“And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:”
This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: on the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work — whether native-born or foreigner residing among you. The Day of Atonement as a lasting ordinance: the tenth of the seventh month, a day of self-denial and complete rest from work. The self-denial — fasting and physical restriction — communicates the solemnity of the day: the Day of Atonement is not a celebration but a day of humble acknowledgment of sin and dependence on the divine provision for atonement. The inclusion of foreigners residing among Israel communicates the communal scope: the Day of Atonement addresses the entire community living within the covenant space.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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