Yom Kippur
This coming weekend, beginning at sundown on Friday, October 11th through Saturday, October 12th at sundown, Yom Kippur will be observed by Jewish people around the world.
This High Holy Day is also known as the Day of Atonement and is the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe. The origins of Yom Kippur date back over 3000 years when Moses went up to Mount Sinai on behalf of the Jewish People to ask forgiveness for turning away from God. Each person can atone for personal sins, seek forgiveness from God and from other people for any wrongs done against them. With repentance, there is the opportunity for cleansing and purification. This quiet time of reflection gives us the opportunity to reflect on the past year and make amends to start the New Year with a clean slate and the hope of being sealed into The Book of Life. “Yom Kippur is the day on which we are instructed to divorce ourselves as completely as humanly possible from the mundane world in which we live, in order to devote ourselves with all our hearts and minds to our relationship with the Divine” (My Jewish Learning). At the end of services, the Shofar is sounded one final time. There is a celebration with music and dancing. A breaking of the fast takes place with foods like blintzes, kugel, egg dishes, bagels and lox. We have been given a second chance to do the right thing, to right a wrong, and to live rightly.
“Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
G’mar chatima tova,
May you be sealed in the Book of Life
According to Chabad.org, people might prepare the day before Yom Kippur by:
- Requesting and receiving a piece of honey cake to be blessed with a sweet year.
- Giving extra charity.
- A Priestly Blessing of the children before beginning the fast.
- Lighting holiday candles before the onset of the holy day.
"The real work of this holiday is on yourself. You need to look deep inside. What did you do last year? What is life? What does it mean to me? What can I do to make it better? What do I want next year to turn out to be? Spirituality is inside you. Only you can do the hard work of sitting still and listening to yourself." - Rabbi Randall Konigsburg
To all our families and friends who are observing Yom Kippur, we wish you Tzom Kal. May you have an easy fast.
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