….贖罪日..Yom Kippur | The Day of Atonement….
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通常在9月或10月守節
名稱：贖罪日
聖經中提到贖罪日（Yom Hakippurim )，意思是「隱藏或遮蓋之日」。神設立獻祭的制度，使百姓的罪得以被遮蓋，直等到透過耶穌基督的死，罪才得以除掉。舊約的贖罪祭在神眼中只是遮蓋罪，並不能除掉罪。百姓的罪完全被遮蓋；這樣，當神察看以色列人時，他們的罪就像不存在。神以祭牲的血為掩蔽，保護敬拜祂的人，不在祂忿怒之下。神吩咐以色列人獻上一隻牲畜代替自己接受死的刑罰。簡言之，「以生命償還生命」這原則就是獻祭制度的基礎。〔見利未記17:11〕
按猶太人聖經的曆法，贖罪日被視為最神聖的一天。大祭司每年一次在這一天進入至聖所為本國贖罪。對那些按照神的救贖方法，藉祂兒子耶穌基督得著救贖的人來看，贖罪日是重生得救的最佳預表。
贖罪日的四個要素：
舉行聖會 – 這一天，猶太人敬拜神，並專注於神施憐憫的祭壇上。所有的注意力都需放在神身上。
刻苦己心 – 先知以賽亞（賽58:3）似乎將刻苦己心和禁食相提並論。根據利未記23:29，如果有人在贖罪日沒有刻苦己心，他便要從民中被剪除。
獻祭 - 獻祭是贖罪日的中心。（見利未記16章及民數記29:7-11）
整天不作工 - 見利未記23:31-32。
聖經背景：
利未記16章的重點是贖罪日的儀式。兩隻公山羊將會被獻為祭物。其中一隻公山羊被宰為流血的祭物，象徵遮蓋以色列的罪惡。另一隻公山羊則被帶到祭司面前，祭司將手按在公山羊的頭上，承認全民的罪。這隻公山羊不但免被殺害，更被送到曠野無人之地，象徵各樣的罪惡從百姓中間被除去（這隻公山羊被稱為代罪羔羊）。這兩隻公山羊預表耶穌基督的犧牲。當彌賽亞死於髑髏地時，祂為我們的罪孽付了全部的贖價。[見約翰福音1:29]
猶太新年以悔改和自我評價開始，並以贖罪和再生來完結。
公元70年聖殿被毀後，拉比在位於現今特拉維夫以南幾英里的小鎮亞夫內（Yavneh），建立了一個重整猶太教的臨時總部。聚集在亞夫內鎮的拉比們，認為他們受託於保存以色列的重任。面對已失去祭壇這境況，他們轉向聖經，尋求其他贖罪方式。這些領袖們知道，如果要讓猶太教承傳下去，他們的任務是要讓猶太人的宗教生活連繫於猶太會堂，就像以往連繫於聖殿一樣。因此，第一世紀的拉比決定以代替品，填補因聖殿被毀所引致的破口。自此，贖罪日需獻上的祭物就被Tefilah（禱告），teshuvah（悔改）和tsedakah（慈善/善行）取代了。
傳統的猶太守節方式：
猶太新年與贖罪日之間的10天，被稱為Yomim Nora’im的「可畏之日」。大多數猶太人會花時間自我省察，評估自己的人際關係；如有需要，嘗試與人和好。
虔誠的猶太教徒會按照傳統，在贖罪日前一天，去Mikvah（浸禮池）進行猶太教的潔淨禮儀。
慈善捐贈是贖罪日的中心主題。在猶太會堂內，長桌上放滿了鎮上每個慈善機構的施捨板。許多乞丐會在猶太會堂外，等候那些行善到最後一刻的信徒所給予的捐助。猶太教徒相信善行會為他們帶來天上的福氣，並且確保來年生活昌盛。
利未記23章說以色列要「刻苦己心」（希伯來語音是oni），其含意是禁食。這是聖經唯一明文要求禁食。按照傳統，猶太人在日落前開始禁食，在此之前，他們會享用假期大餐。餐桌上擺放最好的白色亞麻布和餐具，因為白色象徵罪得潔淨，以及對純淨和罪得赦免的期盼（見賽1:18）。聚餐開始，猶太人會先燃點兩支蠟燭，跟着感謝神賜予酒和哈拿麵包。禁食從提斯利月（Tishri）9日的日落開始，直到10日的日落結束。
猶太人在贖罪日的24小時內，被鼓勵遠離所有的奢侈品和奢侈的生活，例如不必要的沐浴、娛樂等。拉比清楚表明，禁食僅適用於已行過成人禮（13歲）的健康成年人。至於任何有健康問題，或正在懷孕或哺乳的婦女，都可獲豁免。
聖日的黃昏（Erev Yom Kippur）可能是屬靈年度最神聖的時刻，因猶太人會湧到當地的猶太會堂參加晚禱聚會（即Kol Nidre，意思是「所有誓言」）。這是一個特別兼有規範的祈禱（大聲誦讀每段禱文三次，誦讀時的聲音和力度都會順序遞增），請求神不再追究自己所作任何不恰當的誓言。此禱告的起源可以追溯到中世紀，當時許多猶太人被迫加入教會，但他們仍然希望與他們的族人保持聯繫。
他們相信贖罪日結束時會有審判臨到，故此他們強烈請求神在《生命之書》再多寫一年。聖日於一個重要的崇拜Neilah（天堂的門關閉）下結束。猶太人認為當羊角號響起最後一聲時，每個人在來年的命運就即時被密封。
猶太人希望有一個美好又幸福的屬靈年度，日落後的「解除禁食」大餐正好說明了這一點。首先品嚐的是甜酒，用傳統的方式祝謝。其後，吃甜的哈拿麵包或蜂蜜蛋糕，提醒大家甜蜜的新年即將到來。
新約聖經中的贖罪日：
見使徒行傳27:9；羅馬書3:23-26。請參看路加福音4:16-22（摘自以賽亞書61章）。
預言應驗：
贖罪日的預言會在耶穌基督第二次來臨時應驗，那一世代的猶太人得着最終的贖罪。有些信徒在贖罪日禁食，不是因為他們需要獲得寬恕，而是為以色列全家得救祈求（羅馬書10:1）。
大衛．布魯爾（David Brewer）編撰
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Observed typically in September or October
The Name: Day of Atonement
The biblical name for the Day of Atonement is Yom Hakippurim meaning “the day of covering or concealing.” The sacrificial system was designed to cover sin until it was finally put away through the death of Jesus. Atonement hides rather than removes sin from God’s sight. The covering is total and allows God to look upon the Israelites as if their sin did not exist. God creates a shelter of sacrificial blood to protect worshipers from His wrath. God told the Israelites to sacrifice an animal as a substitute for his own sentence of death. This “life for life” principle is the foundation of the sacrificial system. [See Leviticus 17:11]
Yom Kippur is considered the most holy day in the Jewish biblical calendar. On this day, once a year, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation. Yom Kippur is an excellent illustration of regeneration for those who follow God’s way of atonement through His Son, Yeshua.
The Four Elements of Yom Kippur
HOLD A CONVOCATION – this day was a worship event to draw the focus of the Jewish people to the altar of divine mercy. All attention should be given to Him.
HUMBLE YOUR SOULS – the prophet Isaiah (58:3) seems to parallel the humbling of a soul with fasting. According to Leviticus 23:29, if there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people.
PRESENT AN OFFERING – offerings were central to this day, see Lev. 16 and Num. 29:7-11.
A DAY WITH NO WORK – see Lev. 23:31-32.
Biblical Background
Leviticus 16 highlights the ceremony of Yom Kippur. Two goats would be sacrificed. One goat was slain as a blood sacrifice to symbolically cover the sins of Israel. The other goat would be brought before the priest. The priest would lay his hands on the head of the goat as he confessed the sins of the people. This goat wouldn’t be slain in the normal way but would be set free in the wilderness, symbolically taking the sins of the nation out from their midst (this goat is called the scapegoat). These two goats foreshadowed the sacrifice of Yeshua. When Messiah died on Calvary, He paid the full penalty for our sins. [See John 1:29]
What was started on Rosh Hashanah, that is, repentance and self-evaluation, was completed with atonement and regeneration.
After the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, the rabbis established a temporary headquarters in the town of Yavneh, a few miles south of modern Tel Aviv. This city became the site of Judaism’s reorganization. The rabbis who gathered in Yavneh felt they were entrusted with the preservation of Israel. Confronted with the loss of the sacrificial altar, they turned to the Bible in search of other means of atonement. These leaders knew that if Judaism was to continue, it was their task to make Jewish religious life revolve around the synagogue, just as it once had around the Temple itself. The rabbis of the First Century decided to make substitutions to fill in the gaps left by a destroyed Temple. Tefilah (prayer), teshuvah (repentance), and tsedakah (charity / good deeds) replace sacrifices in the modern observance of Yom Kippur.
Traditional Jewish Observance
The 10 days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are called the Yomim Nora’im, The Days of Awe. Most Jewish people spend their time looking inward, they evaluate their personal relationships and where needed, reconciliation is attempted.
It is customary for religious Jews to go to the Mikvah, or ritual bath, for cleansing on the day before Yom Kippur.
Giving to charity is a central theme of the Day of Atonement. In the synagogue, long tables were covered with alms plates for every charity in town. Many beggars waited outside the synagogue, certain to receive charity from worshipers eager to perform last-minute good deeds that might tip the heavenly balance in their favor and assure them prosperity in the coming year.
Leviticus 23 says that Israel is to “humble their soul.” This is taken (based on the Hebrew word oni) to “fast.” This is the only biblically mandated fast. Before sundown, when the fast begins, it is customary to have a holiday meal. The table is set with the best white linens and dishes. White symbolizes the cleansing from sins and the hope for purity and forgiveness (see Is. 1:18). The two candles are lit and the blessings are said over the wine and the challah bread. The fast continues from sundown on the 9th of Tishri until sundown on the 10th.
Jewish people are encouraged to abstain from all luxuries for those 24 hours. No unnecessary bathing, entertainment, etc. The rabbis make it clear this fast only applies to healthy adults past bar mitzvah age (13). Anyone with a health problem, or who is pregnant or nursing, is exempted from the fast.
The evening of the holy day (Erev Yom Kippur) is probably the most holy occasion of the spiritual year. Jewish people flock to the local synagogues to attend Kol Nidre services. Kol Nidre is a special cantorial prayer (chanted three times, each time increasing in volume and intensity) asking God for release from any vows that have been taken inappropriately. The origin of this petition dates back to the Middle Ages when many Jews were forcibly converted into the Church, yet still wanted to maintain their connection with their people.
It is believed that judgment will come at the close of Yom Kippur. A fervent request is made to be written in the Book of Life for one more year. The holy day closes with an important Neilah service (the closing of the gates). The final blast of the shofar is sounded. It is thought that the fate of each individual is sealed at that time for the upcoming year.
The Jewish people hope for a sweet and blessed spiritual year. This is illustrated in the break-the-fast meal which follows sundown. Tasted first is the sweet wine, which is blessed in the traditional way. After that, the sweet challah or honeycake is eaten as a reminder of the sweet New Year ahead.
Yom Kippur in the New Testament
See Acts 27:9; Rom. 3:23-26. Look at Luke 4:16-22 (from Is. 61).
The Prophetic Fulfillment
The prophetic fulfillment of Yom Kippur is the final atonement to be realized and received by that generation of Jews living at the Second Coming of Yeshua. Some believers fast on Yom Kippur, not because they need to obtain forgiveness, but to pray for the salvation of Israel (Rom. 10:1).
Compiled by David Brewer
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….參考資料：..Sources….
Fuchs, Daniel. Israel’s Holy Days: In Type and Prophecy. Neptune,NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1985.
Glaser, Mitch and Zhava. The Fall Feasts of Israel. Chicago:Moody, 1987.
Kasdan, Barney. God’s Appointed Times. Baltimore: Lederer,1993.
Scott, Bruce. The Feasts of Israel. Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1997.