YOM  KIPPUR

Yom Kippur is The Day Of Atonement

Yom Kippur IS a Sabbath but is NOT a High Holy Day!

No matter whatever man-made traditions and customs
today's Scripturally-challenged Hebrews believe and practice,
no matter what information the Biblically-clueless
secular media announces or publishes...

Yom Kippur is "THE" Day Of Atonement when one is to afflict one's soul to remember, confess and repent-of the sins committed during the previous year. And, when or where appropriate, to make amends or reparations to those harmed by those sins. To seek the forgiveness of those whom one has sinned against. To re-pay for damages caused and to become reconciled whenever possible, because the meaning of the word "Atonement" is simply "at-one-ment", i.e., the state of being at one or of being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation with other persons AND being reconciled to God.

Matthew, Chapter 5:23-24;
23 - "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 - leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."

Here, Christ Jesus was speaking to the Jews,
the altar (place of sacrifice) referenced is the "Brazen Altar",
and the offering (gift) referenced is the sacrificial animal being offered for a Sin Offering.
Christ Jesus was not referring to a cash donation (Tithe).

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Yom Kippur was NOT intended as a glum and dreary, overtly theatrical,
melodramatic day of gloom and doom with breast-beating and sack-cloth and ashes.

For once one has performed the requisite affliction, atonement and reconciliation, Yom Kippur is still a Feast / Festival day of JOY over the relief from guilt for those sins that have been sufficiently atoned-for; having made compensation, satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; made amends, reconciled, confessed to God and repented-of those sins, once-and-for-all, never to be repeated.

Excerpts from Leviticus, Chapter 23:27-32;
".... the tenth day of this seventh month... a holy convocation... it shall be unto you a sabbath of rest... you shall celebrate... "

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From the days of the Exodus, through the days of Christ Jesus...
Before dominance by the sect of the Pharisees and before the advent of "Rabbinical" Judaism...
In the original of Yom Kippur, there is NO! forgiveness from God of any sin(s), only a covering of sin(s) by the blood of the individual Jew's animal sacrifice. There is only psychological relief from feelings of guilt because of those sins and relief from fear of eternal condemnation because of those sins.

Hebrews of those olden days fully well knew that when the Messiah comes is when there will be actual forgiveness for those confessed sins which are temporally covered by the blood of animal sacrifice(s) on Yom Kippur. The same concepts, sins which are temporally covered, and psychological relief from feelings of guilt and fear, apply to any "SIN" offering(s) made throughout the entire year, NOT simply on Yom Kippur ONLY.

Today's tradition-based customs, beliefs and teachings for Yom Kippur did NOT! derive from Torah, but have derived from Rabbinical commentaries (Talmud, et.al.), resulting in a complete re-invention of Yom Kippur as a substitute for the Levitical, Temple sacrificial ceremonies which no longer exist. A re-invention of Yom Kippur which indicates that deeply-rooted, childish, "Religious" foolishness and utter buffoonery govern, and are the central feature of, the practice of modern "cultural" Judaism today.

The ancient Pharisees are the "Religious" and cultural ancestors of modern-day Orthodox Jews. As a result, the Orthodox Jews (today's Pharisees) give undue precedence to Rabbinical commentaries (Talmud, et.al.) while ignoring the "LAW" (Torah) and their Holy Scriptures (Tanakh).

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For "cultural" Hebrews...
Who are NOT religiously oriented, Yom Kippur is the one, single High Holy day, and for the rest of the year it is business-as-usual.

For most of the "cultural" Hebrews who ARE religiously oriented, Yom Kippur is the "HIGHEST" of High Holy days, the "Sabbath of Sabbaths", the holiest day of the year.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Rosh haShanah, the New Year, are two very important holidays in the Jewish calendar.

However, modern Hebrews attribute far more importance to both of them than is actually warranted, justifiable or even defensible.

Modern Hebrews consider Yom Kippur and Rosh haShanah (and the 8 days between them) to be "THE" High Holy Days.

Whereas this is not God's opinion, for God has NOT declared either Yom Kippur or Rosh haShanah a High Holy Day.

The three High Holy Days established by God are:

About which, see:  Ex. 23:14-17  --- Lev. Chapter 23  ---  Deu. 16:16

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But, remember that
there actually are NO Hebrew or Jewish Holy Days,
for there are only GOD'S Holy Days
which the Sons of Israel were commanded to faithfully observe
as their form of worship of The God Of Abraham.

The Old Testament Holy Days were ordained by God as
"Appointed Times" which He considers Holy unto Himself.

How could today's "cultural" Hebrews
be in so much confusion about their OWN ecclesiastical calendar,
confused about the timing of their OWN Annual High Sabbaths
(High Holy Days), the God-ordained "Pilgrimage" Sabbaths?
Click Here - Read About Pharisees -vs- Sadducees

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The following are modern Hebrew "BELIEFS" about Yom Kippur.

These are man-made traditions and customs that were not derived from the Hebrew's Holy Scriptures (Torah, Tanakh) but emerged during, and have evolved since, the Babylonian Diaspora, and have been greatly expanded upon in the Talmud (Rabbinical commentaries).

Yom Kippur is the ending of the Yamim Noraim (the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance), the ten days of atonement which began on Rosh haShanah.

BUT, in the Bible, Yom Kippur is the ONLY (solitary) day of atonement.  And, in the Bible, God has NOT attached any special significance to the eight days between Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur.

Beginning one hour before sunset, just before the evening of the 10th of Tishri, Jews all over the world do not eat or drink for 25 hours. All adults are required to fast.

BUT, the ordinance for Yom Kippur can be found in Numbers 29:7-11, wherein there is NO mention of fasting because God only gave the Hebrews a number of Feasts / Festivals.  God did NOT institute any fasts.

Jewish custom and tradition teaches that fasting on Yom Kippur is derived directly from Torah.

But, IT IS NOT!

There is absolutely NO mention of fasting on Yom Kippur, anywhere, in Torah.
Read: Leviticus 16:29-31; 23:26-32 and Numbers 29:7-11 for yourself.

Fast Days (Tzomim) originate only in Rabbinical literature, producing the seven Fast Days of the Jewish Year. And the Talmud (Tractate Rosh Hashana 18b) discusses four fast days that commemorate the destruction of the First and Second Temples and the exile of the Jewish People from their homeland.

In the Bible, the only mention of nationwide fasting (which is wrongly associated with Yom Kippur) is found in narrative from the days of the Ezra / Nehemiah revival. That mention is in reference to the four notable fasts instituted during the Babylonian diaspora, and are listed in Zechariah 8:19.

ZECHARIAH 8:19 - "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace."  KJV

All four fasts are directly related to the dates of various events surrounding the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians about seventy years earlier. These four fasts were instituted, by mere men, as memorial commemorations. They are NOT God-ordained fasts, they are NOT God-established fasts, even though (through the prophet Zechariah) God approves of, or accepts, these four man-made fasts specifically for the House Of Judah, not for the entire nation of Israel.

1. Tzom Tammuz - Fast of 17 Tammuz. Fast day commemorating the breaking down of the wall of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the cessation of Temple worship during the siege of Titus (June/July). In the Bible, this is referred to as the Fast of the fourth month.

2. Tishah B’Av - The Ninth of Av, a fast day remembering the tragedies of the Jewish people (July/Aug). In the Bible, this is referred to as the Fast of the fifth month.

3. Tzom Gedaliah - The fast right after Rosh Hashanah (on Tishri 3) commemorating the murder of the Judean governor Gedaliah by Zionist Jews (Sept/Oct). In the Bible, this is referred to as the Fast of the seventh month.

4. Asarah B’Tevet - The 10th of Tevet, a fast day commemorating the fall of Jerusalem. In the State of Israel, Kaddish (the Jewish prayer for the deceased) is recited on this day for people whose date or place of death is unknown (Dec/Jan). In the Bible, this is referred to as the Fast of the tenth month.

In addition to the four fast days listed above, Rabbinical commentaries (Talmud) originate three other annual fast days as memorial commemorations. These fasts are NOT found in the Hebrew Holy Scriptures:

5. Ta’anit Bechorim - The Fast of the Firstborn is a fast observed only by firstborn males, commemorating the fact that their firstborn male ancestral progenitors were saved from the (10th) plague of the firstborn in Egypt. It is observed on 14 Nisan, the day before today's Pesach (The Passover).

However, here, the Orthodox Jewish Rabbis are completely wrong, because Pesach is ON 14 Nisan. (See: Exodus 12:6) The Passover is a memorial commemoration established by God (not by mere Rabbis), and Pesach (The Passover) is commanded as a Feast / Festival to honor God ON 14 Nisan.

Since today's Pharisees (the Orthodox Jews) have foolishly moved the date of The Passover (Pesach) to 15 Nisan, the Orthodox Jews falsely IMAGINE that "The Fast of the Firstborn" should be on 14 Nisan, on the REAL date of Pesach. But a reading of Exodus, Chapters 12 and 13, shows that God emphasizes The Passover MUST be observed on the 14th day of Nisan.

And, The Passover (Pesach) is NOT a day of fasting.

Ta’anit Bechorim - The Fast of the Firstborn - should be celebrated on 13 Nisan
to avoid conflicting with the authentic, God-given date for The Passover (Pesach) on 14 Nisan.

For, why would any sensible person fast on a Feast day?
This theological asininity makes absolutely no sense at all.

6. Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement (10 Tishri). God did NOT command fasting on Yom Kippur, God instituted Feasts / Festivals, He did NOT institute any fasts!

7. Ta’anit Esther - The Fast of Ester is observed on the day before Purim, on 13 Adar (in Feb/Mar).

The observance of Yom Kippur is started prematurely, one hour before sundown, very late on the ninth day, because Hebrews are asking that all of the vows they have taken and not kept or the promises that they have made and not kept be forgotten. This is asking for something that is not done on Yom Kippur, so before the sun goes down on the ninth day and before Yom Kippur begins, observant Hebrews pray the Kol Nidre ("All Vows") prayer three times.

Kol Nidre is the prayer that ushers in Yom Kippur. Chanted in a dramatic tune and recited three times, each time a little louder, it sets an introspective tone for this holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

Listen to Kol Nidre - Chanted in Hebrew - An MP3 Streaming Audio Sample.

This is the Kol Nidre ("All Vows") prayer:
"All vows, oaths, and promises which we made to God from last Yom Kippur to this Yom Kippur and were not able to fulfill - may all such vows between ourselves and God be annulled. May they be void and of no effect. May we be absolved of them and released from them. May these vows not be considered vows, these oaths not be considered oaths, and these promises not be considered promises."

The concept of
Kol Nidre ("All Vows") prayers
is childlike wishful thinking and "Religious" foolishness, it is pure fantasy with no warrant in the Hebrew's own Holy Scriptures (Torah, Tanakh).
The fact of the existence of the concept of Kol Nidre prayers is clear evidence that "cultural" Hebrews are willing to make vows which they have no intention of ever keeping because modern Hebrews have this IMAGINED "All Vows" Escape-Clause, the Kol Nidre prayers.

Because of...
the erroneous teachings of Orthodox Jews (today's Pharisees)...
about the supposed validity of powerless Kol Nidre ("All Vows") prayers...
In fantasizing that their vows, binding oaths and promises will be annulled, voided, revoked or canceled by God,
Hebrews are deluded into thinking that they are released from the obligations resulting from those vows.

And Hebrews who have prayed the Kol Nidre ("All Vows") prayers, then, go about the rest of their lives with no intention
of ever endeavoring to fulfill those vows which they consider to be annulled, voided, revoked or canceled by God.

In so doing, Hebrews commit NEW sins - on Yom Kippur - on a Holy Day -
on a day in which they are seeking God's forgiveness, on THIS Holy Day Hebrews are busy
committing additional sins for every vow, binding oath or promise
which they will, now, neglect to perform or fulfill.

HOWEVER:
Theological reality rudely intrudes on man-made "Religious" fantasy, for...
One WILL keep all vows made to God, no matter how long it takes to fulfill those vows.

All vows made to God, or in the Name of God, or with-God-as-your-witness, WILL be kept --- without any exceptions.
And, God does NOT release Hebrews from obligations resulting from binding oaths.

Vows will NOT be annulled, voided, revoked or canceled by God
just because one asks three times, really nicely, on the cusp of a holy day.

Failure to keep your vows is a sin against God.

The Law of Vows
Numbers, Chapter 30:1-2;
1 - Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying,
"This is the word which the LORD has commanded."
2 - "If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes any oath to bind himself with a binding obligation,
he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

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Deuteronomy, Chapter 23:21-23;
21 - "When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it,
for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you."
22 - "However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you."
23 - "You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips,
just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised."

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Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5:4-6;
4 - When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it;
for He takes no delight in fools: Pay what you vow!
5 - It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
6 - Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the
messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why shouldn't God be angry
on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

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The Words Of Christ Jesus
Matthew, Chapter 5:33;
33 .... the ancients were told, "YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS... "

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The "All Vows" prayers example, along with the habitual pervasive gloominess of the tradition & custom of fasting on a morose, sullen, dour Yom Kippur, and including that of the misdirected focus placed on a 10 day time-period from Rosh haShanah to Yom Kippur as "THE" High Holy Days, while neglecting God's OWN appointed High Holy Days, gives cause to suspect that modern Hebrew religious authorities (the Orthodox Jews) have never even read their OWN Holy Scriptures.

This deeply held suspicion is rooted in the fact that Orthodox Jews (today's Pharisees) give undue precedence to Rabbinical commentaries (Talmud, et. al.) while ignoring the "LAW" (Torah) and the rest of their Holy Scriptures (Tanakh).

Among scripturally astute individuals, much amusement is derived from noting the differences between the beliefs and practices (the customs and traditions) of modern-day "cultural" Hebrews as opposed to what The God Of Abraham has revealed to them in their Holy Scriptures.

The Hebrews possess the "Oracles Of God", yet the Hebrews cannot make any sense out of them at all.

For even if Hebrews actually DO read their own Holy Scriptures,
it is obvious that they do not understand what they are reading.
About which, SEE: Second Corinthians 3:14-16