Yom Kippur - 'Once a Day' or 'Once a Year': Thematic Connections between "Kapara" and "Shechina"

The very concept that God would forgive all or our sins ‘once a year’ simply by the sprinkling of the blood of a goat in the Temple, appears to contradict a core Biblical value; namely, that man is held responsible for his actions. The lecture traces the Biblical theme of “kapara” to suggest an alternate understanding of the purpose of the Yom Kippur service that aligns with our understanding of Biblical responsibility and relates to how we understand not only the holiday of Yom Kippur, but also the very purpose of all the Biblical holidays.

This shiur is dedicated in memory of Tom Weisz, z'l, Moshe Meir ben Avraham haKohen v'Rivka Rachel by his wife, Shelli and family. His dedication to Torah learning remains our inspiration