Yom Kippur

Although Judaism celebrates various holidays throughout the year, Yom Kippur is one of the most important, most familiar, and one of the most observed holy days in the Jewish culture. Yom Kippur is a day reserved for confessions of sins against God.

The Jewish year is separated into months. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10 day of Tishrei or Tishri. Tishrei is the 7th month in the Jewish year and is equivalent to the months of September or October. Yom Kippur is similar to a confession session between a priest and a sinner in Catholicism. However, while Catholicism maintains a level of secrecy in sins, Judaism displays sins in a communal confession. For instance, during Yom Kippur, people attend synagogues and confess sins in a judgment book. The book is then sealed so that God can judge the fate of every human being. In either event, while many would view the display and repentance of sins as a day to be sad or ashamed, Jews view Yom Kippur as a happy holiday since this tradition is a celebration to make peace with God .

Yom Kippur consists of three separate components: Repentance, fasting, and prayer. The formal name for repentance in Judaism is Teshuvah. Teshuvah is translates to the word return. Although Teshuvah is a tradition of Yom Kippur, Teshuvah is not limited to Yom Kippur only. In either event, in order to start Yom Kippur properly, you must begin with repentance. This is where people start to collect their sins and enter them into a judgment book. Even though Yom Kippur is a reconciliation of sins committed against God, Jews still take tremendous efforts to also reconcile with others for past wrongs and sins against others. However, this is done before Yom Kippur occurs.

Prayer is the next platform in Yom Kippur. Prayer services during Yom Kippur are the longest in Jewish year and consist of Kol Nidre. Kol Nidre translates to all vows and is the prayer asking God for forgiveness for any broken vows that a person has made to God during the previous year. The next prayer is called Al Khet. The Al Khet is chanted during different intervals in Yom Kippur services and is a prayer asking for forgiveness for virtually any sin that has been committed including daily offences.

Another facet of Yom Kippur is fasting. The fasting begins at sunset on the night before Yom Kippur begins and last for a period of 25 hours. Additionally, observers treat Yom Kippur like a Sabbath day. While the most obvious activities like working and exercising are not permitted. Other activities like bathing, anointing the body with cosmetics or deodorant, and even having sex are also prohibited. While fasting is promoted, young children and pregnant women are still encouraged to eat instead of fasting during Yom Kippur.