The Service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur
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One of the most dramatic rites performed in the Temple was the priestly service on Yom Kippur, the one time each year when the high priest entered the holy of holies (see Leviticus 16). The book of Ben Sira describes the radiant beauty of the high priest when he emerges from the holy of holies and blesses the people assembled at the Temple.
1The leader of his brothers and the pride of his people
was the high priest, Simeon son of Onias,
who in his life repaired the house,
and in his time fortified the temple. [ . . . ]
5How glorious he was, surrounded by the people,
as he came out of the house of the curtain.
6Like the morning star among the clouds,
like the full moon at the festal season;
7like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High,
like the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds;
8like roses in the days of first fruits,
like lilies by a spring of water,
like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;
9like fire and incense in the censer,
like a vessel of hammered gold
studded with all kinds of precious stones;
10like an olive tree laden with fruit,
and like a cypress towering in the clouds.
11When he put on his glorious robe
and clothed himself in perfect splendor,
when he went up to the holy altar,
he made the court of the sanctuary glorious.
12When he received the portions from the hands of the priests,
as he stood by the hearth of the altar
with a garland of brothers around him,
he was like a young cedar on Lebanon
surrounded by the trunks of palm trees.
13All the sons of Aaron in their splendor
held the Lord’s offering in their hands
before the whole congregation of Israel.
14Finishing the service at the altars,
and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty,
15he held out his hand for the cup
and poured a drink offering of the blood of the grape;
he poured it out at the foot of the altar,
a pleasing odor to the Most High, the king of all.
16Then the sons of Aaron shouted;
they blew their trumpets of hammered metal;
they sounded a mighty fanfare
as a reminder before the Most High.
17Then all the people together quickly
fell to the ground on their faces
to worship their Lord,
the Almighty, God Most High.
18Then the singers praised him with their voices
in sweet and full-toned melody.
19And the people of the Lord Most High offered
their prayers before the Merciful One,
until the order of worship of the Lord was ended,
and they completed his ritual.
20Then Simeon came down and raised his hands
over the whole congregation of Israelites,
to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips,
and to glory in his name;
21and they bowed down in worship a second time,
to receive the blessing from the Most High.
Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.
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Credits
New Revised Standard Version Bible copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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