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Life can often feel uncertain - especially this time of year. As we step into the Yamim Noraim and prepare for the introspection and reflection for the year ahead, it’s hard not to feel the fragility of our lives and our world. “Who will live and who will die?,” we wonder. “Who will have rest tormented? Who will become poor and who will become wealthy?” Not exactly the stuff of confidence and assuredness.
Consider then the radical joy of the tefillah of “Mar’eh Kohen” on Yom Kippur. The Mishna in Yoma (6:8) writes that “There was a strip of crimson tied to the entrance to the Sanctuary, and when the goat reached the wilderness and the mitzva was fulfilled the strip would turn white,” indicating to all of the people gathered at the Beit Hamikdash that Hashem had accepted the prayers and sacrifices of the Kohen Gadol and that the people had been forgiven.
Imagine the relief and celebration that ensued. As we read in the Avodah section of our Yom Kippur machzor, this moment transformed the day into a joyous celebration:
A great joy burst forth, happiness and rejoicing rang out…The praises of the Almighty will be spoken in their throats, on their tongues will be singing, from their mouths will come a new song. They will rejoice, with trembling and will worship with awe…To cheer, to sing, to beat the drum, and beat the cymbal; to sing songs, and to play music. Embraced, with the strength of the glorious Right Hand of God. Supported in unity, filled with righteousness, they will be drawn to enter His gates, with joy. Joy and happiness will be theirs forever. Rejoicing and celebrating in His Name the entire day, together in joy in His Presence…And a celebration was made by the High Priest for all his loved ones, after entering the [Holy of Holies] in peace, and leaving peacefully, unharmed.
If only we could experience such joy in the world today. The joy of knowing - truly knowing - that everything will be ok. The joy of seeing the Kohen emerge from his service, the confidence that our sins and shortcomings had been erased, that our hopes and prayers had been heard, and that our lives and families and work would be healthy, successful, and full.
We may not have a crimson thread anymore. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still dance and dream, even for a few minutes on Yom Kippur. This is the radical joy of “Mar’eh Kohen.” At the end of the machzor’s extended description of the Yom Kippur sacrifices, we’re given the opportunity to imagine - and experience - what it must have felt like to have seen the Kohen Gadol emerge from the sanctuary. Personally, I’m always moved to simply get up and dance when we reach this point of the service and read about the joy and relief that the Jewish people felt:
אֱמֶת מַה נֶּהְדָּר הָיָה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּצֵאתוֹ מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים בְּשָׁלוֹם בְּלִי פֶגַע
How truly glorious was the High Priest as he left the Holy of Holies, peacefully, unharmed.
So - this year, let’s dream. For a few minutes, let’s replace all of the hopes and worries and anxieties that we carry with song and strength and confidence. Let’s dance together.
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