Answer the day of atonement leviticus 2327 28 also known as yom kippur was the most solemn holy day of all the israelite feasts and festivals occurring once a year on the tenth day of tishri the seventh month of the hebrew calendar on that day the high priest was to perform elaborate rituals to atone for the sins of the people. The day of atonement or yom kippur is the most solemn and important holy day of the jewish calendar in the old testament the day of atonement was the day the high priest made an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the people this act of atonement brought reconciliation between the people and god. The day of atonement is the english phrase for yom kippur the shoresh root for the word kippur is kafar which probably derives from the word kofer meaning ransom this word is parallel to the word redeem and means to atone by offering a substitute. 6 the day of atonement is the cleansing of a place and of a people i have always had a certain mental picture of the day of atonement and i have just now discovered how partial and incomplete it was i thought that the sole purpose of this annual sacrifice was to cleanse the people from their sins