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What was the high priest permitted to do on Yom Kippur in Temple times?

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In Temple times, the high priest was the only individual permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, the innermost and most sacred enclosure of the Temple of Jerusalem, and he did so exclusively on Yom Kippur.123

During this solemn occasion, his primary duties included:

  • Attire: He wore simple white linen garments instead of his usual elaborate priestly vestments.13
  • Confession: He was required to successively confess his own sins, the sins of the priesthood, and the sins of all Israelites.3
  • Ritual Actions: He burned incense and sprinkled the blood of sacrificial animals—specifically a bull and a goat—within the inner sanctum to cleanse it and atone for the sins of himself and the people.123

These actions were central to the purification rituals of the day, serving to expiate sins and achieve reconciliation with God.13