The History and Meaning of the Jewish Holiday Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, also known as The Days of Atonement, is one of the most important Jewish Holidays. Yom Kippur is celebrated this year from Sunday September 27 at sunset and ends nightfall on Monday September 28. In Leviticus 23:26-28 it states that "God spoke to Moses saying the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you, you shall practice self denial and you shall not work throughout the day for it is a day of atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before the Lord, your God."

During Yom Kippur the following are prohibited: Eating and drinking, wearing leather shoes, bathing/washing,annoting with perfumes or lotions, and sexual relations. It begins a period of fasting and prayer. Fasting is not required for those who have a medical condition. It is during this time called the Days of Awe that began with Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year that you try to amend relationships in your life, seek forgiveness against God, or other humans. Show acts of charity,and kindness. It is during Yom Kippur that married men wear a kittel, a white robe to signify purity.

On Rosh Hashanah the person's fate is inscribed into the Book of Life and Yom Kippur is when God seals that fate. Yom Kippur meaning is a commitment to become a better person. Yom Kippur has the highest attendance rate at services.

It is Jewish Law that the afternoon before Yom Kippur to eat a festive meal after the Mincha afternoon prayer. It is a time for reflecting on your personal and communal shortcomings and plans for forgiveness. That night are services in the synagogue which is the only time the Ark is opened and two individuals take the Torah Scrolls out and stand at each side of the Cantor. It is at this time that the congregation three times recite "May all the people of Israel be forgiven, including strangers in our midst, for all the people are in fault." The ark stays open through Yom Kippur so that the gates of Heaven are open.

During Yom Kippur there are five prayer services the Ma'ariv, Shachant, Musaf, Minch and Ne'ilah (the closing prayer).
On the day of Yom Kippur is the day of public confession of sins (vidui) and reenactment of the Avoda ceremony which is done verbally, but in Jewish liturgy was when there was a sacrifice of two goats, one that was sacrificed to God in the temple, and another goat who would be released to the wilderness, desert and tumble of a cliff to his death to wash away the sins of the Israelites.

Passages are read from the Book of Jonah of his encounter with the whale and repentance. It is a time of communal confession, private confession and reflection to be a better person.

In the evening of Yom Kippur the Kol Nidre is when the congregation vows of preceded year were not fulfilled, and anul their vows made. The Kol Nidre emphasizes the importance of keeping vows as violating is the worst sin. The congregation recites "We are guilty" together.

The congregation recites Lord is our God seven times. The shofar (ram's horn) is blown only once signifying that God is a merciful God and has granted Atonement. The scrolls are replaced back into the Ark. The congregation wishes each other "Gmar Chatima Tova" which is may you be sealed in the Book of Life.