They once danced on Yom Kippur - so when did it become the holiest fast day of the year?

A historical-cultural article exploring the evolution of Yom Kippur, from the biblical Temple ritual of the High Priest to the familiar fast day of today. The article examines the shift in the day's meaning, the vineyard dances during the Second Temple period, the question of why the day is barely mentioned in the Hebrew Bible outside the Torah, and its possible connection to Babylonian purification rites and a murder in the Temple during the Persian period.

The article surveys the historical development of Yom Kippur, focusing on the gap between the biblical ritual described in Leviticus and the familiar fast day of today. The biblical source describes a complex ritual led by the High Priest, involving purification of the Tabernacle and Temple through sacrifices, incense, and a scapegoat. The fast and the five afflictions are a later halakhic interpretation of the commandment "you shall afflict your souls." The article notes that during the Second Temple period, Yom Kippur was also seen as a day of joy, with the daughters of Jerusalem going out to dance in the vineyards. A central part of the article is devoted to the mystery: why Yom Kippur is barely mentioned in the books of the Prophets and Writings, such as Kings, Ezekiel, and Ezra-Nehemiah. Some scholars believe this silence indicates a late formation of the holiday, perhaps in the Persian period. The article also discusses the linguistic and ritual similarity to the Babylonian "kuppuru" ritual, while emphasizing the conceptual differences. Finally, a speculative theory is presented linking the formation of the Yom Kippur ritual to the murder of a High Priest by his brother inside the Temple during the Persian period, an event described by Josephus and partially verified by the Elephantine papyri.