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Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon
Into the
Inner Chamber
om Kippur is a very spe- which Yom Kippur does atone after offers an alternative route: a
cial day, the day on which teshuva. This opinion is expressed “face to face” meeting with G-d
Yatonement is granted to Am by many commentators on the Himself, a very special closeness,
Yisrael. verses in Leviticus 23, who argue which is only possible on this day.
that the atonement on Yom Kippur The significance of the Kohen’s
How does this process work? is designated for those who do entry into the Holy of Holies is
One might expect that atonement teshuva, and that the aim of the fast that it offers us the possibility of
would occur following teshuva is for people to repent (see Rabbeinu connecting to the deepest point
(repentance), but the verses don’t Bachaye, Alshich, and Seforno, to within our souls.
mention teshuva at all. name but three). For that point is pure and good in
In Leviticus 16, the first source Nevertheless, the idea that Yom every human being, inextricably
of Yom Kippur in the Torah, the Kippur can atone for our sins even bonded with G-d: “The soul You
subject is mainly what the Kohen without repentance is a particularly have given me is pure.” And that
Gadol, the High Priest, needs to interesting and significant one. internal root within Am Yisrael
do to prepare himself to enter is our special connection to the
the Holy of Holies. The Torah Almighty.
repeatedly stresses that it is his One day a year, G-d allows us to
service that atones for Am Yisrael enter into the inner sanctum, and
and allows him to enter the holiest touch the root, the source from
sanctum. There is no mention which our souls are bonded to G-d.
whatsoever of Am Yisrael having
to do teshuva for the process to And in this state, there is no room
succeed. Moreover, the sins of the for sin. All our sins are “sent to
people are cast upon the scapegoat, Azazel,” and all we have left is the
and there is no requirement for pristine bond between Am Yisrael
mass teshuva. and G-d.
Seven chapters later, the second At this zenith of individual and
time that Bnei Yisrael are Yom Kippur is the only day in the national awareness, atonement
commanded about Yom Kippur, year on which the Kohen Gadol becomes a natural consequence.
the verses focus on what the people enters the Holy of Holies, the holiest
should be doing on this day: they place on earth. The long atonement Therefore, it certainly does appear
that we really don’t need to do
should fast and refrain from work, process he performs allows him to teshuva in order to attain atonement
but again, no mention of teshuva go in there, and to meet G-d face on Yom Kippur.
or that it is a condition for the to face, so to speak. Reaching the
atonement to take effect. highest possible level of closeness Nevertheless, it makes perfect
to the Divine. So when the Kohen
Therefore, because of these verses, Gadol does go in and comes out sense that on this day, for which
we have enormous expectation, we
it is quite possible that Rebbi says “in peace, with no injury,” it is then should make full use of this once-
that “Yom Kippur atones for all that atonement is granted to the a-year opportunity to try and bring
sins in the Torah, whether a person entire people, who witness their ourselves into a state of “entry into
did teshuva or did not do teshuva” transformation through the scarlet the holiest place,” and to connect
(Yoma 85b). thread miraculously turning white.
to the deepest, purest place in our
The concept of atonement without Yes, Am Yisrael must do teshuva all souls, which is “part of G-d above.”
repentance is almost inconceivable the time. They must examine their Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach
to us, and indeed, the Gemara ways and correct their behavior on and is Content Editor for the Tanach
cites another opinion, according to a regular basis. But Yom Kippur website www.hatanakh.com/en
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