As we approach
Yom Kippur, each year, the day seems to bear a more solemn and weighty substance,
at least for me. As I grow older, the meaning and purpose of this monumental
day for Jews, finally sinks in.
Why so?
On the lighter side, it is the only Jewish Holy Day where Jews do not eat (yes, I have known that, of course, but just realized it).That, we must admit to ourselves, sets it apart from all others. Anyone who is even slightly familiar with our Jewish traditions, knows that, on some Holy Days, we are commanded to rejoice, and food is always part of that joy. That is not the case on Yom Kippur.
Why so?
On the lighter side, it is the only Jewish Holy Day where Jews do not eat (yes, I have known that, of course, but just realized it).That, we must admit to ourselves, sets it apart from all others. Anyone who is even slightly familiar with our Jewish traditions, knows that, on some Holy Days, we are commanded to rejoice, and food is always part of that joy. That is not the case on Yom Kippur.
On the
more serious side, though, on this day, we are expected to atone and are charged
with the duty to: “…afflict
your souls … For on that day G-d shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you
from all your sins before the L-RD.” (Leviticus 16:29-30).
It is not only the consumption of food that we are required to desist from on this day, though. Chazal, our wise elders, ruled that we assume upon ourselves other self-inflicted discomforts on Yom Kippur. These include the prohibition to wash, anoint our body with oil, wear leather shoes or engage in sexual activities.
Moreover, in Leviticus 23:29, the Torah even prescribes a punishment for those who do not adhere to engaging in what it refers to as the “affliction of the soul.” It states: “For whatever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among His People.”
One may ask and rightfully so, since all those forbidden pursuits seem to be associated with the physical or bodily realm, how come refraining from them is referred to as “affliction of the soul?”
In the world of Jewish/Hebrew wisdom, one can find different approaches to the dualism or unity between the Body and the Soul.
It is not only the consumption of food that we are required to desist from on this day, though. Chazal, our wise elders, ruled that we assume upon ourselves other self-inflicted discomforts on Yom Kippur. These include the prohibition to wash, anoint our body with oil, wear leather shoes or engage in sexual activities.
Moreover, in Leviticus 23:29, the Torah even prescribes a punishment for those who do not adhere to engaging in what it refers to as the “affliction of the soul.” It states: “For whatever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among His People.”
One may ask and rightfully so, since all those forbidden pursuits seem to be associated with the physical or bodily realm, how come refraining from them is referred to as “affliction of the soul?”
In the world of Jewish/Hebrew wisdom, one can find different approaches to the dualism or unity between the Body and the Soul.
Genesis 2:7 establishes
the dualism between the two with the soul being more eminent: “Then the Lord
G-d formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life’ and the man became a living being.” What this verse is telling
us is that without the soul, that spark of G-d, in us, our body is worthless.
Ecclesiastes 12:7, likewise, echoes the superiority of the soul and its divine
eternal essence as opposed to the body which is temporal and merely serves as
the vessel for it: “and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the
spirit returns to God who gave it.”
Whereas the body attempts to indulge in its desires and wishes of the here and now, the soul which, according to those two versesת belongs to G-d, constantly strives, to free itself, rise and reconnect with its Creator. In this light, the body is viewed as the enemy of the soul and its constrictor.
Only when the body is tamed and subdued can our Divine spark unshackle itself from its earthly constraints and reach its contentment and self-actualization. This concept of controlling and subduing the body to the Spirit is common in many faiths and creeds.
Whereas the body attempts to indulge in its desires and wishes of the here and now, the soul which, according to those two versesת belongs to G-d, constantly strives, to free itself, rise and reconnect with its Creator. In this light, the body is viewed as the enemy of the soul and its constrictor.
Only when the body is tamed and subdued can our Divine spark unshackle itself from its earthly constraints and reach its contentment and self-actualization. This concept of controlling and subduing the body to the Spirit is common in many faiths and creeds.
Yom
Kippur is a day when we celebrate the fabric of our Jewish core, its importance
and its magnitude. It is a time when we are expected to grant those attributes of
G-d within us the power and the authority to reset our inner compass.
Only through the prescribed physical depravations listed for Yom Kippur, can our Soul, our Spirit prevail and be free to rise above our immediate needs into higher dimensions. In that realm, it can peacefully reflect upon and evaluate our past actions and the actions of others, learn their respective lessons and open the door to a tomorrow which finds us better and more deserving of the Gift of Life.
Wishing everyone an easy fast and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life.
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