Purpose of the Service of Vayikra 16/2
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Version as of 05:43, 14 June 2018 by Dani.Ritholtz (talk | contribs)
The Yom Kippur Service: People or Place
Exegetical Approaches
Atonement for the People
The main focus of the service was to achieve Atonement for all of Israel. Any part of the service that has to do with purification of the Mikdash is just a means to the ends of Atonement
Sources:R. Saadia Gaon,
Why start with Nadav and Avihu? To achieve atonement for the people, it is required for Aharon to go into the Holy of Hollies. Since according to R. Saadia Gaon (verify this) explains that Nadav and Avihu were killed for going into the Holy of Hollies, Hashem used them as an example for what could happen if you go into the Holy of Hollies without the accompanying service.
What sins are being atoned for? The atonement from the service is for all of the sins of Israel.
Is the purification for the people or the place? The purification is for the people exclusively. Any reference to purifying the Kodesh or any part of the Mikdash is not to be understood as purifying the place or objects themselves; instead these objects are facilitating the atonement through the service of the day.
Purification of the Temple
The main focus of the service is to purify the Mikdash from impurity. All issues that deal with atonement are just a byproduct of rectifying the impurity in the Mikdash.
Why start with Nadav and Avihu? Since the death of Nadav and Avihu caused the Midash and certain utensils to be impure, there is a need to purify them through this service.
What Sins are being atoned for? It depends on whether the impurity is a Halakhic or Metaphoric:
- Metaphoric - There must be atonement for all the sins of Israel that are causing the Mikdash to be impure.
- Halakhic - There is only atonement for sins directly dealing with the impurity of the Mikdash, i.e., Making the Mikdash impure, eating sacrifices in an impure state, etc.
Is the purification for the people or the place? The purification is for the Mikdash that has become impure. Any reference to the atonement of Israel's sins is a means to purify the temple.
Is there greater atonement on Yom Kippur? The biggest issue with the approach that the whole service was for a purification of the Mikdash is one of the last verses in the chapter (16:30):
כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי י"י תִּטְהָרוּ.
For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before the Lord.
The impression is that there is atonement for all of the sins of Israel, even beyond impurity in the Mikdash. The approach of most of the commentators on this issue is that the day of Yom Kippur itself causes the atonement, and not the service done in the Mikdash to purify it. This approach is supported by the fact that any mention of the service having to do with Yom Kippur is in verse 29, seemingly describing the service as separate to any day, and then legislating that It will be done on Yom Kippur once a year.A Greater Purpose
Both purifications of the Mikdash and Atonement for the people are only a part of a greater whole which is the real reason for the Yom Kippur service.
Sources:R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Ralbag
