-
4 The Halakhic Theology of Atonement
- Baylor University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
123 Law in Narrative Form The rite of the Day of Atonement, which effects atonement for Israel’s sins, in Mishnah-tractate Yoma, amplified by Tosefta-, Yerushalmi-, and Bavlitractate Yoma, takes the form of a narrative of the rite, rather than exposition of normative rules in abstract form. Only at the end does the Halakhah of Yoma turn from narrative to norms of action and attitude, and then it delivers a message that utterly changes the formulation of the topic. The sequence of documents over four centuries, from the Mishnah in ca. 200, Tosefta (ca. 300), Yerushalmi (ca. 400), and Bavli (ca. 600) for tractate Yoma in the first seven chapters simply recapitulates the Halakhah of the Written Torah in Leviticus 16. Of the eight chapters of the Mishnah-tractate (which sets the division of the Tosefta, Yerushalmi, and Bavli), the first seven provide a narrative, bearing interpolated materials, of the sacrificial rite of the Day of Atonement. The eighth does little more, taking up the rules of affliction of soul, that is, fasting. But at the end, the Halakhah links atonement to repentance, completely recasting the topic at hand. There the Tosefta, as we shall see, opens the way to a profound reenvisioning of the Day of Atonement. The pertinent verses of Scripture are at Leviticus 16:134 . Now, by the introduction of a theme invited by, but not present in, the narrative itself, the theme of repentance, the Halakhic exposition of the Mishnah-Tosefta-Yerushalmi-Bavli transforms the topic of atonement. Attitude in the end takes over, the attitude of repentance being the precondition of reconciliation with first humanity, then God. The two parts of the Torah, written (Leviticus 16) and oral (MishnahTosefta -Yerushalmi-Bavli Yoma), then deliver the message by their coordinaChapter 4 The Halakhic Theology of Atonement tion. It is by repeating the Written Torah’s narrative and then making a striking addition of a Halakhic character to that narrative that the Oral Torah accomplishes its goal. And, we shall see at the end, the Bavli uses the same medium of recapitulation and amplification to make its still more dramatic statement, which, predictably, concerns the centrality of Israel’s attitude. The power of the repentant spirit is present in the very heart and center of the cult itself. If we compare the sequence of the Scripture’s narrative to the presentation of the Halakhah, meaning in this case, the Halakhah of the Mishnah (which governs the order of exposition of the Tosefta, Yerushalmi, and Bavli)—there being nothing of weight or consequence in the posterior documents of the Halakhah—we see the following pattern (the Mishnahpassages are given below): Leviticus 16:3 He shall put on the holy linen coat M. 3:6–7 16:6 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin-offering M. 3:8 16:7 Then he shall take the two goats M. 3:9, 4:1 16:9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord 16:11 Aaron shall present the bull as a sin-offering for himself and for his house M. 4:2–3 16:12 He shall take a censer full of coals of fire M. 5:1–2 16:14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull M. 5:3 16:15 Then he shall kill the goat of the sin-offering which is for the people M. 5:4 16:18 Then he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar M. 5:5–6 16:20 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the people of Israel M. 6:2–6 16:23 Then Aaron shall offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people M. 6:7–8 16:24 The high priest changes into golden garments and offers the ram and the ram of the people, so completing the offerings of the day M. 7:3–4 16:31 You shall afflict yourselves M. 8:1–7 124 Performing Israel’s Faith [54.196.27.122] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 23:16 GMT) Omitted from this correlation between Scripture and the Mishnah’s treatment of the topic are only the materials on Torah-reading, prayer, and atonement , M. 7:1–2. All that the Halakhah adds is the opening...