Illustrations: Jacky Yarhi
It’s Motzaei Rosh Hashanah and I’m exhausted but I can’t fall asleep. I’m way too excited, and nervous, too, to be honest. In a few days, Abba, Chilkiya, and I leave for the Mikdash, where we’ll stay until after Yom HaKippurim. Can you believe that my very first mishmar since becoming a bar mitzvah is the week of the holiest day of the year? Achituv is so envious, but his family’s mishmar will be on Succos, which is almost as exciting.
My very first mishmar! And my cousin Tzadok’s, too. Of course, since we’re only thirteen, Tzadok and I can’t be a part of the actual avodah yet, but you can bet we’ll be watching closely. Chilkiya is just as excited as I am. He’s done dozens of mishmarim already, but last week was his 20th birthday which means that now he can finally join in the avodah as a full-fledged Kohein.
Usually, the Kohanim of the beis av2 get to do a large part of the daily avodah. On Yom HaKippurim, however, the Kohein Gadol does most of it. But there is so much to do in the days leading up to Yom HaKippurim that all the Kohanim will have something to do. The more important tasks will probably go to the senior Kohanim, like Abba and the dodim. And of course, Saba — who, in addition to being our Rosh Beis Av, is the most senior of all the Kohanim. Some parts of the avodah are actually assigned with a goral. I hope Abba gets picked!
Tomorrow is the grand procession!
Now I really must get some sleep.
Lailah tov,
Azaryahu ben Shimon
[1]. There’s a machlokes about when the Kohein Gadol began his isolation. Some opinions say it began on Rosh Hashanah; others say it began on the day after Rosh Hashanah. (During the times of the Beis Hamikdash, Rosh Hashanah was just one day.)
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