Torah Readings (Morning - Shacharit)
Torah: Leviticus 16:1–34
Maftir: Numbers 29:7–11
Haftarah Reading: Isaiah 57:14-58:14
Torah Readings (Afternoon - Mincha)
Torah: Leviticus 18:1-30, Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-37
Haftarah Reading (Afternoon):
The Book of Jonah and Micah 7:18-20
Morning Readings: Leviticus 16:1-34
16:1 Hashem spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they came near before Hashem, and died; 2 and Hashem said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
3 “Aaron shall come into the sanctuary with a young bull for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall have the linen trousers on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he shall be clothed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on. 5 He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
6 “Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats, and set them before Hashem at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8 Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for Hashem, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Hashem, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before Hashem, to make atonement for him, to send him away as the scapegoat into the wilderness.
11 “Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. 12 He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Hashem and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil. 13 He shall put the incense on the fire before Hashem, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the covenant, so that he will not die. 14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. 16 He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them in the middle of their uncleanness. 17 No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
18 “He shall go out to the altar that is before Hashem and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
20 “When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is ready. 22 The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.
23 “Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24 Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
26 “He who lets the goat go as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. 27 The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire. 28 He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
29 “It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, whether native-born or a stranger who lives as a foreigner among you; 30 for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you. You shall be clean from all your sins before Hashem. 31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. 32 The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father’s place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments. 33 Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
34 “This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” It was done as Hashem commanded Moses.
Maftir: Numbers 29:7–11
29:7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls. You shall do no kind of work; 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to Hashem for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, all without defect; 9 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 11 one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and their drink offerings.
Haftarah Reading: Isaiah 57:14-58:14
57:14 He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way!
Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of My people.”
15 For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity,
whose name is Holy, says:
“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry;
for the spirit would faint before Me,
and the souls whom I have made.
17 I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him.
I hid myself and was angry,
and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him.
I will lead him also,
and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
says Hashem; “and I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea;
for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.
21 There is no peace”, says my Elohim,
“for the wicked.”
58:1 “Cry aloud! Don’t spare!
Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Declare to My people their disobedience,
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek Me daily,
and delight to know My ways.
As a nation that did righteousness,
and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their Elohim,
they ask of Me righteous judgments.
They delight to draw near to Hashem.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see?
Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’
“Behold, in the day of your fast, you find pleasure,
and oppress all your laborers.
4 Behold, you fast for strife and contention,
and to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the fast that I have chosen?
A day for a man to humble his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself?
Will you call this a fast,
and an acceptable day to Hashem?
6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen:
to release the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and that you break every yoke?
7 Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry,
and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house?
When you see the naked,
that you cover him;
and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light will break out as the morning,
and your healing will appear quickly;
then your righteousness shall go before you,
and Hashem’s glory will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and Hashem will answer.
You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away from among you the yoke,
finger pointing,
and speaking wickedly;
10 and if you pour out your soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light will rise in darkness,
and your obscurity will be as the noonday;
11 and Hashem will guide you continually,
satisfy your soul in dry places,
and make your bones strong.
You will be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water
whose waters don’t fail.
12 Those who will be of you will build the old waste places.
You will raise up the foundations of many generations.
You will be called Repairer of the Breach,
Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.
13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your pleasure on My holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight,
and the holy of Hashem honorable,
and honor it,
not doing your own ways,
nor finding your own pleasure,
nor speaking your own words,
14 then you will delight yourself in Hashem,
and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth,
and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;”
for Hashem’s mouth has spoken it.
Afternoon Readings: Leviticus 18:1-30
18:1 Hashem said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Hashem your Elohim. 3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. 4 You shall do My ordinances. You shall keep My statutes and walk in them. I am Hashem your Elohim. 5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Hashem.
6 “‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Hashem.
7 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
8 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.
9 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.
10 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.
11 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.
12 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.
13 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.
14 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
15 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
16 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.
17 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.
18 “‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.
19 “‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
20 “‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.
21 “‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your Elohim. I am Hashem.
22 “‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.
23 “‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
24 “‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. 25 The land was defiled. Therefore, I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 You therefore shall keep My statutes and My ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you 27 (for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled), 28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 “‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore, you shall keep My requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Hashem, your Elohim.’”
Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-27
19:1 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, Hashem your Elohim, am holy.
3 “‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep My Sabbaths. I am Hashem, your Elohim.
4 “‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Hashem, your Elohim.
19:9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Hashem, your Elohim.
11 “‘You shall not steal.
“‘You shall not lie.
“‘You shall not deceive one another.
12 “‘You shall not swear by My name falsely, and profane the name of your Elohim. I am Hashem.
13 “‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
“‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
14 “‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your Elohim. I am Hashem.
15 “‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
16 “‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Hashem.
17 “‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Hashem.
19:32 “‘You shall rise up before the gray head and honor the face of the elderly; and you shall fear your Elohim. I am Hashem.
33 “‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Hashem, your Elohim
35 “‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Hashem, your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 “‘You shall observe all My statutes and all My ordinances, and do them. I am Hashem.’”
Book Of Jonah
I encourage you to read the Book of Jonah from your Bible; it is too long to print here.
Concluding Reading: Micah 7:18-20
7:18 Who is an Elohim like you, who pardons iniquity,
and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage?
He doesn’t retain His anger forever
because He delights in loving kindness.
19 He will again have compassion on us.
He will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give truth to Jacob,
and mercy to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
Today’s Meditation:
All of today’s readings remind us that we must be on the path to holiness with complete repentance. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting, repentance, and giving all glory and honor to Hashem for all He has given us. We individually ask Hashem for His forgiveness and redemption, and we also do so collectively with our community/nation. We request His blessing on our families and us for the next year. We refrain from earthly pleasures today, and it is tradition not to bathe or wear leather shoes. At the end of the day, we rejoice that our sins have been forgiven, and we have the start of a new year to make our lives better.
“Gmar Hatima Tova” – May we all be sealed in the Book of Life for a year of goodness.
