In this shiur, we will study the pesukim at the beginning of the parasha describing the entrance of Aharon "before God" and the cleansing of the people on Yom Kippur "before God." What can we learn from the similarities and differences between these experiences?
The Yom Kippur service is unique in many ways. One of its features is the special offering of the ketoret (incense), which was normally burnt on the golden altar, but on Yom Kippur was placed on a pan in the Holy of Holies. The Torah is explicit regarding the central role played by this ketoret as a factor that enables Aharon to enter the Holy of Holies.
Parsahat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim constitutes the transition from the first part of Sefer Vayikra, which focuses on the Kohanim, to the second part of the sefer, which is addressed to all of Am Yisrael. What is the message of the first unit in the parasha, which discusses Aharon's entry into the Kodesh Ha-Kodashim, and how does it relate to the deaths of Aharon's sons, who are referred to in the first verse?
