Leviticus 23:28, part of the instructions for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), means:
"You shall do no kind of work in that same day": This refers to a complete cessation from labor. No regular jobs, no chores, no business activities—everything must stop. This enforced rest allowed for complete focus on repentance and seeking forgiveness from God. The Hebrew word for "work" here implies "servile" or "laborious" work.
"for it is a day of atonement": This is the purpose of the day—to atone for sins. Atonement is the process of covering or making amends for wrongdoing, thereby restoring a right relationship with God.
"to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God": The atonement isn't something you do on your own; it's a process facilitated by the prescribed rituals and sacrifices performed before God (Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God). These actions were meant to cleanse the people and restore them to a state of purity and favor with God. The sacrifices served as a symbolic payment or covering for their sins, demonstrating the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation with God.
In essence, the verse commands complete rest and abstention from work on Yom Kippur, emphasizing that the day's purpose is to seek atonement (forgiveness and reconciliation) before God. The people were to spend the day in repentance, prayer, and seeking God's mercy.
Leviticus 23:28, part of the instructions for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), means:
"You shall do no kind of work in that same day": This refers to a complete cessation from labor. No regular jobs, no chores, no business activities—everything must stop. This enforced rest allowed for complete focus on repentance and seeking forgiveness from God. The Hebrew word for "work" here implies "servile" or "laborious" work.
"for it is a day of atonement": This is the purpose of the day—to atone for sins. Atonement is the process of covering or making amends for wrongdoing, thereby restoring a right relationship with God.
"to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God": The atonement isn't something you do on your own; it's a process facilitated by the prescribed rituals and sacrifices performed before God (Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God). These actions were meant to cleanse the people and restore them to a state of purity and favor with God. The sacrifices served as a symbolic payment or covering for their sins, demonstrating the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation with God.
In essence, the verse commands complete rest and abstention from work on Yom Kippur, emphasizing that the day's purpose is to seek atonement (forgiveness and reconciliation) before God. The people were to spend the day in repentance, prayer, and seeking God's mercy.