Transcript [00:05] [music] [00:07] For many people, New Year's Day is a [00:09] time for resolutions, a chance to [00:11] [music] leave the past behind and begin [00:13] again. This is CJ Burroughs with the [00:16] International Fellowship of Christians [00:18] and Jews. Welcome to this season of [00:21] Nourish Your Biblical Roots, Holy Days, [00:24] Holy People. Last time we explored [00:27] Rashashana, the Jewish New Year. The [00:30] chauffear's ancient blast called God's [00:33] people to wake up, to examine their [00:35] hearts, and to prepare for what was [00:37] coming next. Now, 10 days later comes [00:41] Yam Kipur, the holiest day on the Jewish [00:44] calendar. But Yom Kipur isn't a day of [00:47] fear. It's a day of forgiveness, a day [00:50] to seek God's mercy, [music] to make [00:53] peace with one another, and to discover [00:55] the joy of beginning again. [music] [01:02] [singing] [01:05] Yumipur is the holiest day on the Jewish [01:08] calendar. [01:09] >> [music] [01:09] >> The Bible designated this day, the 10th [01:12] day of the Hebrew month of Tree, as a [01:15] day of atonement, a day in which God [01:17] would forgive us for our sins. Let's [01:20] take a look at the first time the Bible [01:22] mentions this holy day. It's actually in [01:25] Leviticus 16 [01:27] 29-30. [01:29] And I'm going to read them to you now. [01:32] This is to be a lasting ordinance for [01:34] you. On the 10th day of the seventh [01:38] month, you must deny yourselves and do [01:41] not do any work, whether nativeorn or a [01:45] foreigner residing amongst you, because [01:49] on this day atonement will be made for [01:52] you to cleanse you. Then before the [01:56] Lord, you will be clean from all your [01:59] sins. This verse tells us directly that [02:04] yum kipur is a day set aside [02:08] specifically for cleansing and [02:12] forgiveness. [02:15] Historically, Yom Kipur has its origins [02:18] in God's forgiveness of the Israelites [02:21] after they sinned by building a golden [02:24] calf. That event led Moses to break the [02:27] first set of tablets containing the Ten [02:29] Commandments and caused God to want to [02:32] destroy the entire nation of Israel. [02:35] Moses pleaded with God for forgiveness [02:38] and ultimately God forgave the people. [02:42] The day that Moses brought down the [02:44] second set of tablets, signaling God's [02:47] complete forgiveness of Israel was on [02:50] the 10th day of the Hebrew month of tre. [02:55] That date is yum kipur, the day of [02:58] atonement and it has been a day of [03:00] forgiveness ever since. The Bible [03:04] describes an elaborate service that was [03:06] performed by the priests in the [03:08] tabernacle and later in the temple in [03:10] Jerusalem. That service along with the [03:12] people's repentance brought about [03:14] atonement for the nation of Israel every [03:17] year. Today we no longer have the temple [03:21] or the priestly service, but the power [03:25] and purpose of this day remains relevant [03:29] and we can tap into it. Let me tell you [03:33] what yum kipur looks like today. In [03:36] Israel, where most people observe the [03:38] sacred day, the holiness is tangible. [03:42] There are almost no cars in the streets. [03:45] And imagine this, empty streets, stores [03:49] are all closed, and most people are in [03:52] synagogue. The silence, which is so [03:56] unusual in our day and age, speaks [03:59] volumes about the sanctity of the day. [04:03] Every single highway is empty. People [04:07] actually go bike riding on it. That is [04:11] observing the day of holiness by [04:15] stopping and focusing on prayer and no [04:20] cars are allowed to drive. No stores are [04:24] allowed to be open. It's simply a day of [04:28] atonement. [04:29] On the eve of Yom Kipur, adults begin a [04:32] 25-hour full fast. We don't eat or drink [04:36] on this holy day, and instead we focus [04:39] entirely on repentance and prayer. Many [04:42] Jewish people even have the custom to [04:44] wear white on Yom Kipur, which is so [04:48] beautiful to see, as a sign of purity [04:51] and newness. And we wear only nonleather [04:54] shoes as a sign of humility. [04:58] Standing in synagogue among a sea of [05:00] worshippers wrapped in white, praying [05:03] beautiful prayers with melodies that [05:06] stir my soul. Feels otherworldly. [05:11] There's no other way to describe it. [05:14] When the sun sets and Yamipur ends, [05:18] there is one final trumpet blast of the [05:21] chauffear and then the congregation [05:24] [music] breaks out in celebration. I hug [05:27] my daughters and the friends all around [05:30] me and it's like a weight has been [05:32] lifted off of our shoulders and we have [05:35] a fresh new start. We prayed all day. We [05:39] repented. We fasted. And then we can [05:42] enter this [music] new stage in holiness [05:46] and purity going back to life. [05:58] Yum kipur isn't just about asking God [06:01] for forgiveness. [06:03] Forgiveness must also be sought from one [06:06] another. [06:12] As we've [music] learned, the high hol [06:14] dayss which began with rash shana [06:17] conclude with yum kipur. This day marks [06:20] our final opportunity to repent of our [06:23] sins and it seals our fate for the [06:25] coming year. It is the holiest day of [06:28] the Jewish year or as described in [06:30] Leviticus, the Sabbath of Sabbaths. In [06:33] the words of the Bible, "On the 10th day [06:35] of the seventh month, you must deny [06:37] yourselves and not do any work, whether [06:39] nativeorn or an alien living among you, [06:42] because on this day atonement will be [06:45] made for you to cleanse you. Then before [06:48] the Lord you will be clean from all your [06:50] sins. It is a Sabbath of rest and you [06:53] must deny yourselves. It is a lasting [06:56] ordinance. We deny ourselves by fasting [06:59] for 25 hours. It's a time of intense [07:02] introspection and prayer when we search [07:05] our souls, reflect upon the course of [07:07] our lives, and beseech God for [07:09] forgiveness. While the practices of [07:12] repentance, fasting, and prayer help [07:14] atone for our sins against God, we also [07:17] must seek forgiveness personally for [07:20] those sins committed against our fellow [07:22] man. Fasting also reminds us of the [07:25] frailty of human existence and our duty [07:28] to act charitably toward those less [07:30] fortunate. In Isaiah 58, which is read [07:33] in synagogue, we're reminded of the true [07:36] fast to share your food with the hungry [07:38] and to provide the poor wanderer with [07:40] shelter. [07:53] The streets [music] of Vius were [07:55] unusually quiet. It was Yom Kipur. [07:58] [music] [07:59] For generations, Jewish families had [08:02] spent this holiest day fasting, praying, [08:05] and asking God for forgiveness. [08:08] But on Yum Kipur in 1941, [08:12] there would be no peaceful prayers. [08:15] Instead, the Nazis began what became [08:18] known as the Yom Kipur action. [08:21] Thousands of Jewish men, women, and [08:23] children were forced from their homes. [08:27] Many were marched to the Ponery forest [08:30] where they were murdered in mass graves. [08:33] From his office window, an Austrian army [08:36] sergeant named Anton Schmidt watched it [08:39] all unfold. [08:41] Anton wasn't a rabbi. He wasn't a [08:44] politician, or a famous leader. He was a [08:47] Christian husband, a father, and an [08:50] electrician who'd been drafted into the [08:52] German army. But as he watched innocent [08:55] people led to their deaths, he knew he [08:58] could not stand by. So he began to help. [09:02] He gave false identities to Jews. He [09:05] found them work. He hid them in his own [09:07] apartment. He smuggled families to [09:10] safety in German military trucks. Though [09:13] he was authorized to employ only a [09:15] handful of Jewish workers, he quietly [09:18] protected many more. [09:20] One rescue became dozens. Then dozens [09:23] became hundreds. [09:25] Historians believe Anton Schmidt helped [09:28] save nearly 300 Jewish lives. [09:32] All the while, he knew what it could [09:35] cost him. Eventually, the Nazis [09:38] discovered what he had done. He was [09:41] arrested, tried, and executed. [09:44] Before his death, Schmidt wrote to his [09:47] family, "I have just acted as a human, [09:50] and I did not want to hurt anyone." Each [09:54] Yom Kapor, Jewish worshippers hear the [09:57] prophet Isaiah's call. That the fast God [10:00] desires is more than going without food. [10:03] It is to care for the hungry, shelter [10:05] the vulnerable, and care for those in [10:08] need. [10:09] On one of the darkest yam kipors [music] [10:12] in history, Anton Schmidt lived those [10:14] words. [10:16] Years later, Israel honored him as [10:18] [music] one of the righteous among the [10:20] nations. [10:22] His life reminds us that true repentance [10:24] [music] is never only about the prayers [10:27] we pray. It's about the compassion we [10:30] show and the courage [music] to do what [10:32] is right, whatever the cost. [music] [10:43] >> [music] [10:57] >> Isaiah taught that the fast God desires [11:00] [music] is feeding the hungry and [11:02] sheltering the homeless. Anton Schmidt [11:04] lived that message at the cost of his [11:07] own life. [11:15] God can forgive [music] us for anything, [11:18] but he cannot forgive us for everything. [11:22] There are some things that God cannot [11:24] forgive us for. Now, before you panic or [11:28] think I've lost my mind, let me explain. [11:30] Judaism teaches that when it comes to [11:32] our relationship with God, he can and he [11:36] does forgive us for anything. But God [11:39] does not forgive our wrongdoings of what [11:42] we did to other people until we have [11:46] asked for forgiveness directly from the [11:48] person who we hurt. We are required to [11:51] seek forgiveness up to three times from [11:55] the person that we hurt. And then God [11:58] will grant forgiveness even if it is not [12:01] granted by the person we have wronged. [12:03] But we have to try. For this reason, the [12:07] weeks leading up to Yom Kipur are [12:09] traditionally a time to ask for [12:11] forgiveness from the people in our [12:13] lives. My children will ask for [12:15] forgiveness from their friends and from [12:18] their parents. And me and my husband [12:20] will ask for forgiveness from our [12:22] children in case we unknowingly hurt [12:24] them in any way. Teachers will ask [12:27] forgiveness from students and students [12:30] will apologize for anything they might [12:31] have done wrong to their teachers. In [12:34] the most serious cases where one person [12:36] has intentionally and knowingly wronged [12:39] another person, this season is often the [12:43] catalyst for repairing the damage and [12:46] mending the relationships. [12:49] The gift of the holiday season is that [12:51] God can wipe the slate clean and we can [12:55] all have a fresh start. But first, we [12:59] need to take responsibility. We need to [13:01] make amends for our past where possible. [13:05] And only then can we celebrate the [13:08] promise of a bright future. It's been [13:11] said that two of the hardest words for [13:13] people to say are, "I'm sorry." Can you [13:18] relate? Have you ever had to apologize [13:21] and dreaded having to do it? It can be [13:25] really uncomfortable to admit that we [13:28] are or we were wrong. But at the same [13:32] time, saying I'm sorry are two of the [13:34] most powerful words that we can say. [13:37] Those words have the ability to heal [13:40] relationships and change the future for [13:43] the better. It takes humility to [13:45] apologize. But what I've learned is that [13:48] people who are able to humble themselves [13:50] and admit when they are wrong are the [13:52] people who are truly great. And no one [13:57] taught me this lesson better than my [14:01] ABBA, my father, Rabbi Xeen of Blessed [14:05] Memory. One time when I was a child and [14:08] I was acting out, my father asked me to [14:10] stop misbehaving, but I totally ignored [14:13] him. He asked me to stop what I was [14:15] doing repeatedly, but I just didn't [14:18] listen. My father was generally a very [14:21] patient, patient man, but on that day, I [14:24] really pushed him to the limit. He lost [14:27] patience and he yelled at me. Now, this [14:30] was something I wasn't used to. He [14:32] almost never yelled. I was shocked and I [14:35] ran to my bedroom in tears. A few [14:38] minutes later, my father came into my [14:40] room and sat on my bed. I thought that [14:42] he had come to punish me, but instead he [14:45] stroked my back until I stopped crying. [14:48] Then with tears in his eyes, he said, [14:53] "I'm sorry, El. I shouldn't have reacted [14:56] so harshly. Yes, you were misbehaving, [14:59] but you are the child and I am the [15:02] parent. I shouldn't have lost my cool [15:04] and yelled at you. In the future, I'm [15:07] going to be more patient and talk things [15:10] out with you. I could hardly believe it. [15:15] Wow. My big, strong father had come to [15:18] apologize to little me. In my eyes, my [15:22] father was always right and never made [15:24] mistakes. It was incredibly powerful [15:27] when he admitted that he had been wrong [15:30] and apologized for the way that he [15:32] reacted. [15:33] That day, I learned that the sign of a [15:37] truly strong and mature adult is the [15:40] ability to ask forgiveness from anyone, [15:44] including a small child. I learned that [15:48] it was not just the right thing to do, [15:50] but also the hallmark of a truly great [15:55] person. The yearly tradition of asking [15:57] for forgiveness around the high holidays [16:00] is a great way to practice humbling [16:03] ourselves all year long when we know [16:06] that we are wrong. And when we are able [16:08] to say those two important words, I'm [16:11] sorry, we have better relationships, [16:14] carry around less baggage, and live [16:17] happier lives. But asking for [16:20] forgiveness is not the only part of [16:23] forgiveness that we practice during the [16:24] high holy days. Yum kipur and the days [16:28] leading up to it are also a time to [16:30] grant forgiveness. In the Jewish oral [16:33] tradition, there is a story about two [16:35] first century rabbis who prayed for rain [16:38] during the time of drought in the Holy [16:40] Land. The first rabbi, Rabbi Elezar, [16:44] prayed fervently for rain, but his [16:46] prayers were not answered. Then his [16:49] student, Rabbi Aka, prayed for rain, and [16:52] it began to rain immediately. [16:55] The other sages who had gathered for the [16:58] prayer services were confused. Why were [17:01] the prayers of Rabbi Eleazar, the [17:03] greater of the two sages not answered [17:06] while Rabbi Aka's prayers resulted in [17:09] rain immediately? As the sages were [17:12] trying to figure out what had happened, [17:14] a voice came down from heaven and [17:16] explained that it was not an issue of [17:18] greatness. Rather, Rabbi Aka was a more [17:22] relaxed and forgiving person, while [17:24] Rabbi Elezar was more exact and [17:27] demanding of other people. God responded [17:30] to each person exactly according to [17:33] their respective personalities and how [17:36] they treated others. [17:40] The rabbis taught that God responds to [17:42] us as we respond to others. And if we [17:45] want God to forgive us for our mistakes, [17:48] we have to be willing to forgive other [17:50] people for their mistakes. Just to [17:53] clarify, we're not allowed to forgive [17:55] someone on behalf of another person, and [17:57] we're not required to forgive someone [17:59] who continues to harm us. But if someone [18:02] approaches us with a sincere apology, we [18:06] need to practice forgiveness and grant [18:08] them grace. In Leviticus 19:17, we are [18:13] commanded, "You shall not hate your [18:16] brother in your heart." Instead of [18:19] harboring hatred and resentment, we need [18:21] to make every attempt to work things out [18:23] with those who have hurt us. The [18:26] Christian Bible speaks to the importance [18:28] of forgiveness, too. In Colossians, Paul [18:31] taught, "Bear with each other and [18:34] forgive one another if any of you has a [18:37] grievance against someone. Forgive as [18:40] the Lord forgave you." Ultimately, [18:43] forgiving others is a gift we give [18:46] ourselves. Not only because [music] God [18:48] is more forgiving of our own [18:50] wrongdoings, but also because we free [18:53] ourselves of the emotional pain that [18:55] comes with hanging on to past hurts and [18:58] offenses. [19:04] According to the Jewish oral tradition, [19:06] God created the possibility of [19:07] repentance before he even created the [19:09] world. This is because repentance goes [19:12] against the rules of nature. The law of [19:15] nature dictate that once something is [19:17] broken, it cannot be put back together. [19:20] However, through repentance, God created [19:22] a way for us to do both. To fix what had [19:25] been broken and to change the past, so [19:28] to speak, making it as if the breaking [19:30] never happened in the first place. God's [19:33] forgiveness is nothing less than a [19:35] miracle. It goes against the laws of [19:38] nature so that we can be redeemed. As [19:42] the Yomkipur liturgy asserts, there is [19:44] no such thing as a person who does not [19:46] sin. However, sin can only hold us back [19:49] if we let it. God has given us the power [19:52] to release ourselves from the tentacles [19:55] of sin by asking forgiveness [music] and [19:58] resolving to behave differently in the [20:00] future. God promises, "If my people who [20:04] are called by my name will humble [20:06] themselves and [music] pray and seek my [20:08] face and turn from their wicked ways, [20:11] then I will hear from heaven and I will [20:14] forgive their sin and heal their land." [20:21] This state of being is best described by [20:24] the liturgy of the Yom Kipur service [20:27] which describes how the high priest [20:29] appeared when he emerged from the holy [20:32] of holies, the kodeshim [20:35] after achieving atonement for the nation [20:37] of Israel. I love this part of the [20:40] prayer service. The words are so [20:42] beautiful, the imagery is so rich and we [20:45] sing it joyfully together. The text [20:49] compares the appearance of the high [20:51] priest to many images including a [20:54] rainbow in the midst of the clouds, a [20:58] rose in midst of a garden, a bridegroom [21:02] who has just been wed, a bright star in [21:06] the dark sky to light that streams in [21:10] through the window. That glowing spirit [21:13] is what we are after and what is [21:17] possible when we forgive and are [21:21] forgiven. And this wonderful state of [21:24] being is available to us on Yom Kipur [21:27] more than any other time of year. In [21:29] Isaiah 1:18, God says, "Though your sins [21:33] are like scarlet, they shall be as white [21:35] as snow." Our God is a merciful God who [21:39] will overlook our wrongdoings and [21:41] recreate us as though we are brand new. [21:44] And this is the season for receiving [21:47] this gift of cleansing, renewal, and [21:51] complete [music] [21:52] forgiveness. [21:54] [singing] [21:59] [singing and music] [22:01] Lean [22:03] Shalom is [22:06] [singing] [22:07] [music] [22:12] shalom. [22:22] May God's blessings of shalom, peace be [22:24] with you
🕊️ Welcome to Nourish Your Biblical Roots — Holy Days, Holy People!
Join Fellowship President and Global CEO Yael Eckstein as she explores the biblical holidays that have shaped the faith, history, and traditions of the Jewish people for thousands of years—pointing us back to the God of the Bible today.
🙏 Episode 7: What Is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar—but it is not a day of fear. It is a day of forgiveness, mercy, and the joy of beginning again. In this episode, you’ll discover the biblical origins of Yom Kippur, how Jewish people observe this sacred day through fasting, prayer, and repentance, and why seeking forgiveness means making things right not only with God, but also with one another.
📖 In this episode you’ll discover:
• Why the Bible calls Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement
• How Yom Kippur brings the High Holy Days and Ten Days of Repentance to their conclusion
• Why Jewish people fast, pray, and reflect on the holiest day of the year
• Why seeking forgiveness from others is an essential part of Yom Kippur
• How true repentance calls us to take responsibility, make amends, and find the humility to say, “I’m sorry”
🤝 You’ll also hear:
• Why Yom Kippur calls us not only to seek forgiveness, but also to extend forgiveness to others
• The remarkable story of a Christian who risked—and ultimately gave—his life helping save nearly 300 Jews during the Holocaust
• The biblical words of the prophet Isaiah that call us all to care for the hungry, shelter the vulnerable, and help those in need
🌅 Whether Yom Kippur is a holiday you’ve observed for years or one that you’re discovering for the first time, this episode will deepen your understanding of the Day of Atonement and reveal the extraordinary gift at its heart: the opportunity to repair what has been broken, release the burdens of the past, and begin again.
🌿 Continue your journey through the Bible and the Jewish roots of your faith at The Fellowship’s Learn Center: https://ifcjpodcast.org
