Yom Kippur: The Day of Repentance, Prayer, and Fasting
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work ... because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], and you must deny yourselves." (Leviticus 16:29–31)
The holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year begins tonight: Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).
This day is so important that the Torah calls it the Shabbat Shabbaton (Sabbath of Sabbaths).
Even secular Jews observe it by fasting and refraining from all work, despite not observing other Jewish holy days.
As the sun sets tonight, all around the world, the Jewish People will begin a 25-hour fast. It is traditional, therefore, to greet friends and family today and tomorrow with Tzom Kal, which means Easy Fast.
Yom Kippur is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that began with Rosh HaShanah, which is believed to be Judgment Day.
That judgment which was issued on Rosh HaShanah—in other words, our fate—is sealed in the Book of Life today.
This highest of holy days stands apart from all other days as the last day to repent and make amends.
The traditional greeting, therefore, is G'mar Chatimah Tovah (May You be Sealed for a Good Year)!
During Temple times, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur to offer incense and the blood of the sacrifice at the mercy seat so the people would be cleansed from their sins.
Because the Holy Temple no longer stands, the purification offering outlined in Leviticus 16 can no longer be offered.
May you and your family be inscribed in the Book of Life for a happy, healthy, prosperous Jewish New Year!
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work ... because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], and you must deny yourselves." (Leviticus 16:29–31)
The holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year begins tonight: Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).
This day is so important that the Torah calls it the Shabbat Shabbaton (Sabbath of Sabbaths).
Even secular Jews observe it by fasting and refraining from all work, despite not observing other Jewish holy days.
As the sun sets tonight, all around the world, the Jewish People will begin a 25-hour fast. It is traditional, therefore, to greet friends and family today and tomorrow with Tzom Kal, which means Easy Fast.
Yom Kippur is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that began with Rosh HaShanah, which is believed to be Judgment Day.
That judgment which was issued on Rosh HaShanah—in other words, our fate—is sealed in the Book of Life today.
This highest of holy days stands apart from all other days as the last day to repent and make amends.
The traditional greeting, therefore, is G'mar Chatimah Tovah (May You be Sealed for a Good Year)!
During Temple times, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur to offer incense and the blood of the sacrifice at the mercy seat so the people would be cleansed from their sins.
Because the Holy Temple no longer stands, the purification offering outlined in Leviticus 16 can no longer be offered.
May you and your family be inscribed in the Book of Life for a happy, healthy, prosperous Jewish New Year!