Readings for Yom Kippur October 12, 2024
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
Morning
Torah Readings
(Traditional) First Scroll 16:1-34 Vayikra (Leviticus)
The reading describes the observance of Yom Kippur in the Wilderness. The reading actually begins with a reference to the death of Aaron's two sons, Nadav and Avihu. They were the ones who had brought "strange fire" to the altar. Why does the Parsha begin with this reminder? It is a summons for all of us to repent. If a man of Aaron's merit could not save his sons, how can any of us expect to be saved except by true repentance and God's mercy?
The reading includes a description of the service of repentance including the selection of the two goats, one for the Lord and the other for Azazel. More importantly, from our modern point of view, the reading provides the basic commandment concerning Yom Kippur; "It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves; an eternal decree." (16:31). It is interesting to note that before Aaron brings the offerings of atonement for the Israelites, he must bring his own sin-offering for "himself and his household." In other words, before he can seek forgiveness for the nation, he must seek forgiveness for himself. We see echoes of this concept when the Rabbi, Cantor, or whoever is leading the service turns to the congregation and apologizes for any harms, slights, and wrongs done on their part during the past year. If we do not seek forgiveness we cannot be forgiven. And the first step towards being forgiven is to forgive others.
(Traditional) Second Scroll/29:7 -11
Bamidbar (Numbers)
The reading describes the sacrifices brought to the Temple on the Day of Atonement.
(Reform) 29:9-14 & 30:11-20
Devarim (Deuteronomy)
Reform Judaism does not look to a return to the sacrificial system in any sense of that term. Therefore, Reform Jews do not see value in reading the above Chapter of Leviticus since it deals with Yom Kippur in terms of the sacrificial system. Instead Reform Jews read a section of Deuteronomy from the Farewell Address of Moses to the Children of Israel. The reading stresses the importance of Israel being loyal to God which will ensure God's loyalty to the Jewish people. It serves as a reminder that the Covenant with Abraham is for all times. This formulary for the redemption of the Jewish people is the key to redemption for the individual Jew.
Haftarah
57:14-58:14 Isaiah
The Man/The Book: This reading comes from "The Second" Isaiah or the Isaiah of the Exile. We know nothing about who the author is. We do not even know if it is a man or a woman. From internal references to certain historic events, it is safe to assume that the author lived in Babylonia when Cyrus the Great of Persia was advancing from the east and the Babylonian Exile was about to end.
The Message: The haftarah is a literary masterpiece as well as a magnificent message of morality. No summary can do it justice. This is one you should read aloud on your own. Through Isaiah, God decries our hypocrisy. How can our fasting and affliction have meaning if we do not feed the hungry and ensure that we live in a just society? The prophet is not attacking ritual. He concedes the need for ritual. But ritual without appropriate behavior is, to say the least, hypocritical. However, once our righteous behavior is united with appropriately performed ritual, God will raise us up and we will be redeemed.
Theme-Link: The link is with the holiday. When we hear these words, it is mid-day. We have been fasting for about twelve hours. Our bellies are beginning to feel hunger as we read, "Why did You not see when we fasted? We afflicted ourselves but You ignored it." And through the growing haze of hunger we hear God answer, "Because on your fast days you sought out personal desires and you oppressed all whom you aggrieved! Because you fast with grievance and strife and strike with a wicked fist; YOU DO NOT FAST AS BEFITS THIS DAY…" In other words, while we may ask for forgiveness on the Day of Atonement, we can actually attain forgiveness by acting in the manner described in these verses. Yom Kippur is called the Sabbath of Sabbaths. At the end of the haftarah, the prophet tells us that the ultimate redemption will come when Jews properly observe the Sabbath as described in these verses; the key to having our prayers heard on the Sabbath of Sabbaths is observing the Sabbath.
Yom Kippur (Afternoon)
Torah Readings
(Traditional) 18:1-30 Vayikra (Leviticus)
The readings emphasize the importance of the family and marriage while condemning incest and adultery. According to one commentator, the reading was chosen to remind the ancient Israelites not to engage in lewd conduct following the High Priest's annual visit to the Holy of Holies, which took place on Yom Kippur. Rashi says, "Since all people are subject to strong passions from time to time, they should hear this chapter and repent in case they have sinned this manner." Tosafos offers two views. "Women adorn themselves and attend the synagogue on Yom Kippur, therefore this chapter is intended to caution against frivolity. The reading is an implied prayer: Just as we are cautioned not uncover physical nakedness, so we beseech God not to disclose the moral nakedness of our sins."
(Reform/Alternative Traditional) 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-37
Leaders of the Reform Judaism did not feel that the traditional text spoke appropriately on these matters in the context of modern times. Instead, they chose readings from portions of Chapter 19 which contains what is commonly referred to as "The Holiness Code." At the risk of injecting a personal opinion, regardless of one's background, the Morning and Afternoon Torah readings chosen by the Reform Movement are far more uplifting than those that are read in Traditional services. Before you criticize the comment, read them all and see to what conclusion you come. Some Conservative Congregations use this reading as well, including the “Downstairs Minyan” at Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Haftarah
1:1-4:11 Jonah
The Man/The Book: The Book of Jonah consists of 48 verses divided into four chapters. The book is read in its entirety on Yom Kippur. What is presented is a mere tip of the "Jonah iceberg." One can study this material for years and still not have drained it of all of its meaning. Contrary to popular belief, there really was a prophet named Jonah. The Second Book of Kings refers to Jonah the son of Amittai as a prophet who lived during the reign of Jeroboam II. This would mean the events described in the Book of Jonah took place in the early half of the eighth century (BCE). But there is no proof that this historic figure is the author of the Book of Jonah. According to some critics, the book was written three hundred years later, after the fall of the First Temple. Jewish sages and leaders are noted for their modesty. For example, the last portion of the Book of Isaiah was written by an unknown author who may have appended his or her writings to those of the famous prophet to ensure that they would get a proper hearing from the people. An unknown fifth century author may have named his work after a prophet known to the Jewish people. Or, he may have called the book Jonah because the Hebrew word Jonah means Dove and the word Dove is used to represent the Jewish people in other Biblical sources. This rendering for the name of the book would be especially appropriate if the book is read as an allegory where Jonah is representative of the Jewish people. The book may also be read as parable. It is unlikely that the events of Jonah took place as described and therefore few read it as an historic testament.
The Message: While everybody thinks they know the story, they would do well to read it so that they will know what it really says. Jonah did not go through all that he did so that he would learn that God was the God of all mankind. He did not go through it so that he would learn that God would forgive the penitent Gentile. He already knew these things, which is why he ran away. Jonah did not want to be the agent of the redemption of people whom he did not think were worthy of redemption. More to the point, he begrudged them this salvation. Read as an allegory, Jonah is the Jewish people and God is teaching two lessons. First, the Jews cannot hide from their role as those who carry God's message to the world. Second, nobody has the right decide whom God will forgive. There are others, but this will at least give you something to think about as the late pangs of hunger gnaw at you while waiting for the final blowing of the Shofar.
Theme-Link: The theme link is with the holiday, not the Torah reading. The obvious link has to do with the concepts of penitence and redemption which are appropriate for Yom Kippur. But what are the keys to redemption for the Jews? When the crew comes to Jonah and seeks his identity he tells them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, God of heaven...." So the first key to redemption for the Jew is to be a Jew. Then when they asked what they should do to end the storm (or save the world) Jonah tells them to throw him overboard. No, this does not mean that killing Jews is the key to redemption. Rather, it means that involvement, being part of the world as a Jew is a second key to redemption. Finally there is the matter of the gourd. Jonah loves that gourd (God's protection) when it is shading him. And he gets angry when the gourd dies. And herein lies a third key to redemption for the Jew. The Jew needs to work to see that all people enjoy protection of the Lord in order to ensure his own redemption. As the prophets taught, God will judge us based on how we treat the widow, the fatherless and the stranger in our midst. According to Elie Wiesel as quoted by Rabbi Telushkin, Jonah is read on Yom Kippur because it teaches the lesson "that nothing is sealed." ''The will of God itself may change. Even though punishment has been programmed it may be cancelled...every human being is granted one more opportunity to start his life all over again." The same author citing the same source says that Jonah presents the archetype of the Jew's mission in that "Jonah's task is to bring God's word to the Gentiles without ceasing to be Jewish."
Haftarah (concluding verses)
7:18-20 Micah
The Man: Very little is known about Micah, the sixth of the Minor Prophets. Based on the text, he was from a small town in the southern kingdom of Judah. He lived in the second half of the 8th century BCE which he means he was a younger contemporary of the famous prophet Isaiah. He preached his message in Israel, the northern kingdom, as well as in Judah. He lived at a time of political peril due to the rise of Assyria. He also lived at a time of moral peril as the society began to show great disparities of wealth between the haves and the have-nots. Micah was the first to prophesy concerning the destruction of the Temple as punishment for the people's iniquity. He is most famous for the lines "It hath been you, 0 man, what is good and what the Lord doth require of thee: Only to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.”
The Message: These are the last three verses of the Book of Micah. At one and the same time the prophet is describing God's merciful nature and predicting the manifestation of that merciful nature at the time of the final redemption.
Theme-Link: It is customary for the reading from the Prophets to end on a positive note. Since the tone of Jonah may be classified as somber, the reading from Micah is added. Its message of God's faithfulness and mercy certainly is uplifting. But why choose these three verses as opposed to any of the other three verses found in the Prophets? First, there is the matter of symmetry. These three verses are the same three verses that end the haftarah we read a few days ago on Shabbat Shuvah. Then, verses 18 and 19 are read during the Tashlich ceremony performed on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the holiday that began the penitential season. Verse 19 even says "v'tashlich" and he will "cast out" all our sins. In other words, we end as we began ten days ago, asking God to be merciful, to help us cast out our sins so that we may fulfill His true purpose for us.
Food for
Thought
Since we will not be eating during Yom Kippur, here are few comments about the customs and ceremonies of the day. This is not an all inclusive list; nor is there any pretention to scholarship or originality.
What's in a Name?
The Torah refers to the holiday as "Yom (ha-) Kippurim or "The Day of Atonement," "Shabbat Shabbaton" or "the Sabbath of Sabbaths" and "a Sabbath of solemn rest." (Leviticus 23:27, 23:32 and 25:2). The Talmud calls it "Yom ha Din" or the "Day of Judgment." Each of these names brings to mind different concepts of what this day has come to mean. In yet another twist, Ashkenazim call this "Yom Kippur" or "the Day of Atonement" while Sephardim simply refer to it as "Kippur:”
Abstinence
Usually Judaism calls for moderation as opposed to total abstinence. Yom Kippur is an exception. Traditionally males over the age of 13 and females over the age of 12 are required to fast unless the fast threatens one's health. Additionally, traditional Jews abstain from activities of physical pleasure including marital relations, using cosmetics and washing except for one's hands and face. These acts of abstinence are intended to help us focus on the spiritual aspect of our lives and to strip away the material and superficial world in which we dwell. Traditional Jews also abstain from wearing leather shoes (and in some cases leather belts as well.) It is difficult to ask that our lives be spared when we adorn ourselves with items produced by the taking of life.
Break-The-Fast
A charming custom has developed in many communities of a communal break-the-fast. Instead of everybody rushing out into the night to eat after the long fast, congregations would serve a simple repast which helped to reinforce the sense of community that had developed during the Ten Days starting with Rosh Hashanah. Some commentators fear that the breaking of the fast has come to eclipse the fast itself. As the meals have become more elaborate, people actually are leaving services early to prepare the food. Since the idea of fasting is not to sit around thinking about "not eating" and since we want the Gates of Heaven to remain open to the last minute so God will hear all of our prayers they are worried about what seems to be a reversal of priorities.
Tallit
Normally the Tallit is worn during Shacharit or the Morning Service. On Yom Kippur the Tallit is put on in the evening at Kol Nidre and is worn until the end of the observance on the following evening. While the Yom Kippur observance is divided into five discrete services - Evening (including Kol Nidre), Morning, Mussaf (Additional), Afternoon and Ne'ilah (Closing) - it is really one seamless, 26 hour event.
Color Scheme
There are many who see Yom Kippur as a mournful event with all of its references to sin and the oft repeated possibility of death. In Western society, people would wear black. But Jews choose to adorn their houses of worship in white ceremonial items and to wear ritual garments that are white. According to some, it is done in the hope that God will see the pureness of our intentions even when our deeds fall short of the mark. According to others, Jews wear white because they are the eternal optimists - God will hear our prayers; we will be forgiven; we will get another chance.
Teshuvah
The Hebrew word for Repentance is teshuvah, which actually means to return. We repent by returning to Torah. The Torah reading for Yom Kippur describes the key role of Aaron in the atonement process. We know that Aaron was capable of some major sins. This may be a reminder that even the greatest leader can sin. Yet his sins do not invalidate the teachings of which he is a part. Torah transcends us all and its teachings are of great value no matter what the shortcomings of those who teach it.
Chet
The Hebrew chet is not synonymous with the word sin. Rather it means to miss the mark, as in missing the bull's eye on target. The target in this case is the observance of the mitzvoth. Teshuvah enables us to overcome chet.
Greetings
On Yom Kippur we shift from "Leshanah tovah tkatevu" which means, "May you be increased for a good year" as in being written into the book of life to G'mar Simcha Tova, may we be sealed for a good year. According to the sages, on Rosh Hashanah the decree is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed. The sealing does not take place until the last moment when the Gates of Heaven close at the end of Ne'ilah (the Concluding Service).
Forgiveness
How do we know if we have been forgiven for our sins? If we have the opportunity to commit the sin again and we do not, we have been forgiven. Why is this response the answer to the question? According to some, genuine repentance means we have changed. If we have changed "in our heart" the change will show in our behavior.
Shofar
Unlike on Rosh Hashanah, the Shofar is sounded only once after the recitation of the sevenfold proclamation "the Lord, He is God!" words taken from I Kings 18:39. The sounding of the Shofar signals the end of the fast. In ancient times, the arrival of the Jubilee Year would also be signaled by the sounding of the Shofar on the appropriate Days of Atonement. According to some, the sounding of the Shofar presents the greatest possible challenge to the persons charged with this task since they must do so after fasting for 26 hours and they only get one chance to hit the "high note."
Yizkor
Yizkor, the memorial service, is customarily recited after the Torah service. Yizkor means "May (God) Remember." As developed by the Ashkenazim, with modern additions, the service includes memorial prayers for parents, other family members, close friends, the martyrs of Roman times, those who perished during the Shoah and those who have died in defense of the state of Israel. Yizkor is recited by both men and women. There is a custom that those with two living parents leave during Yizkor. Apparently this practice grew out of a superstition that leaving would avert the "gaze of the evil eye” from falling on the living parents.
Unetanneh Tokef
This haunting Piyyutt which, according to our tradition was written over a thousand years ago by Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, is one of the best known parts of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Its haunting motif of the heavenly Shepherd deciding “Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die” encapsulates much of our thought during the Days of Awe. For those who find these words a bit sterile, you might want to listen to “Who By Fire” by the Canadian Leonard Cohen. If Rav Amnon can’t make you feel the meaning of today, maybe this grandson of Rabbi Solomon Klonitsky-Kline can.
Who By Fire
Lyrics by Leonard Cohen
And who by fire, who by water,
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time,
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial,
Who in your merry merry month of May,
Who by very slow decay,
And who shall I say is calling
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate,
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,
And who by avalanche, who by powder,
Who for his greed, who for his hunger,
And who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident,
Who in solitude, who in this mirror,
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand,
Who in mortal chains, who in power,
And who shall I say is calling?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQTRX23EMNk
Yom Kippur in Recent History
10th of Tishrei, 5606 (October 11, 1845): On Yom Kippur Jews held their first organized religious services in Chicago as a minyan gathered above a dry goods store owned by a Jew. It was also Shabbat.
10th of Tishrei, 5624 (September 23, 1863): On Yom Kippur, following the Battle of Chickamauga in which he and his 79th Indiana Infantry had fought with distinction, General Frederick Knefler along with the rest of the Union forces under the command of General Rosecrans took up defensive positions in Chattanooga, TN.
10th of Tishrei, 5674 (October 11, 1913): On Yom Kippur, 26 year old philosopher Franz Rosenzweig who was planning on following in the footsteps of his cousin and converting to Christianity attended services at an Orthodox Synagogue in Berlin. In a change of heart that continues to confound many to this day, Rosenzweig’s time at prayer led him to later declare that conversion “for me is impossible now. I remain a Jew.”
10th of Tishrei, 5678 (September 26, 1917): On Yom Kippur, during World War I, the Jews of New York pledged more than $350,000 to the $10,000,000 relief fund which was being raised to alleviate the suffering of Jews in war torn Europe.
10th of Tishrei, 5684 (September 23, 1923): On Yom Kippur, Officer Blum from Safed failed to answer a summons because he assumed he would be accused because of the holiday. He was wrong and would be sentenced to fourteen days for his failure.
10th of Tishrei, 5695 (September 19.1934): On Yom Kippur, power hitter Hank Greenberg did not play even though his Detroit Tigers were locked in a tight race for the American League Pennant.
10th of Tishrei, 5704 (October 9, 1943): On Yom Kippur, in Anconcia, a Catholic priest, Don Bernadino, warned the local Rabbi, Elio Toaff, of the impending deportation of the Jewish population. The Jews went into hiding, most of them being sheltered by Christian families. Only ten Jews would be caught and deported and one of them survived the war.
9th of Tishrei, 5707 (October 4, 1946): Erev Yom Kippur, President Harry Truman gave a speech in which he asked that immigration barriers be lowered, allowing more Holocaust survivors to come to America and announced that the U.S. government would support a “viable Jewish state in an adequate area of Palestine.”
10th of Tishrei, 5709 (October 13, 1948): As the Jews of Israel observed Yom Kippur for the first time in a Jewish state, the sound of battle echoed around Jerusalem and the IDF finalized plans that would drive the Egyptians from the Negev.
10th of Tishrei, 5724 (September 28, 1963): On Yom Kippur, in response to a request from the Synagogue Council of America, rabbis delivered sermons that emphasize "the grave situation" confronting Jews living in the Soviet Union.
10th of Tishrei, 5724 (September 28, 1963): On Yom Kippur, “Whaam!,” now considered Jewish pop artist Roy Lichtenstein's most important work, debuted at an exhibition held at the Leo Castelli Gallery.
10th of Tishrei, 5726 (October 6, 1965): Super Southpaw Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers did not pitch in the first game of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins because game day fell on Yom Kippur.
10th of Tishrei, 5734 (October 6, 1973): The start of Yom Kippur; Egyptian and Syrian forces attacked Israel on Yom Kippur (it also was Shabbat). The three weeklong war proved to be a costly victory for the heavily out-numbered Israelis since it resulted in 2,656 killed and 7,250 wounded.
9th
of Tishrei, 5770 (September 27, 2009): “The Islamic Republic of Iran
announced it would conduct war games and fire missiles capable of hitting
Israel while Jews around the world were praying. The Revolutionary Guard’s website said that
the simultaneous firing of missiles at targets would “raise the deterrence
capability of the Iranian armed forces” and noted it had a new missile that
could reach Israel. No missiles were
fired although Israeli defensive forces had to stay on alert rather than spend
time with their families.
This
year we mark the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Massacre when Arab terrorists
violated the peace of the Olympics and murdered 11 innocent Israeli
athletes. On this Yom Kippur we recall
the names of:
Mark Slavin, 18, Wrestler;
Eliezer Halfin, 24, Wrestler;
David Berger, 28, Weightlifter;
Ze'ev Friedman, 28, Weightlifter;
Yossef Romano, 31, Weightlifter;
Andre Spitzer, 27, Fencing coach;
Moshe Weinberg, 33, Wrestling coach;
Amitzur Shapira, 40, Track coach;
Yossef Gutfreund, 40, Wrestling referee;
Yakov Springer, 51, Weightlifting judge;
Kehat Shorr, 53, Shooting coach.
May their memory always be for a blessing - zichronum livracha.
51st
Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War 5734 (1973) - A Remembrance, Not a History
On
Yom Kippur, 10th of Tishrei, 5734 (October 6, 1973), Egyptian
artillery began firing at the Bar Lev Line (10,500 shells in the first sixty
seconds) and 200 Egyptian aircraft bombed three Israeli airfields as 32,000
troops of what would become a 90,000 assault force successfully crossed the
Suez Canal. Bearing the brunt of this
attacked was The Bar Lev Line, which was manned by approximately 500 members of
the IDF. At the same time 1,200 Syrian
tanks attacked in the north where they met by two brigades supposedly numbering
180 tanks. As desperate as the situation
was in the South, at least the Israelis had room to maneuver in the Sinai. In the north, there was no room; if the IDF
did not hold, the Syrians would roll right to the coastal plain and, as we have
proof positive from current events, make good on the threats to slaughter the
Jews. For the story of how the Israelis
pulled victory from the jaws of defeat you can read the Yom Kippur War by
Abraham Rabinovitch. For a sense of the
chaos as seen by the soldiers on the ground, you should read Adjusting Sites
by Haim Sabato. When the war ended 19
days later on the 29th of Tishrei (October 25), 2,687 Israelis had
been killed and 7,251 were wounded. As
we sit in the synagogue 40 years later, we should be paying tribute to the
brave soldiers of the IDF such as Motti Ashkenazi who was among those who bore
the brunt of the assault on the Bar Lev Line, and Natan Shunari and Ran
Sarig. The latter two were part of the
120 men from Beit Hashita, a Kibbutz in the Jezreel Valley, who went off to
fight. Eleven of them, including Yosef
Sarig and Moshe Shunari did not return. Beit
Hashita suffered “the highest per captia loss of any Israeli community. For
more about Beit Hashita and how it copes with the loss see http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-yom-kippur-melody-spun-from-grief-atonement-and-memory/. We are defined as much by what we forget as
what we remember. On this Yom Kippur we,
the living, owe it to the dead, to remember their lives and commit ourselves to
living lives that are worthy of their sacrifice.
Copyright, October 2024; Mitchell A. Levin
No comments:
Post a Comment