An Introduction to the High Holidays: Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the most important and holiest of the High Holidays (also known as High Holy Days) in the Jewish calendar. It is the Day of Atonement to God for sins and/or transgressions against God that were committed in the previous year. On a second level, it is the opportunity to reconcile with others here on earth for transgressions or wrongs we may have committed against them. The idea is that if we right wrongs against others and humble ourselves and atone to God, we can remain in good stead in the "book of life."

Whether you're Jewish or not, it's good to have an introduction to the High Holidays, including Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah.

The High Holy Day of Yom Kippur occurs every year, 10 days after the first High Holy Day, called Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. According to traditional Jewish beliefs, on Rosh Hashanah God inscribes everybody's name and their fate in the upcoming year in the "book of life." On Yom Kippur, God finalizes his verdict. The 10 days in between are called either the "Days of Awe" or "Days of Repentance." This 10-day period is ideally when you would reconcile and make amends for transgressions or wrongs visited against other people. If you have made genuine efforts to seek forgiveness from others whom you have wronged, and if you "properly" seek atonement from God for your sins, you can consider yourself absolved and enter the New Year with a clean slate.

Yom Kippur involves three main aspects: repentance, prayer and fasting. The pursuit of repentance is both to other people and to God. The repentance process is called teshuvah in Hebrew. Jews believe that only sins against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur, so it is important to seek forgiveness from other people prior to Yom Kippur services.

A sin in Judaism is a different from the Christian take on original sin. In Judaism, sin is an everyday wrong against others: causing someone you love pain, prevaricating, using vulgar language, manipulating situations to your financial or political advantage, etc.

Prayer on Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service of the year. It begins at sundown the night before Yom Kippur and concludes the night of Yom Kippur. In Judaism, a day goes from sundown to sundown instead of sunrise to sunrise.

The fasting portion of Yom Kippur is somewhat rigorous. Jews abstain from food or drink (even water) for 25 hours. This starts approximately one hour before sundown the night before Yom Kippur and lasts into the evening of Yom Kippur, after the final shul (synagogue) service.

Other prohibitions and rules are important, too. Jews may not engage in sexual relations, anoint themselves with lotions or perfumes, bathe or wear leather shoes. Both men and women usually wear white clothing with canvas-type shoes as a symbol of simplicity and purity. Children under age 9 are not allowed to fast, and children between 9 and 12 years old usually are encouraged to eat less. Girls over 12 and boys 13 and over are required to fast along with the adults. The infirm and pregnant women, or women who have recently given birth, are excused from fasting.

After the last Yom Kippur synagogue service, those who observed the fast then gather together for a joyous, celebratory meal called (appropriately enough) "the breaking of the fast." If you are not Jewish and have never joined a friend for an introduction to the High Holiday of Yom Kippur, you're missing out on a remarkable tradition.