Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim פָּרָשַׁת תַזְרִיעַ־מְצֹרָע

This Torah portion begins with a description of the requirements of the High Priest on Yom Kippur. Because of this, we also read it as the centerpiece of the Yom Kippur Torah service.

The Parsha tells us that, in addition to preparing carefully for his entering the holy sector of the Mishkan and later the Temple in Jerusalem, the Kohen Gadol would prepare just as carefully for his departure from the Holy of Holies. Why would this be?

The current Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis offers an explanation. He quotes the sentence, “Bezot yavo Aharon el ha-kodesh”-with this, the Aharon, the High Priest, will enter the Holy of Holies. But the word ‘zot’- ‘this’ -, seems to be unnecessary to the meaning of the phrase.

So what was it that Aaron came with as he entered the sanctuary?

The Midrash explains that he took with him the merit of all the Shabbatot, the Shabbases, that the Jewish people had kept during the previous year. The tells us a bit about the power and significance of keeping the Shabbat.

We know that the Kohen Gadol changed his garments five times during the course of Yom Kippur. And each time he immersed himself in the Mikvah.

The question arises...
We can understand why he needed to purify himself when he was coming from the outside and going to the inner sanctum. But why the purification when going from the holy place to the outside?

Rabbi Mirvis answers that it’s a bit like being given the privilege of meeting a king. You would dress carefully for the meeting. But, would you be so fastidious about going back to your ordinary life afterwards? But that’s exactly what the High Priest did, and that’s the connection with Shabbat.

Shabbat is so special for us, not only for the day itself but for the inspiration it provides for us throughout the following days of the week. That’s one reason we use spices to make Havdalah-to symbolize that the spirituality of Shabbat lingers on.

So too with the High Priest. He didn’t want the experience of the Holy to be just one moment in time. He wanted it to inspire and empower him. He wanted it to provide the kedushah, the holiness, for the rest of the entire year! And that’s why he carefully dressed himself in holy garments and immersed himself in the mikvah before putting on his ordinary clothes and venturing out to the world again.

From the High Priest’s experience we learn how important it is to savor every precious moment in life and how important it is to raise the mundane to the holy.