VALERIE SCHULTZ: Yom Kippur has meaning for all
| Friday, Oct 07 2011 10:58 PM
Last Updated Friday, Oct 07 2011 10:59 PM
" F or on this day, atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the Lord ... This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the people of Israel once in the year for all their sins. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded him." (Leviticus 16:30,34)
Today is the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur actually began Friday, a few minutes before sunset, and will be observed all day until after nightfall tonight. Since I am not Jewish, I have never observed -- or even known much about -- Yom Kippur. But my faith as a Catholic is rooted in the religious tradition in which Jesus was raised. All Christianity builds on the foundation of Judaism. It is our spiritual heritage. But more than that, it seems to me that the practice of Yom Kippur -- that is, the power of forgiving and being forgiven -- can lead to a healthy spirituality for all humans, no matter their particular belief system.
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is the 10th day after the holy days of Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year. The process of repentance begins on Rosh Hashanah with a call from the shofar, or ram's horn. On the day before Yom Kippur, the people perform an atonement service called the Kaparot, in anticipation of both forgiving and being forgiven. The body is immersed in a mikvah, or bath, and extra charity is given. The community enjoys a holiday feast, during which they ask for and receive the traditional honey cake, which shows that all are recipients of God's goodness, and expresses hope for a year ahead of sweetness and abundance. Later, just before sunset, a pre-fast meal is eaten, the children are blessed, the memorial and holiday candles are lit, and then all go to synagogue for services.
Even Jews who are not especially observant will pause and honor the high holy day of Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, the faithful are called to "afflict" their souls by fasting from food and drink, refraining from washing or anointing their bodies, not wearing leather on their feet, and abstaining from marital relations. During this Day of Atonement, five specific prayer services take place. Yom Kippur ends with joy and confidence that God has heard the prayers of the people. A single blast of the shofar closes Yom Kippur, along with the hopeful proclamation, "Next year in Jerusalem." The fast is then broken with a festive meal.
In reading about the traditions of Yom Kippur, I am reminded of the sacrament of Reconciliation, which is better known as the ominous-sounding going to confession. But a confession is usually made one-on-one, between a priest, acting on behalf of the divine, and the penitent. It is available just about any time during the year, and is most often done privately, either face-to-face or in the box. Catholics sometimes hold communal penance services, but unlike Yom Kippur, this does not occur on one holy day for all of the faithful.
From the observance of Yom Kippur comes the concept of the scapegoat, which in ancient times was literally a goat, which then symbolically carried the sins of the people out into the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:22) In modern times, a scapegoat leaves a negative connotation, as we picture someone blameless taking the fall for a bunch of other people's shortcomings. But in the context of sacred ritual, the sending-off of the classic scapegoat instead has a cleansing effect on the community of believers. It also distantly foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus.
The weary world could use a little more forgiveness: Perhaps the entire human family would be well served to take the lessons of Yom Kippur to heart and put them into practice. Imagine if we set aside a specific day to forgive those who have harmed us or caused us pain, to ask forgiveness of those we have hurt, and to accept the forgiveness that others offer us for our misdeeds. And really, which of those tasks is hardest? All are difficult, yet all bring lasting benefits and peace into our lives.
It is only when we let go of resentments and forgive each other that we can then ask forgiveness of God. Even if we do not practice the Jewish faith, Yom Kippur reminds us that a spiritual fresh start is a gift from a loving God, a sign of grace that can make all the difference.
These are Valerie Schultz's opinions, not necessarily those of The Californian.
