Yom Kippur

Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. It is the holiest day on the Jewish calender. It was the one day every year where the people would either get God's nod or the high priest would die.

Once a year the high priest would go into the holy of holies with a bowl of blood to intercede for the people of Israel. There were lots of preparations to be done. The people had to pray and repent (since Rosh Hashanah, ten days before). Two goats would be taken - one killed and the other sent away, symbolically carrying the sins of the people from the camp.

The high priest could not sleep the night before in case he had less than pure dreams. On the big day he wore his high priestly robe with bells around the bottom. A rope was tied around his ankle and then the scene was set. He entered into the holy of holies to confess the sins of Israel.

Sometimes God said no. To me, this is hard to understand. When God said 'no', the high priest died. When the priests in the holy part of the tabernacle and later temple, did not hear the bells anymore, they pulled him out by the rope around his ankle. I think that must have been the worst kind of rejection. The people had to wait another year before they could approach God again in this manner.

Sometimes, God said yes! Rabbi Akiba wrote that when the high priest walked out of the holy of holies, it was like the wind blowing through the trees, it was like a beautiful moonlit night. They were forgiven.

When Jesus died, the curtain to the holy of holies tore from top to bottom. God made an end to this practice. We can approach God through Jesus at any given time. We do not have to wait another year for another chance at making things right with God.

I think we have lost the reverence people once had for GOd and I certainly take a lot of things for granted. May God be with us and reveal Himself to us. May we have open hearts and open ears. May we always remember where we came from and what Jesus did for us.

Today, may we also experience the mystery of the wind blowing through the trees and a beautiful moonlit night. May we experience God's 'yes' in our lives.