Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is one of the most important and solemn Jewish holidays. It is a season of introspection, repentance, and spiritual rejuvenation.
Here, we will provide you with a complete explanation of Yom Kippur, its significance, traditions, and how Jewish communities around the world observe it.
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What Is Yom Kippur?
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Yom Kippur commemorates the completion of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of meditation and repentance (teshuvah) that begins on Rosh Hashanah and ends at Yom Kippur.
According to history, the holiday is Judaism’s most important day, commonly called the “Sabbath of Sabbaths,” when Jews are closest to God and to the essence of their souls.
When Is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur falls on the 10th of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. According to Chabad, the festival begins at sunset on Sunday, September 24, and ends at sunset on Monday, September 25.
Because the event is based on the Hebrew calendar, the exact date changes yearly, but it usually falls in September or October, according to history.
How Is Yom Kippur Celebrated?
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According to history, Judaism deems Yom Kippur the day God decides each person’s fate for the coming year, encouraging Jews to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins done over the previous year.
Despite being the most solemn day of the year, it is also a joyful celebration.
Jews immerse themselves in the holiday’s religiosity, proclaiming their faith in God to accept their repentance, pardon their sins, and seal their fate for a year of life, health, and happiness.
A 25-hour fast is the main practice of the holiday.
During the fast, when participants “afflict their souls,” Jews refrain from eating or drinking, wearing leather shoes, washing or applying lotions or creams, marital relations, and working. According to Chabad, the day is instead spent in a synagogue praying for forgiveness.
During The Day, There Are Five Prayer Services:
Maariv is held on the eve of Yom Kippur and includes the solemn Kol Nidrei ritual, which means “annulment of vows.” The morning prayer, Shacharit, includes a reading from Leviticus, followed by the Yizkor (meaning “remember”) memorial service, which honours those who have died. Musaf is a detailed narrative of the Yom Kippur temple ritual when the High Priest of Israel performed a special sacrificial service in the temple in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur. Mincha is reading Jonah’s book. Neilah, the sunset “closing of the gates” service, is followed by the shofar (a ram’s horn trumpet) blast, signalling the end of the fast.
Traditions Around Yom Kippur
Jews commonly donate or volunteer their services in the days leading up to the festival to atone and seek God’s pardon.
On Yom Kippur, it is customary to wear white as a symbol of purity. According to history, some married men wear kittles, which are white funeral shrouds, to symbolise remorse.
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Families and friends share a pre-holiday feast on the eve of Yom Kippur. It must be completed by sunset and will strengthen each person before the fasting period.
The practice finishes with the shouts of the Shema prayer during the closing Neilah ritual after nightfall before the congregation burst into music and dance.
This is followed by a single shofar blast and the announcement of “next year in Jerusalem,” according to Chabad.
The evening is transformed into a Yom Tov (holiday) as Jews indulge in a joyful after-fast dinner.
Breakfast-like comfort meals such as kugel (noodle pudding), blintzes, and baked goods are traditional spreads.
Following Yom Kippur, construction of the sukkah (a walled structure covered with organic material) begins.
According to Chabad, a sukkah mimics the temporary dwellings Israelites inhabited on their way out of Egypt and is used for Sukkot.
This weeklong holiday occurs five days after Yom Kippur and celebrates the harvest and the protection God provided for the children of Israel when they left Egypt.
What Is The Best Way To Greet Someone On Yom Kippur?
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On Yom Kippur, the most common greeting is “g’mar chatima tovah,” which means “a good final sealing.” It is frequently abbreviated to “g’mar tov” and refers to the concept that a person’s fate for the future year is inscribed on Rosh Hashanah and sealed on Yom Kippur.
Another common greeting, spoken in the days preceding the fast or immediately as it begins, is “tzom kal,” which translates as “easy fast.” Some would remark, “Have an easy fast.”
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