Israel Institute of BS
The most sacred part of the Temple in Jerusalem was the “Holy of Holies,” the innermost room where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Entrance to this sacred room was strictly forbidden with only one exception. One person, the High Priest, would enter the room once a year on the Day of Atonement. What did he do once he was inside?
A conversation with God
The innermost room of the Temple in Jerusalem, was the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant, a golden coffer, holding the two stone tablets of the Law. The Hebrew word used for the Holy of Holies is dvir. This comes from the root דבר (DBR), meaning “to speak”. It is here that the High Priest spoke directly to God. This happened once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
The power of the Hebrew word
The golden cover over the Ark of the Covenant was called כפרת kaporet (Ex. 25:17) in Hebrew, which comes from the same root KPR, giving us the word kippur, meaning “atonement.” Once the High Priest was inside the Holy of Holies, he would light incense to create a cloud that blocked his view of God’s divine presence. Then he would speak words of prayer before the kaporet and sprinkle sacrificial blood on it (Lev. 16:11-14).
Understand the purest meaning of the Bible
By purging the inner sanctum of any impurity once a year, the High Priest ensured that the people of Israel received atonement. This was done by speaking the words of God at the most sacred place – the place that held the Torah.
