The Day of Atonement
- It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a secular date in September or early October
- It is a day of fasting, prayer, repentance and confession of sins, as well as abstaining from physical pleasures and wearing leather shoes
- It is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year
- It commemorates the day when Moses received the second set of tablets from God after the sin of the golden calf, and God forgave the people of Israel
- It was originally observed with a special service in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple, where the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices and incense
- After the destruction of the Temple, the service continued in synagogues, where Jews recite prayers and liturgy that recall the Temple rituals and ask for God's mercy
- It is considered a favorable time to seek forgiveness from God and from other people, and to make amends for one's wrongdoings
- It is customary to wear white clothing as a symbol of purity and humility, and to avoid wearing gold or jewelry that might remind God of the golden calf
- It is also customary to perform charitable deeds before Yom Kippur, such as giving money or food to the poor, and to ask for forgiveness from anyone one might have hurt or offended
- It is a mitzvah (commandment) to eat a festive meal before the fast begins, and to light candles and recite blessings at home
- The fast lasts from sunset to nightfall of the next day, about 25 hours in total, during which no food or drink is consumed
- The main prayer services of Yom Kippur are Kol Nidre, which annuls any vows made in the past year; Shacharit, which includes a reading from Leviticus about the Temple service; Musaf, which recounts the Temple service in detail; Minchah, which includes a reading from Jonah about repentance; and Ne'ilah, which marks the closing of the gates of heaven and ends with a blast of the shofar (ram's horn)
- The fast is broken with a light meal, usually dairy or pareve (neither meat nor dairy), and many people wish each other a good year ahead
What Is Yom Kippur? - The Day of Atonement - Chabad.org
Yom Kippur | Holiday, Purpose, Meaning, & Facts | Britannica
- Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish faith. It marks the end of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
- According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person's fate for the coming year, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. The holiday is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service.
- The first Yom Kippur took place after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Moses broke the tablets in anger when he saw the people worshipping a golden calf, but God forgave them and gave him a second set of tablets on the tenth day of Tishrei, the Day of Atonement.
- During biblical times, Yom Kippur was the only day on which the high priest could enter the inner sanctum of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and perform a series of rituals to atone for the sins of all the people of Israel. This practice continued until the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D., and then was adapted into a service for rabbis and their congregations in individual synagogues.
- There are five restrictions placed on Jews: no food or drink, no leather footwear, no washing or bathing, no perfumes or lotions, and no marital relations. These restrictions are meant to help focus on the soul rather than the body .
- There are five prayer services: Kol Nidre (evening), Shacharit (morning), Musaf (additional), Mincha (afternoon), and Neila (closing). The services include confessions of sins, petitions for forgiveness, readings from the Torah and the Prophets, and special prayers such as Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King) and Al Chet (For the Sin) .
- Jews blow the shofar (a ram's horn) at the end of the Neila service to mark the conclusion of the fast. The shofar is a symbol of God's sovereignty, a reminder of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and a call to repentance .
- Jews break their fast with a festive meal that usually includes light foods such as soup, bread, fish, eggs, dairy products, and sweets. They also wish each other a good year and hope for God's mercy and forgiveness .
- Jews celebrate their spiritual renewal and their bond with God and their community. They also express their gratitude for God's grace and compassion, and their hope for peace and harmony in the world .
Celebrating Yom Kippur – The Day Of Atonement – As Christians (thebiblicalnutritionist.com)
What is Yom Kippur? - BBC Bitesize
Why Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year (nationalgeographic.com)
Yom Kippur - Holidays Around the World - WorldAtlas
Yom Kippur: Significance, Facts & Traditions (history.com)
How do Jews prepare for Yom Kippur?
- Engaging in repentance, prayer, charity, and forgiveness. They also seek to improve their mitzvah observance and recite special prayers such as Selichot (penitential supplications) and Psalm 27 during the month of Elul, which precedes Yom Kippur.
- Eating two festive meals on the day before Yom Kippur, one in the early afternoon and one just before the fast begins. The meals are usually light and easy to digest, and include foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, and round challah bread. The meals also include blessings for the children, candles, and kiddush (sanctification of the day over wine) .
- Bathing, cutting their nails, and wearing white clothing and non-leather shoes. These actions express purity, humility, and readiness to stand before God. Married Ashkenazic men also wear a white garment called a kittel, which reminds them of their mortality and the need to repent .
- Donning a tallit (prayer shawl) before sunset and going to the synagogue for the Kol Nidre service. Kol Nidre is a solemn prayer that annuls any vows or promises that one may have made to God in the past year. It is chanted three times by the cantor, each time on a higher note, while the congregation reads along silently .
A Step-by-Step Yom Kippur Guide - Chabad.org
How to Celebrate Yom Kippur - Chabad.org
Selichot
Selichot are Jewish penitential poems and prayers that are recited in preparation for the High Holidays, as well as on fast days throughout the year. The word selichot means "forgiveness" or "pardon" in Hebrew, and the prayers express remorse for sins and ask for God's mercy and compassion. Selichot also include the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, a biblical passage that describes God's gracious and forgiving nature .
The practice of saying Selichot before Rosh Hashanah dates back to at least the ninth century C.E., and is based on the idea that one should repent for at least ten days before the Day of Judgment. Sephardic Jews begin saying Selichot at the start of the month of Elul, while Ashkenazic Jews start on a Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) a week or more before Rosh Hashanah, depending on the calendar . Italian Jews have their own custom of starting Selichot on a Monday or Thursday close to Rosh Hashanah.
_-_%E2%80%9CSlichot%E2%80%9D_Prayer_(1).jpg)
Selichot are meant to inspire repentance, introspection, and spiritual renewal. They also help prepare the worshipers for the mood and themes of the High Holidays, such as judgment, atonement, and forgiveness. By saying Selichot, Jews hope to draw closer to God and to their fellow human beings .
What Are Selichot? - Chabad.org
what is selichot service (reformjudaism.org)
What are the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy?
The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are a biblical passage that describes God's gracious and forgiving nature, which Jews recite as part of their prayers for repentance and forgiveness on Yom Kippur and other occasions. The passage is based on Exodus 34:6-7, where God reveals Himself to Moses after the sin of the golden calf and proclaims His name and qualities. The passage consists of thirteen Hebrew words or phrases, each beginning with the letter vav (and), which emphasize God's continuous and abundant mercy .
The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are as follows:
- Adonai (The Lord) - God is compassionate before a person sins, giving them the opportunity to repent;
- Adonai (The Lord) - God is compassionate after a person sins, accepting their repentance and forgiving them;
- El (God) - God is mighty in compassion, providing for all creatures according to their needs;
- Rachum (Merciful) - God is merciful, alleviating the suffering of humankind;
- Erekh apayim (Slow to anger) - God is patient, restraining His anger and giving time for humankind to improve;
- Rav chesed (Abundant in kindness) - God is generous, bestowing kindness and goodness upon humankind;
- Emet (Truth) - God is truthful, keeping His promises and rewarding those who are faithful;
- Notzer chesed la'alafim (Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations) - God is loyal, remembering the merits of the ancestors and extending kindness to their descendants;
- Noseh avon (Forgiver of iniquity) - God is forgiving, pardoning intentional sins committed out of passion or weakness;
- Va-feshah (And transgression) - God is forgiving, pardoning willful sins committed in defiance or rebellion;
- Ve-chata'ah (And sin) - God is forgiving, pardoning unintentional sins committed out of ignorance or error;
- Ve-nakeh (And He cleanses) - God is cleansing, wiping away the stains and effects of sin.
The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are a central theme in the Selichot prayers that Jews recite in preparation for the High Holidays, as well as on fast days throughout the year. They are also included in the Yom Kippur liturgy, especially during the Ne'ilah service at the end of the day. By reciting the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, Jews invoke God's mercy and hope for His forgiveness and atonement .
The 13 Attributes of Mercy | My Jewish Learning
Thirteen Attributes of Mercy - Wikipedia
What Are the 13 Attributes of Mercy? - Parshah Focus - Parshah (chabad.org)
Some points about the significance of Yom Kippur are:
- Yom Kippur is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. It is also known as the Day of Atonement or Yom Ha-Kippurim .
- Yom Kippur falls on the 10th day of the lunar month of Tishrei, which is usually in September or October in the Gregorian calendar. In 2023, it begins on the evening of Sunday, September 24 and ends on the evening of Monday, September 25 .
- Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person's fate for the coming year .
- Yom Kippur has its origins in the biblical story of Moses and the golden calf. After Moses received the Ten Commandments from God at Mount Sinai, he found his people worshipping an idol and broke the tablets in anger. The Israelites repented and God forgave them, giving Moses a second set of tablets. The first Yom Kippur was observed on the day that Moses came down from the mountain with the new tablets .
- Yom Kippur is also associated with the ritual of the high priest entering the inner sanctum of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem once a year to make atonement for the sins of all Israelites. He would sprinkle blood from sacrificed animals on the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Ten Commandments. This tradition continued until the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. After that, it was adapted into a service for rabbis and their congregations in synagogues .
- Yom Kippur is observed with a 25-hour fast from food, drink, and sex. It is also forbidden to wear leather shoes, anoint oneself with oil, or bathe for pleasure. Some Orthodox Jews wear white robes called kittel to symbolize purity and humility .
- Yom Kippur is a day of prayer and meditation. Jews spend most of the day in synagogue, reciting penitential prayers and reading from the Torah. One of the most famous prayers is Kol Nidre, which is recited on the eve of Yom Kippur. It is a declaration that annuls any vows made during the past year that concern oneself .
- Yom Kippur ends with a closing prayer called Ne'ilah, which means "locking". It signifies that the gates of heaven are closing and that God's judgment is sealed. The shofar, a ram's horn, is blown to mark the end of the fast and the holiday .
Yom Kippur: What is it, when is it and how is it marked? - BBC Newsround
Comments
Post a Comment