The Significance of Yom Kippur
Jews around the world commemorate Yom Kippur tonight, the day where we believe that all of humanity will be judged for the year to come for good and for bad. Some will be written in the Book of Life. Others will not. Jews pray to God to forgive them for their transgressions and yearn to have their names written in the Book of Life.
Oct 03, 2014, 06:19PM | Rachel Avraham
Painting by Gottlieb of Jews Praying in a Synagogue on Yom Kippur Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons
Tonight, Jews around the world will be commemorating Yom Kippur, the
day where we believe that all of humanity will be judged for the year to
come for good and for bad. Some will be written in the Book of Life.
Others will not. For this reason, Jews will be praying in synagogue,
asking God to forgive their transgressions, both committed intentionally
and unintentionally, and yearning to have their names written in the
Book of Life for the year to come.
Jews are supposed to abstain from all
physical pleasures on this day, because the Torah instructs Jews to
afflict themselves because on this day, the Jewish people are compared
to angels and therefore have no physical needs. Additionally, Jews
afflict themselves because they are supposed to show regret for their
mistakes over the past year. Couples refrain from sexual relations and
showing any kind of intimacy with one another. Jews don’t wear leather
shoes on this day. They don’t take bathes or apply ointments, creams,
lotions or perfume. Jews don’t wear gold on this day, believing that it
symbolizes the sin of the Golden Calf.
Additionally, Jews fast from sunset tonight to sunset the following day, abstaining from eating food and drinking liquids, including water. Only pregnant women, women nursing babies, children, and people who have a medical necessity to eat are religiously permitted to eat and drink. However, even children are traditionally educated to fast for a short period of time starting at age 9. These children should eat after sundown on Yom Kippur and their breakfast should be delayed. Yet, only after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah do Jews start to fast on Yom Kippur in its entirety.
Chabad stresses that people who have a medical necessity to eat are religiously permitted to do so because just as God commanded healthy people to fast on Yom Kippur, he also ruled that the preservation of life and health is more important than fasting. However, Chabad recommends that Jews who suffer from a specific illness that bars them from fasting recite the following prayer: “Behold I am prepared to fulfill the mitzvah of eating and drinking on Yom Kippur, as You have written in Your Torah: ‘You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live with them. I am God.’ In the merit of fulfilling this mitzvah, seal [my fate], and [that of] all the ill of your nation Israel, for a complete recovery. May I merit next Yom Kippur to once again fulfill [the mitzvah of] ‘you shall afflict yourselves [on Yom Kippur].’ May this be your will! Amen.”
In Tel Aviv, Israel, the fast begins tonight at 6:02pm. In London, Great Britain, Yom Kippur will start at 6:16pm. In New York City, USA, Yom Kippur begins at 6:17pm. In San Francisco, USA, Yom Kippur commences at 6:32pm. In Chicago, USA, Yom Kippur will start at 6:09pm. In Quebec City, Canada, Yom Kippur will begin at 6:03pm. In Toronto, Canada, Yom Kippur will commence at 6:37pm. And in Melbourne, Australia, Yom Kippur will start at 6:08pm tonight.
Additionally, Jews fast from sunset tonight to sunset the following day, abstaining from eating food and drinking liquids, including water. Only pregnant women, women nursing babies, children, and people who have a medical necessity to eat are religiously permitted to eat and drink. However, even children are traditionally educated to fast for a short period of time starting at age 9. These children should eat after sundown on Yom Kippur and their breakfast should be delayed. Yet, only after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah do Jews start to fast on Yom Kippur in its entirety.
Chabad stresses that people who have a medical necessity to eat are religiously permitted to do so because just as God commanded healthy people to fast on Yom Kippur, he also ruled that the preservation of life and health is more important than fasting. However, Chabad recommends that Jews who suffer from a specific illness that bars them from fasting recite the following prayer: “Behold I am prepared to fulfill the mitzvah of eating and drinking on Yom Kippur, as You have written in Your Torah: ‘You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live with them. I am God.’ In the merit of fulfilling this mitzvah, seal [my fate], and [that of] all the ill of your nation Israel, for a complete recovery. May I merit next Yom Kippur to once again fulfill [the mitzvah of] ‘you shall afflict yourselves [on Yom Kippur].’ May this be your will! Amen.”
In Tel Aviv, Israel, the fast begins tonight at 6:02pm. In London, Great Britain, Yom Kippur will start at 6:16pm. In New York City, USA, Yom Kippur begins at 6:17pm. In San Francisco, USA, Yom Kippur commences at 6:32pm. In Chicago, USA, Yom Kippur will start at 6:09pm. In Quebec City, Canada, Yom Kippur will begin at 6:03pm. In Toronto, Canada, Yom Kippur will commence at 6:37pm. And in Melbourne, Australia, Yom Kippur will start at 6:08pm tonight.
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