Question on Source:
All festivals in the Torah have a historical basis. Pesach(Passover) marks the Exodus from Egypt, Shavuos marks when the Torah was given to us, Rosh Hashanah marks the creation of the world, etc. What is the historical basis for Yom Kippur? Why is it the day of atonement?
(א) ויקהל משה. למחרת יום הכפורים כשירד מן ההר, והוא לשון הפעיל, שאינו אוסף אנשים בידים, אלא הן נאספים על פי דבורו, ותרגומו ואכנש:
(1) The day after Yom Kippur, when Moshe came down from the mountain...
Historical Background
At Shavuos (the 6th of the Jewish month Sivan) Moshe went up to heaven to receive the Luchos (the Two Tablets). He was there for forty days. On the fortieth day he returned with the tablets to see the Jews worshiping the golden calf. As a result of G-d's anger with this sin the tablets were broken (This took place on the 17th of Tamuz. .) For forty days Moshe prayed for forgiveness for the Jews. Moshe was then instructed to return to heaven to receive a new set. (This was the first of Elul). He descended forty days later on Yom Kippur with the new Tablets. This was the sign that G-d had forgiven the Jew's sin and kept forever as a day of atonement.
Points of interest:
1. 17th of Tamuz =This day would mark the beginning of the destruction of the Temple later on in history
2. Moshes prayer (Shmos 34:6)= (The Torah describes the 13 attributes of G-d that he mentioned in his prayer. This has been incorporated into Slechos which are customarily said from before Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur.)
3. 1st of Elul= Traditional time for reflection and start preparing for Rosh Hashanah. We customarily start saying Psalm 27 and start blowing the Shofar on that day. The reason given for this custom is that in the desert the Jews blew the Shofar to remind one another to repent and not repeat the mistake with the Golden Calf.
(מב) בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כָּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃ (מג) לְמַעַן֮ יֵדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהוֹצִיאִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יי אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(42) You shall dwell in huts seven days; all Jews shall dwell in huts; (43) that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in huts, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
(א) כי בסכות הושבתי. ענני כבוד:
to dwell in huts: Clouds of Glory.
Rashi understands that this cannot refer to only to the hut structures the Jews lived in for why would this be a cause for celebration. Rather it refers to the Clouds of Glory (that are described at the exodus from Egypt) which protected the Jews in the desert just as a hut does.
Problem with source:
The Historical date when the Jews needed huts in the desert would be immediatly after Passover. Why is the festival delayed until after Yom Kippur?
(כט) וְהָיְתָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ֠שְּׁבִיעִי בֶּֽעָשׂ֨וֹר לַחֹ֜דֶשׁ תְּעַנּ֣וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֗ם וְכָל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ הָֽאֶזְרָ֔ח וְהַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃ (ל) כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יי תִּטְהָֽרוּ׃ (לא) שַׁבַּ֨ת שַׁבָּת֥וֹן הִיא֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֖ת עוֹלָֽם׃
(29) And it shall be a statute for ever for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the Convert in your midst. (30) For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall you be clean before the LORD. (31) It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever.
(3) And they (the craftsman who were to build the Mishkan (tabernacle)) received of Moses all the materials, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, And the Jews continued to bring material for two more days.
Vilna Gaon:
The Vilna Gaon makes the following observation:
Moshe told the Jews about the tabernacle the day after he descended from the mountain (11th of Tishrei) and the Jews brought material for three days. It follows that the first day that the Jews started building the Mishkan was on the 15th of Tishrei (which is the first day of Succos).
The Medrash comments that the Clouds of Glory deserted the Jews because of the sin of the Golden Calf and only returned when the Jews started building the tabernacle. Succos then is the most logical time to commemorate these clouds of G-ds protection.
Points to consider:
Yom Kippur is a day when the Jews atoned for past sins (the Golden Calf). Succos is the day when they started new Mitzvos (building the tabernacle) and formed a stronger connection to G-d. The sign of G-ds favor (His clouds of protection) returned when he saw the Jews devotion to Him.
Yom Kippur is the day we atone for our sins and Succos is when we build a place to go to be close to G-d. Through joyous performance of Mitzvos we can merit G-ds closeness.
It is important to not get overly caught up in the sins of the past rather to move on and grow with the deeds of the future.