The Daily Avodah

Unlike any other Avodah performed throughout the year, part of the Avodah of Yom Kippur was performed in the Kodesh Hakodoshim. Rashi designates the Avodah related to the Kodesh Hakodoshim as Avodas P'nim (inner Avodah) and the rest as Avodas Chutz (outer Avodah).

During the Avodas Chutz, the Kohain Gadol wore the eight garments he wore during the Avodah throughout the year. These were known as Bigdai Zahav, the golden garments, because they were made partly of gold threads. During the Avodas P'nim, he wore four linen garments known as Bigdai Lavan, the white garments, instead.

Thus the Kohain Gadol wore the garments in the following sequence:

1) gold

2) linen

3) gold

4) linen

5) gold

The Avodah of Yom Kippur consisted of Korbanos Tamid as on every other day, and the Korbanos of the Mussaf as on every other Yom tov, and the additional Avodah specific to Yom Kippur. The procedures of the Avodah on Yom Kippur began with those performed every day, except that on Yom Kippur the Kohain Gadol alone performed all the essential activities of the Avodah. The Yom Kippur Avodah started and ended with the daily Avodah which was performed in golden garments.

The procedure throughout the year was as follows:

MORNING:

EVENING:

Bringing the Remainder of the Korbanos Mussaf

Shechitah, Kabalah, Holachah, and Zerikah of the evening Tamid

Kindling the Menorah

All text and graphics are from the book "The Yom Kippur Avodah," by Rabbi Menachem Moshe Oppen, illustrations by Shepsil Scheinberg, © C.I.S. Publishers,1997 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. We welcome your questions and comments .