THE INSTRUCTIONS

Exodus 29:36
and each day you shall prepare a bull as a sin offering for expiation (hakippurim); you shall purge the altar by performing upon it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it.

Exodus 30:10,16 

10 Once a year Aaron shall perform purification upon its horns with blood of the sin offering of purification (hakippurim); purification shall be performed upon it once a year throughout the ages. It is most holy to the Lord.

16 You shall take the expiation (hakippurim) money from the Israelites and assign it to the service of the Tent of Meeting; it shall serve the Israelites as a reminder before the Lord, as expiation (to atone - Lekippar) for your persons. 

Leviticus 23:27-28  
Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to the Lord; you shall do no work throughout that day. For it is a Day of Atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before the Lord your God.

Leviticus 25:9

Then you shall sound the horn loud; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month—the Day of Atonement you shall have the horn sounded throughout your land.

Numbers 5:88
If the man has no kinsman to whom restitution can be made, the amount repaid shall go to the Lord for the priest—in addition to the ram of expiation with which expiation is made on his behalf.

Numbers 29:7-11
On the tenth day of the same seventh month you shall observe a sacred occasion when you shall practice self-denial. You shall do no work.  You shall present to the Lord a burnt offering of pleasing odor: one bull of the herd, one ram, seven yearling lambs; see that they are without blemish.  The meal offering with them—of choice flour with oil mixed in—shall be: three-tenths of a measure for a bull, two-tenths for the one ram, one-tenth for each of the seven lambs. And there shall be one goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of expiation and the regular burnt offering with its meal offering, each with its libation.
Leviticus 16:1-34 (follow this link to read it)

Leviticus 23:22-32 (follow this link to read it)

Exodus 30:10 Once a year Aaron shall perform purification upon its horns with blood of the sin offering of purification; purification shall be performed upon it once a year throughout the ages. It is most holy to the Lord.

Leviticus 4:20,26,31,35

20 He shall do with this bull just as is done with the [priest’s] bull of sin offering; he shall do the same with it. Thus the priest shall make expiation for them, and they shall be forgiven.

26 All its fat he shall turn into smoke on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of well-being. Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

31 He shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the sacrifice of well-being; and the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar, for a pleasing odor to the Lord. Thus the priest shall make expiation for him, and he shall be forgiven.

35 And all its fat he shall remove just as the fat of the sheep of the sacrifice of well-being is removed; and this the priest shall turn into smoke on the altar, over the Lord’s offering by fire. Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf for the sin of which he is guilty, and he shall be forgiven.

Leviticus 5:6,10,13,18,26

6 And he shall bring as his penalty to the Lord, for the sin of which he is guilty, a female from the flock, sheep or goat, as a sin offering; and the priest shall make expiation on his behalf for his sin.

10 And the second he shall prepare as a burnt offering, according to regulation. Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf for the sin of which he is guilty, and he shall be forgiven.

13 Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf for whichever of these sins he is guilty, and he shall be forgiven. It shall belong to the priest, like the meal offering.

18 He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, or the equivalent, as a guilt offering. The priest shall make expiation on his behalf for the error that he committed unwittingly, and he shall be forgiven.

26 The priest shall make expiation on his behalf before the Lord, and he shall be forgiven for whatever he may have done to draw blame thereby.

JUDAISM'S APPROACH TO THE INSTRUCTIONS

Judaism teaches that on Yom Kippur the Book of Life is closed and sealed.  Those that have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year.
Since Yom Kippur is the day to ask forgiveness for promises broken to God, the day before is reserved for asking forgiveness for broken promises between people, as God cannot forgive broken promises between people.
Yom Kippur is a day of "NOT" doing. There is no blowing of the Shofar and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. It is believed that to fast on Yom Kippur is to emulate the angels in heaven, who do not eat, drink, or wash.
The Five Prohibitions of Yom Kippur

Eating and drinking

Anointing with perfumes or lotions

Marital relations

Washing

Wearing leather shoes

While Yom Kippur is devoted to fasting, the day before is devoted to eating. According to the The Talmud the person "who eats on the ninth of Tishri (and fasts on the tenth) , it is as if he had fasted both the ninth and tenth." Prayer is also down played so that Jews can concentrate on eating and preparing for the fast.

On the eve of Yom Kippur the community joins at the synagogue. Men put on prayer shawls (not usually worn in the evenings). Then as the night falls the cantor begins the "Kol Nidre", it is repeated 3 times, each time in a louder voice. The Kol Nidre emphasizes the importance in keeping vows, as violating an oath is one of the worst sins.
An important part of the Yom Kippur service is the "Vidui" (Viduy) or confession. The confessions serve to help reflect on ones misdeeds and to confess them verbally is part of the formal repentance in asking God's forgiveness. Because community and unity are an important part of Jewish Life, the confessions are said in the plural (We are guilty).
As Yom Kippur ends, at the last hour a service called "Ne'ila" (Neilah) offers a final opportunity for repentance. It is the only service of the year during which the doors to the Ark (where the Torah scrolls are stored) remain open from the beginning to end of the service, signifying that the gates of Heaven are open at this time.
The service closes with the verse, said 7 times, "The Lord is our God." The Shofar is sounded once and the congregation proclaim - "Next year in Jerusalem."

Kaparot is an ancient and mystical custom connected to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It can be performed anytime between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, but most often it is performed just after dawn on the day before Yom Kippur.

Another strange ritual that is performed is Kaparot.  The kaparot ceremony involves taking a chicken (a white rooster for a male, hen for a female) and waving it over one’s head while reciting this prayer: "This is my exchange, this is my substitute, this is my atonement. This chicken will go to its death while I will enter and proceed to a good long life, and peace." Then the chicken is slaughtered and it (or its cash value) is given to the poor.

While kaparot is still practiced by more orthodox Jews, most Jews today perform kaparot by waving money wrapped in a white cloth napkin over their head, reciting the prayer and then giving the money to charity following the ceremony.

Kaparot is supposed to imbue people with a feeling that their very lives are at stake as Yom Kippur approaches.

The kaparot ceremony is meant to symbolically express our recognition that we have sinned and are no longer deserving of life (like the chicken), but we can be saved from the penalty we deserve if we repent, perform good deeds, and give charity.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUDAISM'S RULES FOR THE DAY

Some people eat very little the day before so that it is not such a shock to their bodies when they are fasting from all food and water the next day.   Polls show that about 70% of Jews fast even though not all of them are religious.  This holiday is the only day of the year when all Israeli radio and TV broadcasts go off the air. All shops and cafes are closed, planes at the airport are grounded, and all public transportation is suspended.  In some parts of the country it is so quiet and peaceful; people of all ages walk around dressed all in white and for a change, people are pleasant to each other.  Children and adults alike take to the streets on their bicycles and rollerblades and take advantage of the roads being without vehicles.  Most Jewish men stay in the synagogues for the duration of the day.

WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

It would have been really nice to have silence.  On the contrary, we had constant noise until after 2:30am, maybe later but I fell asleep from pure exhaustion.  It seems that our Muslim neighbours went out of their way to make as much noise as possible.  The noise started up again at 8am this morning.  There is blatant disregard and total disrespect for Jews in our town.  Loud firecrackers and booming music drowned out the night and circling mobile discos shattered the potential silence, causing our whole building to shake.  It has been about 30 hours of constant noise as I write this post.  I feel most sorry for our animals.  The firecrackers cause our dogs to shake and hyperventilate, our one cat slinks around so close to the floor it is actually comical.  Lots of children were riding their bikes, we heard lots of them falling and crying.  Our son's bicycle was stolen from our roof and our daughter's one is too small for her so they missed out on that this year.  Also, by law, any person on wheels has to have a helmet as of 1 September 2007.  We don't have those.  So, we had a restful day at home as a family and did no work.  It was Shabbat anyway!

JESUS ,BLOOD SACRIFICES AND FASTING

Hebrews 9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!  

15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 10:1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;  6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.  7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.' "8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
 16"This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." 17Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." 18And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Luke 5:33 And they said to him "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers; the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same; but yours eat and drink." 34 And Jesus said to them, "You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them; then they will fast in those days." 36 And he was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. Otherwise, he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'"

Matthew 9:14Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

 15Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Mark 2:18Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?"

 19Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."