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Acharei
Mot “After the death”
16 APRIL
2011
Shabbat
Ha Gadol
Leviticus 16:1-18:30
Amos
9:7-15
Hebrews
9:11-28
Summary
of this week’s Torah portion:
Torah
portion begins with the statement, "After the death of Nadav and Avihu,"
then goes on to tell us that on the most holy day of the year, on Yom
Kippur, only the High Priest may enter into the Holy innermost
chamber. The Parasha continues by giving us details of the rituals of
the casting of lots for the two goats. Also included is what the High
Priest is to wear and the sin offering for himself as well as for the
people. Then we are told about not bringing in forbidden sacrifices,
and not eating or drinking blood. Further we are told not to have
deviant sexual relations.
We read
in the commentary in the Stone edition of the Chumash, telling us that
on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) had to be ready to change
his clothes often, depending what part of the Yom Kippur service he was
performing. The High Priest's clothing consisted of two sets of
vestments. One was called Begadie Zahav (golden vestments), the other
was Begadie Lavan (white vestments), which were worn only on Yom Kippur.
It is from this that the custom of wearing the Kittel began in the days
after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE (common era), or as many
would know as 70 AD. The Kittel is white and is a symbol of purity.
Thus on Yom Kippur the High Priest changed his vestments five times, as
well as immersing himself in the Mikveh every time he changed. He
washed his hands and feet ten times in the course of the day. He
certainly was clean that day!
Besides
all the ritual, change of clothes and water immersions, the High Priest
had to be prepared spiritually and physically before the day of Yom
Kippur. Rabbinic tradition stemming from the end of the second temple
period informs us that the High Priest was separated from his wife and
isolated for seven days before Yom Kippur. On the eve of the holy day it
was deemed necessary to keep him awake the whole night lest he become
ritually impure. Various things were done to keep him awake, including
reading from Holy Scripture scrolls, snapping fingers (making noise),
walk on cold floors, so forth. In other words, he was not to sleep but
be awake and be prepared for his holy work.
In
Matthew 26 starting in verse 36 we read the account in the Garden of
Gethsemane, where our Messiah went to pray taking with him Simon
(Peter), the two sons of Zebedee. Matthew tells us that he was in
sorrow to the point of death. Yeshua told his talmidim (disciples) to
remain and stay awake. But as we read they kept falling asleep, so he
rebuked them stating that they need to be awake and be prepared, for the
time is near. He said, "Stay awake for the time is at hand for me to be
betrayed!"
In the
book of Hebrews chapter 2:1 there is a warning about being negligent,
about being awake, ready to pay attention, “We must therefore pay even
more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away”
Let us
remain awake, not drift away, and see the redemption He has given us.
Be vigilant in prayers to be ready to serve Him and do His work.
Shavua
Tov
Rabbi Z
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