Their voices joined that of the priest and he replied, “Ye shall be clean” (v. 30); only the High Priest said this, not the other priests or the people.
From the beginning of the (seventh) month the books are opened and the judges sit in judgement, until the day which is called “the ninth of the month” (Lev. 23, 32), when all judgements are submitted to the Supreme Judge, and a Throne of mercy is set for the Holy King. Then it is meet for Israel below to rejoice before their Master because on the next day He intends to try them from the holy throne of Mercy, of forgiveness,
and to purify them from all the sins recorded in the books that are open before Him. Hence it is written, “from all your sins before the Lord”. When the public recited this verse (in the Temple service) they went up to this point but no further, and none was permitted to say the word “Ye shall be clean” save the High Priest alone who was linking the Holy Name together through his utterance. When he had done so a voice came down and struck him and a word flowed into his mouth and he said “Ye shall be clean”. He then performed his service and all the celestials that were left there were blessed.
Then he bathed himself and washed his hands in preparation for another service, in which he was to enter into a place more holy than all. The other priests, the Levites and the people stood around him in three rows and lifted their hands over him in prayer, and a golden chain was tied to his leg. He took three steps and all the others came to a stand and followed him no further.
He took three more steps and went round to his place; three more and he closed his eyes and linked himself with the upper world. He went into the inner place and heard the sound of the wings of the Cherubim chanting and beating their wings together. When he burnt the incense the sound ceased and they folded their wings quietly,
if the priest was worthy and joy was found above. Here, too, at that moment there went forth a sweet odour as from hills of celestial pure balsam, and the scent was brought into his nostrils, gladdening his heart. Then all was silent and no accuser was found there. Then the priest offered his prayer with fervour and joy.
When he finished, the Cherubim raised their wings again and resumed their chant. Then the priest knew that his service had been acceptable, and it was a time of joy for all, and the people knew that his prayer had been accepted. Happy the portion of the priest in that through him joy upon joy was diffused on that day both above and below!
קָלָא מִתְקַשָּׁר עִמֵּיהּ דְּכַהֲנָא, וְהוּא אָתִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ. וְאָמַר תִּטְהָרוּ. תִּטְהָרוּ לָא אַמְרִין שְׁאַר כַּהֲנֵי וְעַמָּא, בַּר כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא, כַּד אִתְקְשַּׁר בֵּיהּ הַהוּא קָלָא.
Their voices joined that of the priest and he replied, “Ye shall be clean” (v. 30); only the High Priest said this, not the other priests or the people.
תָּאנָא, מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְיָ', כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם, אֲמַאי לִפְנֵי יְיָ'. אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, (שמות ק"ע ע"ב) לִפְנֵי יְיָ' מַמָּשׁ.
FROM ALL YOUR SINS SHALL YE BE CLEAN BEFORE THE LORD. It has been taught:
דְּתַנְיָא, מֵרֵישָׁא דְּיַרְחָא סִפְרִין פְּתִיחִין, וְדַיְינֵי דַּיָּינִין. בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא בָּתֵּי דִּינִין אִתְמַסְרָן, לְאִתְּפַתְחָא בְּדִינָא, עַד הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִקְרֵי תִּשְׁעָה לְיַרְחָא. בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, סַלְּקִין דִּינִין כֻּלְּהוּ לְמָארֵי דְּדִינָא, וּמְתַקְּנֵי כּוּרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה דְּרַחֲמֵי, לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא בָּעָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, לְמֶחְדֵּי בְּחֶדְוָותָא לְקַדְמוּת מָארֵיהוֹן, דְּזַמִּין לְיוֹמָא אָחֳרָא, לְמֵיתַב עָלַיְיהוּ בְּכוּרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא דְּרַחֲמֵי, בְּכוּרְסְיָיא דְּוַותְּרָנוּתָא.
From the beginning of the (seventh) month the books are opened and the judges sit in judgement, until the day which is called “the ninth of the month” (Lev. 23, 32), when all judgements are submitted to the Supreme Judge, and a Throne of mercy is set for the Holy King. Then it is meet for Israel below to rejoice before their Master because on the next day He intends to try them from the holy throne of Mercy, of forgiveness,
וְכָל אִינּוּן סִפְרִין דִּפְתִּיחִין קָמֵיהּ, וּכְתִיבִין קָמֵיהּ כָּל אִינּוּן חוֹבִין, הוּא מְזַכֵּי לוֹן, וּמַדְכֵּי לוֹן מְכֻּלְּהוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְיָ' תִּטְהָרוּ. לִפְנֵי יְיָ' מַמָּשׁ, אִינּוּן דְּאַמְרֵי קְרָא, עַד הָכָא אַמְרִין, וְלָא יַתִּיר. וְלֵית רְשׁוּ לְאָחֳרָא דְּלִימָא תִּטְהָרוּ, אֶלָּא כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא, דְּפָלַח פּוּלְחָנָא, וְקָשַׁר שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּפוּמֵיהּ, וְכַד הֲוָה אִתְקְשַׁר וּמִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּפוּמֵיהּ, הַהוּא קָלָא נָחִית וּבָטַשׁ בֵּיהּ, וְאִתְנְהִיר מִלָּה בְּפוּמֵיהּ דְּכַהֲנָא, וְאוֹמֵר תִּטְהָרוּ. פָּלַח פּוּלְחָנָא, וּמִתְבָּרְכִין כָּל אִינּוּן עִלָּאִין דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ.
and to purify them from all the sins recorded in the books that are open before Him. Hence it is written, “from all your sins before the Lord”. When the public recited this verse (in the Temple service) they went up to this point but no further, and none was permitted to say the word “Ye shall be clean” save the High Priest alone who was linking the Holy Name together through his utterance. When he had done so a voice came down and struck him and a word flowed into his mouth and he said “Ye shall be clean”. He then performed his service and all the celestials that were left there were blessed.
וּלְבָתַר אַסְחֵי גּוּפֵיהּ, וְקִדֵּשׁ יְדוֹי, לְאַעֲלָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא אָחֳרָא קַדִּישָׁא. עַד דְּיִתְכַּוָּון לְמֵיעַל לַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה, קַדִּישָׁא מִכֹּלָּא. ג' שׁוּרִין סָחֲרִין לֵיהּ, כַּהֲנֵי אָחוֹי, וְלֵיוָאֵי, וּמִכָּל שְׁאָר עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ. (ברכאן קמיה) זַקְפִין יְדִין עָלֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתָא וְקִטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא זַקְפָא בְּרַגְלֵיהּ. נָטִיל ג' פְּסִיעָן, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ, וְלָא נַטְלִין בַּתְרֵיהּ (הוה אקטיר קטורת).
Then he bathed himself and washed his hands in preparation for another service, in which he was to enter into a place more holy than all. The other priests, the Levites and the people stood around him in three rows and lifted their hands over him in prayer, and a golden chain was tied to his leg. He took three steps and all the others came to a stand and followed him no further.
נָטִיל ג' פְּסִיעָן אָחֳרָן, (רשימא בלבא) אַסְחַר לְדוּכְתֵּיהּ. נָטִיל ג' פְּסִיעָן, אַסְתִּים עַיְינִין, וְאִתְקְשַׁר לְעֵילָּא. עָאל לַאֲתַר דְּעָאל, שָׁמַע קוֹל גַּדְפֵּי דִּכְרוּבַיָּיא מְזַמְּרִין, וְאָקִישָׁן גַּדְפִּין פְּרִישָׂאן לְעֵילָּא. הֲוָה אַקְטִיר קְטוֹרֶת, מִשְׁתַּכְּכָא קוֹל גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ וּבִלְחִישׁוּ אִתְדַּבְּקָן.
He took three more steps and went round to his place; three more and he closed his eyes and linked himself with the upper world. He went into the inner place and heard the sound of the wings of the Cherubim chanting and beating their wings together. When he burnt the incense the sound ceased and they folded their wings quietly,
אִי כַּהֲנָא זָכֵי, דְּהָא לְעֵילָּא בְּחֵידוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח, אוּף הָכָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא נָפִיק רַעֲוָא דִּנְהוֹרָא, מִתְבַּסְּמָא מֵרֵיחִין דְּטוּרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאַזְלָא בְּכָל הַהוּא אֲתַר, אָעִיל רֵיחָא בִּתְרֵי נוּקְבֵי דְּחוּטָמֵיהּ, וְאִתְיָישְׁבָא לִבָּא. כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא הוּא בִּלְחִישׁוּ, וּפִטְרָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן. פָּתַח כַּהֲנָא פּוּמֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתָא בִּרְעוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא, וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ.
if the priest was worthy and joy was found above. Here, too, at that moment there went forth a sweet odour as from hills of celestial pure balsam, and the scent was brought into his nostrils, gladdening his heart. Then all was silent and no accuser was found there. Then the priest offered his prayer with fervour and joy.
בָּתַר דְּסִיֵּים, זַקְפִין כְּרוּבְיָיא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ, וּמְזַמְּרִין. כְּדֵין יָדַע כַּהֲנָא דִּרְעוּתָא הֲווֹ, וְעִידָּן חֶדְוָותָא לְכֹלָּא, וְעַמָּא יַדְעִין דְּאִתְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתֵיהּ, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו א׳:י״ח) אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ. וְהוּא תָּב לַאֲחוֹרֵיהּ, וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּכַהֲנָא, דְּהָא עַל יְדוֹי חֵידוּ עַל חֵידוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח הַהוּא יוֹמָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, עַל הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא כְּתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ד:ט״ו) אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁיְיָ' אֱלֹהָיו.
When he finished, the Cherubim raised their wings again and resumed their chant. Then the priest knew that his service had been acceptable, and it was a time of joy for all, and the people knew that his prayer had been accepted. Happy the portion of the priest in that through him joy upon joy was diffused on that day both above and below!