When the כהן גדול would enter the קודש הקדשים on יום כיפור, he did not wear his usual 8 garments. He wore only 4 garments made of linen, like those worn by a regular כהן.
This is because אין קטיגור נעשה סניגור, the prosecuting attorney cannot serve as the defense attorney in the same case.
The regular garments of the כהן גדול include gold, of which the עגל was made, and he could not wear a reminder of the חטא העגל while trying to attain forgiveness for בני ישראל.
Question:
Why was the כהן גדול allowed to wear his regular בגדים while doing any of the other parts of the עבודה of יום כיפור?
Answer:
The forgiveness for בני ישראל that the כהן גדול brings about on יום כיפור is accomplished not so much by what he does, but by where he does it.
The main עבודה that brings the forgiveness is brought about by the כהן גדול entering the קודש הקדשים. Everything else that he does on this day prepares him and ensures that his entering into the קודש הקדשים will be appropriate and effective.
Therefore, it is only when he enters the קודש הקדשים, which is where he brings about forgiveness, that he cannot wear his regular garments that include gold.
Further discussion:
In פרשת תצוה we learn that the בגדי כהונה cause the עבודה to be לכבוד ולתפארת.
Why is אין קטיגור נעשה סניגור so important that it overrides this שלימות in his עבודה?
(See אות ז in the שיחה)
