The Day of Atonement is a significant event in the calendar of holy days that God gave to the Israelites. It is also known as Yom Kippur and occurs once a year on the tenth day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. The Day of Atonement was a sacred and important ceremony that symbolized the reconciliation of humanity with God from sin. Leviticus 16:3–28 contains instructions for the priest on the Day of Atonement. The following are the six general steps involved in the ceremony:

1. Aaron was to make atonement for himself before making atonement for the people.
2. Aaron was to take two goats, one for the offering and the other as the scapegoat.
3. Aaron was to cleanse the holy place of the temple.
4. Aaron was to sacrifice the goat for the offering and sprinkle its blood on the mercy seat.
5. Aaron was to place the sins of the people on the scapegoat and send it into the wilderness.
6. Aaron was to cleanse himself and his garments and offer burnt offerings.

The Day of Atonement was the only day when a priest could enter the Most Holy Place, the inner room of the tabernacle or temple that contained the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. The high priest entered the Most Holy Place with incense and sprinkled the mercy seat with the blood of both purification offerings. The Day of Atonement ritual provided a confident forgiveness of sins, as well as a symbolic purification of the temple and the community. However, it was not until Jesus came to make the “once for all” sacrifice that the need for cleansing ceremonies ceased.