Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement (Hebrew Yom Kippur, "day of coverings") was the most solemn day of the Israelite religious calendar, observed annually on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), as prescribed in Leviticus 16. On this day alone the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place (the inner sanctum of the tabernacle/temple) to make atonement for himself, his household, and the entire congregation of Israel. The ritual involved two goats: one was sacrificed as a sin offering and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat (atonement cover) to cleanse the sanctuary from Israel's impurities; the other — the scapegoat (Azazel) — had the high priest confess all Israel's sins over it and was then driven into the wilderness, bearing those sins away (Leviticus 16:20–22). The high priest entered with incense whose smoke shielded him from the divine glory (Leviticus 16:12–13). The New Testament presents Christ's death as the ultimate fulfillment of Yom Kippur: the Epistle to the Hebrews expounds this at length, showing Jesus as the eternal High Priest who entered the true sanctuary in heaven with his own blood, achieving not annual but once-for-all atonement (Hebrews 9:7–14, 24–28). The mercy seat (Greek hilasterion, Romans 3:25) is the very word used for Christ as the propitiatory sacrifice. Modern Judaism still observes Yom Kippur as its holiest day, with prayer and fasting replacing the temple sacrifice.