When the priests and the people standing in the Azara heard the Name come from the mouth of the Kohen Gadol, they knelt, prostrated themselves and fell on their faces. They said: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever.” The Rambam counts the Name ten times that day: three at each of the three confessions, and one at the lots. Full prostration, arms and legs stretched out, face to the ground, is permitted on stone only in the Temple. The Yom Kippur tour shows the priests in the Ezrat Kohanim and the Israelites in the Ezrat Yisrael, stretched out, heads toward the Heikhal.
Dimensions
- kneeling, bowing, face to the ground
- arms and legs stretched out
- the Name ten times that day
Sources
- Yoma 6:2“וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִים שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא מִפִּי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, הָיוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וְנוֹפְלִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, וְאוֹמְרִים, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד”
- Rambam, Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 2:6“וּמַזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם בְּכָל וִדּוּי מֵהֶן שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים… נִמְצָא מַזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם בַּיּוֹם זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים”
- Rambam, Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 2:7“כָּל הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה כְּשֶׁהֵם שׁוֹמְעִים אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ יוֹצֵא מִפִּי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל… הָיוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וְנוֹפְלִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם”
- Rambam, Hilchot Tefillah uNesiat Kapayim 5:13“הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה זֶה פִּשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם עַד שֶׁנִּמְצָא מֻטָּל עַל פָּנָיו אַרְצָה”
- Rambam, Hilchot Tefillah uNesiat Kapayim 5:14“וְאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה עַל הָאֲבָנִים אֶלָּא בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ”
Project decisionTour's choice: the Mishna gives the three gestures, not the final pose. The tour freezes them stretched out, following the Rambam's definition. The number of people and their places are also choices. The Israelites wear what their community wears today on Yom Kippur, and go barefoot, like every worshipper in the tour.