The 48th positive commandment, as listed by Maimonides, pertains to the Musaf (additional) offerings on the Day of Atonement.
P48 – To offer an additional sacrifice on the fast [of Yom Kippur], as [Numbers 29:7] states: “On the tenth of the seventh month….”[1]
Researching this command posed a challenge for me. There are three distinct positive commands related to the Day of Atonement. Should I consolidate them into a single post, or would it be more beneficial to detail each one separately? While I found several allusions to Yom Kippur in the New Testament, there aren’t clear demarcations that separate these commands. This has left me pondering the best way to move forward. For now, I’m leaning towards three individual posts, but I’m open to consolidating them if needed.
I’ve drawn extensively from the Yom Kippur Machzor, a prayerbook used for the High Holidays. It encapsulates the essence of the day, particularly with regard to the musaf command—the directive for additional offerings.
Yom Kippur stands as a day of communal repentance, where the collective “we” profoundly eclipses the individual “I” in our relationship with God. Over the past several years, Earlene and I have immersed ourselves in understanding and participating in the High Holidays. During this time, we’ve engaged in numerous conversations with well-intentioned Christian brothers and sisters. Many question the need for the Day of Atonement, often asserting, “Our sins are already forgiven,” as a decisive response. Regrettably, many in Christianity have lost touch with this sacred day, deeming a day of repentance and communal confession unnecessary. It’s disheartening to witness such a perspective within the Body. It’s a poignant reminder of the blind spots that can emerge.
For we are not so brazen-faced and stiff-necked to say to you, Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, “We are righteous and have not sinned.” But, indeed, we and our fathers have sinned.[2]
Contrary to the often-heard assertion of already being forgiven, the Jewish approach stands distinct. God has bestowed numerous promises — promises of salvation, the advent of the Messiah, the New Covenant, and countless others I could catalogue. Yet, in the face of these many assurances, particularly those directed at Israel, the Jewish community consistently seeks their King’s forgiveness, both individually and collectively. No one is without blemish.
Throughout the duration of the Day of Atonement, individuals continuously recount to God the myriad sins they’ve committed. The additional offerings (musaf) service mirrors this sentiment. Collectively, they confess the countless transgressions recorded against them. Starting with Rosh Hashanah, this season is marked by the belief that the heavenly books are open, and God is assessing the deeds of the past year. During the ten days spanning from the Day of Trumpets to the Day of Atonement, there’s a heightened focus on self-reflection, confession, and repentance. With the books still open, the faithful endeavor to cleanse their records.
This idea of confession and self-reflection wasn’t foreign to the Apostles. It surfaces multiple times in the New Testament, articulated in various manners. While we, as believers, might sometimes fall into the trap of comparing our sins favorably to others, the Apostles cautioned against such thinking. Paul, for instance, underscores that every one of us will stand before God to account for our transgressions.
Romans 14:10–12 (ESV)
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Have you taken a moment to reflect on all the transgressions you need to confess? While Yeshua’s sacrifice provides salvation, it doesn’t negate the essential acts of repentance and confession. In the earlier reference, Paul addresses believers — those who’ve already embraced the gifts from their Master. Yet, they too will stand before God to account for their actions. Are you prepared for that moment?
You might have been disillusioned by dramatized ‘confession’ scenes in movies or have had unsettling personal experiences with confession. However, those don’t capture the true essence of the Yom Kippur service. In this solemn observance, participants acknowledge their equal standing and shared guilt. United in purpose, the community offers up the additional sacrifice of prayer, seeking God’s absolution for any misdeeds.
Inscribe us in Your Book
Perhaps you consider yourself slightly more righteous than your neighbor. But in moments of reflection and atonement, do you align with the collective ‘we,’ or do you remain entrenched in the individual ‘I’? On Yom Kippur, the emphasis is on communal repentance. As a community, we stand united in confession. Picture Moses on Mount Sinai, pleading with God to blot out his name from the Book of Life if He wouldn’t forgive the sins of a nation that had faltered in its worship (Ex 32:32). Moses wasn’t seeking individual exoneration; he was demanding accountability as a member of the community. Will you adopt a similar stance?
If you delve into the Machzor that I’ve referenced, you’ll quickly grasp a profound truth: your sins are always tallied with the community. Your destiny is intrinsically linked with your fellow believers. As the Machzor states, “For the sin we committed before [Him] intentionally and unintentionally.[3]”
On Yom Kippur, we collectively place our hopes in God’s mercy. While I’ll delve deeper into this topic in a subsequent Yom Kippur post, my studies suggest that Peter alludes to this day when he encourages us to cast all our worries, anxieties, and concerns upon God.
1 Peter 5:6–7 (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
During the additional offerings (musaf) service, there is a recurrent theme: supplicants fervently ask God to accept them, heed their prayers, and inscribe them in the Book of Life.
May the words of my mouth be acceptable and the thoughts of my heart — before You Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.[4]
Remember us for life King, Who desires life; and inscribe us in the Book of Life, for Your sake, Living God.[5]
Our redemption is found through God, facilitated by Yeshua the Messiah. James, drawing heavily from Yom Kippur imagery, urges us to intercede for one another in his concluding remarks. The beauty of his message is evident in its culmination: turning a sinner from wrongdoing can save a soul from eternal demise. Through my attendance at various Messianic Jewish Yom Kippur services, I’ve been moved by numerous testimonies. Many Jewish individuals have shared that it was during the High Holidays that they encountered their Messiah: they discovered Yeshua.
James 5:16 (TLV)
16 So confess your offenses to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
James 5:19–20 (TLV)
19 My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one who turns a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
There’s a wealth of depth and meaning wrapped up in Yom Kippur. I hope I’ve given you a glimpse into some of its layers, particularly the musaf prayer service and how it ties into the confessions of our sins. The Apostles didn’t mince words; they told us to confess our sins. And during this time, that’s exactly what we do, both on our own and as part of a larger community. Right up until the Day of Atonement winds down at sundown — when the books are sealed and the heavenly gates close for the year — we’re all in, earnestly praying that God keeps our names and the names of our neighbors in His book of life.
On this day, when You open the books, be gracious to the people who glorify Your Name; and we will sanctify You on this Day of Atonement, Holy One.[6]
Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV)
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.