The linen garments worn by the high priest on Yom Kippur must never be worn again. The reason for this rule is that when a person repents sincerely, he or she is transformed into a new person. Inasmuch as the essence of Yom Kippur is repentance, the garments used by the high priest to perform the Yom Kippur rituals had to be new each year.1
The high priest was required to change into special garments of simple linen in order to enter the Holy of Holies.
Becoming a New Person
וּפָשַׁט אֶת בִּגְדֵי הַבָּד אֲשֶׁר לָבַשׁ בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהִנִּיחָם שָׁם:
(ויקרא טז:כג)
[Aaron] must remove the linen garments that he wore when he entered the Holy [of Holies], and leave them [in the Tabernacle].
Leviticus 16:23
Footnotes
1.
Likutei
Sichot, vol. 28, pp. 224–225.
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Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson (11 Nissan 1902–3 Tammuz 1994) became the seventh rebbe of the Chabad dynasty on 10 Shevat 1950. He is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the second half of the 20th century, a dominant scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of Torah, and fluent in many languages and on scientific subjects. The Rebbe is best known for his extraordinary love and concern for every Jew on the planet, having sent thousands of emissaries around the globe, dedicated to strengthening Judaism.
Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky is a scholar, author and anthologist, and is editor-in-chief at Chabad House Publications of California. He is the author and translator of Apples from the Orchard, gleanings from the writings of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria, 1534–1572) on the Torah, and is the author and editor-in-chief of the Kehot Chumash produced by Chabad House Publications, featuring an interpolated translation of the Torah with commentary adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky is a scholar, author and anthologist, and is editor-in-chief at Chabad House Publications of California. He is the author and translator of Apples from the Orchard, gleanings from the writings of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria, 1534–1572) on the Torah, and is the author and editor-in-chief of the Kehot Chumash produced by Chabad House Publications, featuring an interpolated translation of the Torah with commentary adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
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4 Comments
Maria amato
USA
May 20, 2016
Please excuse my ignorance, but what was done with the used garments ? Reply
Fred Eiss
April 15, 2019
in response to Maria amato:
The Lubavitcher Chumash Vayikra, Acharei 16:23 stares “they will be hidden away., the footnote reads Mishnah Torah Kelei HaMikdash. Reply
sam magnussen
East texas
April 25, 2022
in response to Fred Eiss:
“..hidden away..”- is this to say that decades of these garments were sequestered into some specific physical place? While I find it easy to comprehend that a new set of garments dedicated to single Yom Kippur use, I struggle with the notion of “hidden away”- I wonder if this alludes to a room within the Temple?
New garments annually, okay, I get that. But the used garments are to be “hidden (stored) away?
Reply


It's good that once the learning and growth traits are there combined with the wisdom it becomes exciting to change for the better as everday a new aspect is learnt.