Parshas Acharei 5765

The Torah introduces the special Yom Kippur service in the Tabernacle and the role of the Kohain Gadol, the High Priest, in bringing atonement for the nation.

Part of the service involved the Kohain Gadol's entering the Holy of Holies, a place where no other person was allowed to enter the rest of the year. There he would offer a special incense offering. Although usually the Kohain Gadol would wear eight beautiful vestments, before entering the Holy of Holies he would wear only four simple garments made of white linen. The reason for this is because Ahron, the first Kohain Gadol, had had a part in the nation's sinning with the Golden Calf. It would thus be improper for him to try to atone for the nation while wearing golden garments that could serve as a "reminder" of this sin. The Rabbis explain that a "prosecutor cannot become a defender."

It is for this reason that it is customary today to wear a white kittel, or robe, on Yom Kippur. The kittel is also worn at the Seder for a slightly different reason. We celebrate freedom on Pesach; however, one must be careful not to become "drunk" with freedom until it leads him to improper behavior. The kittel, one of the shrouds in which a person is buried, serves as a sobering reminder of the responsibilities associated with freedom.

Part of the service also involved taking two goats, of which one was sacrificed and the other sent to its death in the wilderness as a "scapegoat" to bear the sins of the nation. The Kohain Gadol would also confess on behalf of the nation. Of course repentance was also necessary for complete atonement.

The Kohain Gadol would change his clothing from the regular vestments to the special linen ones a total of five times throughout the day's service. Each time he changed he had to immerse himself in water. Although we no longer have the Temple today, the fasting on Yom Kippur together with Teshuva, or repentance, still allows us to become purified through the holiness of the day.

Following the laws of Yom Kippur, the Torah forbids the consumption of blood. Although blood plays an important part in the sacrificial order on the Altar, it may not be eaten. The Torah explains that the essence of an animal lies in its blood. By eating blood a person ingests the essence of the animal, something to be avoided by a person yearning to develop his unique human character. The Torah also requires the blood of a kosher bird or non-domesticated animal to be covered with dirt immediately after slaughtering the animal. This, too, is meant to emphasize the covering of the essence of an animal before it can be eaten.

"...we search for chametz by the light of a candle ...." (Talmud Pesachim 2a)

The Steipler Rav used to say that the search for chametz is the most difficult of all mitzvos to perform. He himself would spend hours sprawled on the floor cleaning and searching every nook and cranny for chametz. He would say, "It's worth searching one's house for chametz for seventy years, just to find a piece of chametz once! May G-d protect us from transgressing with even a crumb of chametz."

The Kabbalists say that a person who is meticulous not to transgress with even a crumb of chametz during Pesach, will receive special Divine assistance not to sin throughout the entire year.

Did You Know...

The matzos on the Seder table are covered before the children recite the Mah Nishtana. This is done to arouse the children's curiosity. Similarly, whenever the cup of wine is lifted throughout the recital of the Haggadah, it is customary to cover the matzos. The reason for this is because the blessing on bread generally precedes the blessing on wine. In order to avoid "shaming" the matza while we "honor" the wine, the matzos are covered. The challahs on Shabbos are covered during Kiddush for the same reason. At all other times, the matzos should be uncovered, to emphasize that the discussion of the Exodus focuses on the matza. The matza should not be placed directly on the table until the mealtime.