The holiest day in our calendar, the Shabbos of every Shabbos. We spend the entire day immersed in prayer and confession, weak and weary from fasting. But what is the essence of Yom Kippur?

The essence of Yom Kippur is essence. The essence of the day reveals the essence of our identity, to connect us to the essence of our Creator.

This is why we do not eat or drink. The fasting is not to afflict ourselves. To get in touch with our essence, we must peel off the layers of consciousness, which is dulled by our quest for physical gratification. There, behind the gnawing stomach and tired feet is the Jewish spark, the essence of our soul.

Kabbalah describes 5 levels of our Divine soul. Nefesh - is the aspect that animates us. Ruach - is the emotional dimension. Neshama - is the soul's capacity for intellect. Chaya - the encompassing light that surround us from above. And Yechida - the pure essence of the soul, which is bound with G-d's essence.

The climax of Yom Kippur is the Neilah prayer. Yom Kippur is the only day of the year where we pray 5 Tefillos: Maariv, Shachris, Musaf, Mincha and Neilah. On a regular weekday we pray 3 services, reflecting our sensitivity to the lower 3 aspects of our soul.

On Shabbos and Festivals we step out of the work environment and raise ourselves to a higher spiritual plane. We add the Musaf prayer because we are able to experience the transcendent light of Chaya. Yet since we celebrate with festive meals and rejoicing, the essence remains aloof. Only on Yom Kippur we shed this final layer of physicality, to reveal the inner essence, the Yechida. This is the unparalleled power of the 5th prayer, Neilah.

Neilah means closing; Throughout Yom Kippur the Heavenly Gates have been open for our prayers. In the closing moments, the gates do not close leaving us on the outside, on the contrary. The gates are closing with us inside, in exclusive privacy with G-d. Like the bride and groom after the Chuppah who isolate themselves, in a ceremony called Yichud - the Hebrew for absolute unity.

In Temple times the Yom Kippur service was focused on the Temple. The highlight was when the Kohein Gadol would enter into the Holy of Holies to offer incense. Only one day a year did anyone enter this sanctum. Our personality is like the Temple, with its various chambers and courtyards, each level hidden deeper within our consciousness. On Yom Kippur, like the High Priest, we enter the Holy of Holies of the Jewish Soul.

Our relationship with G-d has 2 aspects. The first is the relationship which is created through observing the Torah and its Commandments. When we fail in our observance, we sever the connection. Only through Teshuva (repentance) can the connection be restored.

But then there is a deeper, essential bond between the soul and G-d, a bond which is unaffected by our deeds. Much like the complexity of a parent-child relationship. One part of this relationship is built on rules and values. When the child follows the rules, the parent is pleased. When the rules are breached the relationship is affected, until the child recognises their faults and apologises. However, the core of this relationship is a love that is eternal and unbreakable - no matter what the child does.

During the year, we are only in touch with the external soul-reality of our relationship. Yom Kippur is referred to as Achas Bashana, a once a year opportunity where our essential oneness with our Heavenly Father is laid bare. Exposed to such great closeness, we rise above our sins to a deeper connection.

But after such a heightened experience we race off to eat and go back to work. This is the plan. Yom Kippur is the once a year high. Long after the Kohein Gadol had left the Holy of Holies, the incense that he offered there could be smelled in far off Jericho, making the goats sneeze. The fragrance of Yom Kippur must come with us, to pervade every facet of our lives with holiness and spiritual connection. Like the bride and groom we leave the exclusivity of the Neilah-Yichud room to build something even more special, a life-long relationship with G-d. On Yom Kippur we connect to the essence by escaping the world. Leaving Yom Kippur invigorated and inspired, we draw that essence into the day-to-day details of our lives.

 

~ Rabbi Yoni Johnson

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