On this day [Yom Kippur], the High Priest is crowned with supernal crowns [attains an exalted rung of holiness], and is thereby able to stand [as a representative and a conduit] between all that is Above and all that is Below. [By virtue of his service] he obtains atonement for himself, for his household, for the other Kohanim, for the Temple, and for all Israel. We have learned: When the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of the bullock, he would intend [to bind his thought] onto the Reisha d’Me’hem’nuta ["the Head of Faith," keter-chochmah-bina]. He would then sprinkle it [the blood of the bullock] with his finger, as it is written, "He shall sprinkle it above the ark-cover and directly towards the ark-cover." (Lev. 16:15)

How did he do this? He dipped the tip of his finger into the blood, and then sprinkled one drop at a time toward the ark-cover ke’matz’lif [in such a way that the first drop fell on the floor close to, and directly in front of, the ark, the second drop fell just below the first drop, the third drop fell just below the second drop, etc., each time coming closer to where he stood]. He sprinkled and intended [focused his thought on the Reisha d'Me’hem’nuta], and began to count:

"One, One and One".

One [keter], the singular One, the One that includes all [as keter includes all the other sefirot in itself in a state of total oneness], the One that is most praised of all, the One to which all turn and face [and into which they all return], the One that is the Reisha / Head of all.

Following this: "One and One" [chochmah/Abba and bina/Imma] which always dwell together, with willingness and loving oneness, and never part from one another.

After he reaches this: "and One" [bina] which is the Imma/Mother of all, he begins counting be’zivuga [he unites/pairs bina with each of the seven lower sefirot which are considered her children]. He counts and he says: "One and Two" [he intends to unite bina with chesed], "One and Three" [bina with gevura], "One and Four" [bina with tiferet], "One and Five" [bina with netzach], "One and Six" [bina with hod], "One and Seven" [bina with yesod]." In this way, he intends to draw down and bring this: "and One" [the Hidden Level of bina] which is the Supernal Imma/Mother, into the [seven lower] levels which are known [revealed, and then to draw light from all of them] into the crown of the Lower Imma [malchut, Shechinah], and to draw deep rivers [of enlightenment] from their places [Above] to the Congregation of Israel. As a result of this [service], two Lights shine together, that is, Supernal Imma [bina, with the lights of keter and chochmah flowing into it from Ein Sof] shines into Lower Imma. This is why the Torah calls this day Yom HaKippurim [pl. "Day of Atonements", i.e. bina and malchut], as has been explained.

BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this section? What do they want us to learn?

It's Yom Kippur Musaf time. Do you know where your thoughts are? "Oh, no, not another boring Musaf service where the entire priestly service is recited. Guess I'm going "out to lunch" – at least in my mind. Does this sound familiar? At the highest point of the Yom Kippur Service, the service in which we are forgiven for our miss-takes, we take a mental lunch break. Instead, it might be wise to figure out how to stay in the box, to be present and mindful.

To that extent, it is recommended to prepare in advance. Take notes, research questions, ask your rabbi. The above gives over a taste of what was really going one in this bizarre blood sprinkling ritual.

This united all energies and created a sacred flow of Above to Below, so the daughter can unite completely with the mother. We, as the daughter on this day, access the mentalities of the Mother. So we are really much bigger. Just as the High Priest (the holiness of consciousness) entered the Holy of Holies (the holiness of space) on Yom Kippur (the holiness of time), so too can we enter the Holy of Holies of our own being on this amazing day, when Eternity literally breaks into Time.

What does this mean for your Yom Kippur, and why is it being revealed to you now?

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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