Kippur Connect to the Jewish People

This is our final class before Yom Kippur, The Meshech Hochma in Vayikra (8,7) tells us how the process of the Kohen Gadol/ the high priest, brings the Kapara/atonement on Yom Kippur. He says that when the Jewish soul is disconnected from its physicality, automatically it connects to its source, which is God and this purifies, just like the law that impure waters that connect themselves to pure waters in a mikveh become purified (there's a concept called hashaka - they sort of say, kiss each other or meet together). So too, the Jewish people are connected to God. Bu how do we connect ourselves to God on Yom Kippur? He says, “ We have to connect ourselves to the Jewish people at large ,” because, (and this is a tremendous Hiddush) “ the Jewish people as a whole are constantly connected to God.” You, the Jewish people, are connected to God and you're all alive today. So, in order for me to get my Kapara , I must connect myself to God. But how do I do that? I have to connect myself to the Jewish people. And he says, That's why we give Sedaka and do acts of Hessed during Aseret Yeme Teshuva. Because that's the way to connect yourself to the Jewish people. And he says, it's like you’re grafting a new sapling to an old tree.. (there's a law of Orla that within the first three year of a fruit tree, the fruit is called Orla , and it's forbidden to eat. But if you take a new sapling and graft it to an older tree that's more than three years old, the new sapling becomes part of the old tree). And so too, when we, as individuals, connect ourselves to Jewish people, we become purified, because we're connected to Jewish people that are constantly connected to God. That's what it signifies when the Kohen Gadol walks into the Holy of Holies. He's representing the Jewish people at large, and connecting them to God. What an unbelievable thought. Chacham Ben Sion brings down that especially on Erev Yom Kippur, a person is supposed to give charity. Everyone can find someone to give charity to today. There are many organizations. There are people that need money for Yom Tov. But if you're looking for somebody ( if it’s not too late) call the Yad Yosef Torah Center and find Rabbi Ozeri. He always has a list of people to help. He’s been giving out cards for Moisha’s, a local, supermarket. This is not an appeal, but if you're stuck, you can always come to the Yad Yosef …we’ll find somebody for you to help. The bottom line is that we must connect ourselves to the Jewish people. It's not just about me and you . It's about us . That's the secret to the purification process. And that's why you must ask forgiveness before Yom Kippur, because, as Chacham Ben Sion says, it’s not just that if you don't ask forgiveness, you don't get forgiven on the man- to- man sense. There will be something lacking for your entire Yom Kippur; your whole Yom Kippur will be missing if you don't ask forgiveness from somebody; if you're not getting along with someone, it impacts your entire Yom Kippur.That's why it's a big thing to do today, Erev Kippur, to forgive people- even that guy that really wronged you. Great things happen when people forgive other people. Rabbi Spiro tells a beautiful story in his book, A Touch of Purity . He tells of a man who had a business partner who swindled him terribly. He was extremely upset and wanted to press charges, defame him, and really go to war. Not long after that, there was a Hatzalah ambulance in front of his neighbor’s house, whose young wife, a mother of three children, was very sick with the disease. The neighbor came over and said, “ We're going to the hospital now. Could you please follow with my children in the car? I think they need to be near their mother.” So he takes the children to the hospital, and after a while they see that really there's no need for the children to be there. She's not going to need them. They stay a little bit longer, and then he ends up taking the children back home, giving them supper and helping them out. And he is just so overtaken by the horrible situation of this young family with a sick mother, that he bursts out crying and says to Hashem, “ I'll make a deal with You. This man wronged me. I'll forgive him. I'll forget it like it never happened. I won't press charge. I won't do anything. But please, grant this lady a refuah shelemah.” Not long afterwards, her condition started to improve. And almost miraculously, she eventually pulled out of it and was given a clean bill of health. That's the power of forgiving- It’s not an easy thing, but that's what makes us part of the Jewish people. That's what gives us power. We see here that when you forgive somebody, you can ask for something for somebody else- What a powerful tool. Let us take advantage of becoming part of the Jewish people on the special, final day before Yom Kippur and make that difference. *The 10 Commandments correspond to the 10 days of Teshuva. The last commandment is Lo Tachmod/Thou shall not covet, don't want what other people have. Care about other people, forgive other people. Get along with other people. And that's the secret to our success. Have a wonderful, meaningful fast.