Plain Clothes on the Holiest Day - Yom Kippur 5785

The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) changed  his clothes five times on Yom Kippur.  This was his big day.  The only day of the year when he, and only he, was allowed into the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the Holy Temple, containing the Holy Ark with the Tablets.  (He would enter that chamber twice.)  Nowadays, we think of Yom Kippur as a day when we all participate in the services.  In those days, the participation was primarily watching the Kohen Gadol perform the service.  

He would personally offer all the daily sacrifices and perform the tasks that were usually divided among the Kohanim (priests).  While doing all of that he wore his magnificent clothing - eight multicolored garments including gold thread and precious stones, with a gold plate engraved with Hashem’s name on his forehead.  

The highlight of the day was when the Kohen Gadol went into the Holy of Holies to burn incense on the Ark. He would carry two pans, one with coals from the Altar and the other with incense.  The Yom Kippur liturgy describes how he would transfer the incense from the pan to his hands and slowly spread it over the coals.  The cloud of smoke would fill the chamber.  Later in the day he would go back into the Holy of Holies to retrieve the pan.

In contrast to the magnificent clothes he wore throughout the rest of the day, eight garments in all, when the Kohen gadol went into the Holy of Holies to burn the incense and then to remove the pan, he would be wearing only four plain white garments.  A simple tunic, a belt, a hat and trousers.  No adornments, no gold or precious stones, just plain white linen. So he would change his clothes in the morning from his regular clothes to the “golden garments” and perform the regular daily services, then change to white to burn the incense in the Holy of Holies, then back to gold for more of the daily service, then back to white to remove the pan, and then back to gold.  

The basic explanation for why he did not wear his stunning, gold inlaid clothes to enter the Holy of Holies is that gold was used for the Golden Calf, and a material that was the subject of our great downfall should not be used to bring atonement.

But there is a beautiful lesson here, based on the Rebbe’s teachings, that is relevant to each of us today, when there is no Holy Temple standing.  Yom Kippur is the day that every Jew “enters the Holy of Holies” asking Hashem for atonement, forgiveness and blessings.  Who am I, you might think, to approach the Holy of Holies?  I am not spiritually beautiful, I am not spiritually golden and I can’t show any precious stones.

The message of the Kohen Gadol’s clothes is that to approach the Holy of Holies you don’t need any fancy clothes or gold or gems.  Come as you are, with simplicity and purity of heart and mind, and Hashem will accept you.  (One of the preparations for Yom Kippur that help bring purity is immersing in a Mikvah.  If you have access to a Mikvah, that is an important part of Erev Yom Kippur.)

May we merit to achieve true purity and atonement this Yom Kippur, and may the blessings we evoke include the ultimate blessing of true redemption through Moshiach.  Gmar Chatima Tova.