Parshat Emor: Self-Denial on Yom Kippur

A quick thought for this week:

This week’s Torah portion contains the Jewish holidays, including Yom Kippur – the day of “affliction” or “self-denial.”  While most holidays include bringing offerings to the Temple and abstaining from work in joyous celebration, the holiest day of the year (called “the Sabbath of all Sabbaths”) is a solemn day.  On this day, a sacrificial offering is brought and yet no one eats of it.  Rabbi Meir Don Plotzki, in his book Kli Chemdah, notes that this is an exception to the rule that all sacrifices must be consumed.  On Yom Kippur, even the Kohanim do not partake; the priests too must afflict themselves through fasting.  Today, in stark contrast between the other holidays where we feast in order to enhance the day and enjoy the company of family and friends, Yom Kippur is not an occasion for gathering and is spent largely in prayer. 

One reason for the self-afflicted fasting is to cleanse ourselves physically (parallel to the spiritual cleansing through prayer).  But perhaps also, in contract to the other holidays, we are taught the importance of restraint in the proper time and situation.  We indulge ourselves on Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, and Shabbat and, given it is for the honor of the occasion, the indulgence is a positive one.  Indulgence is more intrinsic in people than is restraint.  The desire for more of something good, whether it be food or a discussion or money, is inherent.  Therefore it must merely be directed to the right end.  But knowing when and where to restrain from excess is much harder.  On Yom Kippur the importance, and the benefits, of self-denial is emphasized.  Through self-denial comes that ability to transform ourselves – to rid ourselves of the gunk in our lives, to rid ourselves of improper speech or un-kosher food, to rid ourselves of inappropriate behavior towards others or the hindering one’s own self.