found and kept from an inward perspective. That is to say that Yah’s set-apart people are to look deep within their very souls (i.e., introspection), asking Yehovah’s precious Spirit operating within them to aid them in identifying those areas of their lives needing correction and forgiveness. All manner of sin that resides in us must be exposed by the light of Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit and dealt with. Dealt with from the perspective of confessing them to Yehovah, repenting of them, asking for His forgiveness, and determining never to repeat those sins again. The fasting from nourishment on that day underscores the reality that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of Yehovah” (Deuteronomy/Devarim 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). Indeed, the Levitical High Priest has been replaced with THE High Priest of the Order of the Melchizedek, Yahoshua haMashiyach. It is through His atoning sacrifice and ongoing, intercessory work in the heavenly Mishkan that we may realize and receive full atonement for our sins and restoration to and fellowship with the Creator of the Universe (Hebrews 5:1-10).
Haftarah: Isaiah 60:15-22
A picture of the Olam Haba, the World Tomorrow, when Yisra’el will be made into the nation that Yehovah always intended for her to be.
Apostolic: Titus 3:4-7
Paul/Shaul encourages Titus to teach his charges to walk in Kingdom (i.e., good works) with the full knowledge that they have been saved through the grace of Yehovah through Yeshua Messiah.
Practical Netsari Halachah of Today’s Reading
To begin with, it must be firmly understood, in the heart and mind, and soul of the Netzer and disciple of Yeshua Messiah, and the world for that matter, that there is only ONE way for man to be united or come to Him. Despite religiosity’s attempts to establish in the minds of their members a multitudinous pathway to God, Yehovah established just one way. Back in the day of our Torah Reading, that way was through the person and exacting ministry of the Levitical Cohen Gadol/the Levitical High Priest. Although flawed and hindered by sin himself, Yehovah made provision that he, the High Priest, would be made a suitable vessel by which Yisra’el would be “at one” with Him. Now, under the auspices of the renewed covenant, the same principle of one way to Yehovah remains in effect. That one way is through the High Priest, Yeshua ha Mashiach. Yeshua not only atoned for our sin, He being without sin Himself, He also intercedes on our behalf before the Father, serving in the heavenly Mishkan/Temple. The Person and Ministry of Yeshua Messiah is the absolute, exclusive way for humanity to be at peace and commune with the Creator of the Universe.
As is beautifully illustrated in our Reading here today, and through the Person and Ministry of Yeshua, Yehovah has determined and put in place (1) the sacrifice that must be made for humanity to be reconciled unto Him and (2) the mediator/intercessor to administer that atonement. In the days of the Torah, the appointed animal sacrifices–sin and burnt–were delineated to Yisra’el by Him. Under the renewed covenant, Yeshua was determined by His Father to be the only acceptable sacrifice and officiating Priest/Intercessor to affect atonement and reconciliation between His chosen ones and Yehovah.
The smoke of the incense represents the continuous prayers–intercessions–petitions of Yah’s set-apart people, an inextricable element of atonement and communion (Revelation 8:3-4).
In terms of the High Priestly garments we discussed previously, even as they applied to the prophetic shadow picture of the earthly and heavenly mission of Yeshua Messiah, one cannot overlook that we, as Yah’s chosen ones, have been issued a set of glorious, holy, and righteous garments that we are tasked with keeping pristine in anticipation of our Master’s return (Revelation 3:4; 16:15).
The two goats that would be brought before the Cohen Gadol and the Tent of Meeting have tremendous spiritual and prophetic significance that we could spend a great more time and reading space discussing than we are allotted. But suffice it to say that they point to Yeshua as Yehovah’s choice to affect our atonement and reconciliation unto Himself. Master’s sacrifice not only atoned for our sins, but it also removed our sins from our Father’s sight. This, in conjunction with our trusting faith in Him and His Messiah, affords us His righteousness and makes us eligible for eternal life.
The point of the Azazel being led away into the wilderness, away from the nation, is to point the nation to walk in the newness of life. No longer walking in their former ways–i.e., no longer living sinful lives–but finally walking in Yah’s set-apart ways, devoid of rebelliousness and sin. Only then will Yah dwell among and within His set-apart people. Thus, we may joyfully conclude that Yeshua not only atoned for our sins, but He also removed the plight of sin from our lives so that we no longer walk in the flesh but walk in Yah’s Spirit. Sin has been overcome on all accounts and levels. This all comes as a result of Yehovah’s grace and mercy, and love for His chosen ones. Yah has done all the heavy lifting for us. It now falls to us to accept Yah’s free gift and walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Until next beloved, Shabbat Shalom, and may you be most blessed fellow saints in training.