Explaining the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur

AlwaysGrateful

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 2:43 pm

I've been really enjoying Ishay Ribo's "Seder Ha'avodah" and finding it inspirational.

But part of me has been playing with the images mentally and I feel like I never really learned what it all means.

I've tried doing a quick search online, but didn't come up with much. Has anyone heard a dvar torah on the Kohen Gadol's avodah on YK? Or learned something about it that connected it to us?

Why did he change back and forth so many times? Why did he sprinkle the blood like that? What does that say about how we're supposed to gain atonement, what the process of teshuva is like?

I'd like something inspirational. Not just a technical reason for why he had to wear a certain type of clothing, but a deeper meaning.

Anyone?

amother

Lightgray

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 3:30 pm

Check out Mafarshim on Chumash- I believe it's Parshat Acharei
Not only pshat, lso those with deeper dimension

AlwaysGrateful

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 3:47 pm

I would love to. The stage of life I'm in doesn't allow for much time for this, though. (Even though I BH do have the skills for it, and would enjoy it.) If someone would tell me to look at the Kli Yakar on Passuk beis, for example, I'd be happy to carve out time for it! But learning through all of the meforshim won't work for me right now. Anyone who can point me in the right direction?

miami85

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 3:53 pm

Check in the mishnayos yomi in the Artscroll siddur between Maariv and Shacharis. See if that answers your questions.

amother

Lightgray

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 3:56 pm

AlwaysGrateful wrote:

Is it really many pesukim? Foes anyone know?

Elfrida

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 4:00 pm

amother Lightgray wrote:

Is it really many pesukim? Foes anyone know?

ויקרא, פרק טז

34 pesukim.

It's the leining for Yom Kippur.

amother

Daisy

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 4:04 pm

My rav speaks about some aspect of the Yom Kippur Avoda every shabbos shuva. He gave the 2020 shiur on zoom (not on shabbos). It won't be all encompassing but will touch on part of the Avoda.

https://www.yutorah.org/lectur.....71875

AlwaysGrateful

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 4:57 pm

So I guess I'm not looking for a description of what he does. I learned that in school, in chumash class.

More an understanding of its symbolism.

AlwaysGrateful

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 4:57 pm

amother Daisy wrote:

This looks like what I was hoping for. Thanks! I guess it wasn't a shot in the dark!

goodmorning

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 10:44 pm

OP, I know that you wanted to understand the deeper meanings behind the avoda, but just in case you wanted to brush up on the basics of what exactly happened, this book is a fantastic resource: https://www.hebrewbooks.org/47040

(And btw, the Kli Yakars at the beginning of Parshas Acharei Mos are in fact fascinating - explaining, for example, why specifically each type of animal are used as some of the korbanos on YK.)

goodmorning

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 10:57 pm

(Since you asked specifically about changing of the clothing - R' Shamshon Refoel Hirsch has a beautiful piece on the avodah of changing the clothing, and how the bigdei zahav represent the ideal moral perfection of Bnei Yisroel and the bigdei lavan represent the personal inadequacy of the Kohen Gadol.

I can't find a R' SRH on the Torah in English -- though you can translate from the German version on sefaria - but here's a synopsis: https://judaism.codidact.com/posts/278502)

AlwaysGrateful

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 9:26 am

Wow, thank you! The shiur above is very Covid-central, but the very beginning did give me some food for thought. (Also, your rav is a great speaker! Thank you!)

Goodmorning, thank you, I'll take a look at that. Very open to any other ideas! And I may steal some time on RHS night when the littles are asleep and the big kids are at shul to learn a bit more inside.