Yom Kippur 5787/5951/2026
Leviticus 16 provides complete details for Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement.
Numbers 29:7-11 focuses on the sacrificial aspects of Yom Kippur.
Numbers 29:7-11 On the tenth day of this seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you shall humble yourselves; you must not do any work. Present as a pleasing aroma to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with the bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs. Include one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
Leviticus 23:26-32 addresses the concept of Sabbatical rest.
Leviticus 23:26-32 Again the LORD said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. You shall hold a sacred assembly and humble yourselves, and present a food offering to the LORD. On this day you are not to do any work, for it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. If anyone does not humble himself on this day, he must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on this day. You are not to do any work at all. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live. It will be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall humble yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to keep your Sabbath.”
Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement is celebrated on Tishri 10th. It is the last day of the 40 day period of Teshuvah or repent in the Hebrew.
This holiday is viewed at the holiest day of Judaism. The day is a Sabbath day of rest. Yom Kippur is the only day a fast is required. The day begins at sun down.
This is the busiest day of the year for the high priest with multiple animal sacrifices. Sacrifices of a bull, ram, and a goat occur.
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest was kept awake during the dark of the night. The high priest was dressed in a white robe. The priest makes a sacrifice for himself and for the nation of Israel. Yom Kippur is the day the high priest came into the inner sanctuary of the temple to make sacrifices on behalf of the nation of Israel. He is the only person allowed into the inner sanctuary. This day is the only day the high priest is allowed in the inner sanctuary. He entered the highest holy place with incense and coals. The incense was burned. Next, the recovered blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat, the top of the Ark of the Covenant.
The beginning for the Day of Atonement in 2026 is calculated at sundown Sunday, September 20th and ends the next day, Monday evening, September 21st. This date could be determined by the confirmation of the new moon 10 days earlier. The Essenes mark the date as Friday, September 25th through the next day.
As of today, who is our High Priest? The book of Hebrews connects the dots.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
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