Ring H

9-13

Yom Hakippurim

Day of the Atonings

יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים

The Gate and the Guardians

Two things must be taken with absolute seriousness: Leviticus 17:11 and the presence of the Kohen Gadol (כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, High Priest). Without them, there is no atoning. Leviticus 17:11 gives the reason: “For the life (nefesh, נֶפֶשׁ) of the flesh is in the blood (dam, דָּם)... it is the blood, the living blood that is brought near (lekhapper, לְכַפֵּר).” To understand why, we begin at Eden. Mankind, male and female, once dwelt with God in the Garden (Gen. 2:15; 3:8). Then came separation, the death God had warned of, mot tamut (מוֹת תָּמוּת, Gen. 2:17), which is removal from the Presence of God. At the Garden’s east stood the keruvim (כְּרֻבִים, cherubim) and the flaming sword, lishmor (לִשְׁמֹר), “to guard” the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). The same two cherubim were set on the Aron (אָרוֹן, Ark), facing each other over the Kapporet (כַּפֹּרֶת, mercy seat), and God said He would meet Moshe “from between the two cherubim” (Ex. 25:17-22). Cherubim were also woven into the veil before the Kodesh HaKodashim (קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, Holy of Holies) (Ex. 26:31-33). The guardians at the Ark do what they did at Eden: they permit only the correct korban (קָרְבָּן, offering), brought by the High Priest, on God’s terms alone.

A Day of Life and Death

This is why Yom Hakippurim was approached with such weight. The High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies only on this day, only with blood and incense, “lest he die” (Lev. 16:2, 12-15, 34). Tradition adds that a rope was tied to him so he could be drawn out if he fell, and that he had to emerge alive as evidence that the mediation was accepted. (The rope comes from later Jewish tradition, not from Leviticus 16 itself.) The stakes were never ceremonial. They were life and death.

The Way Back Runs Through Death

Once outside the Garden, the only way back is between the two cherubim, and only the death of the righteous opens that passage. To undo the separation, it must be traversed in reverse. The priesthoods of Aaron and of Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, Gen. 14:18-20; Ps. 110:4) are shadows of the Heavenly High Priest, pointers to a greater reality (Heb. 8:1-5; 5:5-10; 7:1-3). Only He could enter “the greater and more perfect tabernacle” with His own blood (Heb. 9:11-12), into heaven itself, “now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). Only then is Eden’s barrier answered. And He “will appear a second time” (Heb. 9:28), and His appearing alive is the evidence of acceptance (Luke 24:36-43; Acts 1:3; 1 Cor. 15:3-8).

Not a New Religion, but the Pattern Fulfilled

What Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) said and did was not the birth of a new religion. It was the Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ, Anointed One) stepping into His office. “Everything written about Me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44; Matt. 5:17). Nothing was improvised. Nothing was novel. On the mountain, He stood with Moshe (מֹשֶׁה) and Eliyahu (אֵלִיָּהוּ), the Witness of the Torah and the Witness of the Prophets (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). Moshe had been told, “See that you make them according to the pattern (tavnit, תַּבְנִית) shown you on the mountain” (Ex. 25:9, 40; Heb. 8:5). This is the Tavnit made flesh.

The Pattern Was Never Broken. It Was Waiting for Him.

Every boundary, shadow and priestly act whispered His name: the enclosure of the Garden, the guardians, the Kapporet, the blood, the High Priest. He did not repair a broken system. He activated the design. Every altar, offering, garment and chamber of the Mishkan (מִשְׁכָּן, Tabernacle) was a declaration in advance (Heb. 9:1-10; 10:1). Israel prayed for God Himself to atone: “You atone for our transgressions” (Ps. 65:3 [65:4 Heb.]); “atone for our sins for Your name’s sake” (Ps. 79:9). In the fullness of time He answered, not by proxy and not by symbol, but in person (Gal. 4:4; Heb. 10:19-22). The word atone is a verb and it is about the actions of the Priest or specifically the High Priest.

Turn Back and Walk with Him

The way between the cherubim is open. T’shuvah (תְּשׁוּבָה) means to turn around, as in “Return to me” (Joel 2:12-13; Deut. 30:2, 10) and “Turn us back, Hashem, to You, and we shall return” (Lam. 5:21). Our path has always been to return to the Presence and walk with Him again (Gen. 3:8; 5:24; Mic. 6:8). On this day, the Day of the Atonings, the invitation stands.

Scripture References
Gen. 2:15, 17; 3:8, 24; 5:24; 14:18-20 · Ex. 25:9, 17-22, 40; 26:31-33 · Lev. 16:2, 12-15, 29-34; 17:11; 23:27-32 · Deut. 30:2, 10 · Ps. 65:3; 79:9; 110:4 · Joel 2:12-13 · Mic. 6:8 · Lam. 5:21 · Matt. 5:17; 17:1-8 · Mark 9:2-8 · Luke 9:28-36; 24:36-44 · Acts 1:3 · 1 Cor. 15:3-8 · Gal. 4:4 · Heb. 5:5-10; 7:1-3; 8:1-5; 9:1-12, 24, 28; 10:1, 19-22