Yom Kippur: The Jewish Holiday of Atonement – Meaning, Observance and Traditions

When is Yom Kippur Celebrated?

Yom Kippur is the second holiday in the Yomim Noraim (lit. Days of Awe), i.e. Jewish High Holidays. It’s also the end cap to the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah – the 10 Days of ‘Repentance,’ between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It occurs on the 10th Day of the Hebrew Month of Tishrei.

Biblical Origins of Yom Kippur: Transgression, Repentance, and Forgiveness

Yom Kippur is based on biblical events from the Book of Exodus, following when Moses received the Ten Commandments from G-d. In the story, when the Israelites grew impatient for Moses’ return from Mount Sinai, they built the infamous Golden Calf. This act of blatant idolatry, known as the chet haegel (lit. sin of the golden calf), was a form of spiritual transference in an apparent vacuum of faith or emunah. It prompted Moses to smash the tablets containing the Ten Commandments upon finding out. Yet, out of strong faith, Moses ascended again, attempting to win G-d’s forgiveness for the people. Forty days later, he descended once more on the 10th of Tishrei and announced that G-d had forgiven the people.  He then marked it as a national Day of Atonement for all time.

Yom Kippur in Ancient History: The Holy Temple and the High Priest

In the days of the Beit Hamikdash; the ancient Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Kohen Gadol, or High Priest, would perform a set of atonement rituals as part of the Yom Kippur observance. The Temple’s innermost chamber, the Kadosh Hakadoshim (lit. Holy of Holies), was usually closed to all people, at all times. The only exception was for the High Priest, and only on Yom Kippur, for this service involving incense and animal offerings. The Kadosh Kahadoshim was the only place G-d’s earthly ‘presence,’ or Shechinah, dwelt at the time. The Kohen Gadol’s service was to commune with this G-dly presence, to achieve atonement for the Jewish nation. Torah describes these rituals – among the most sacred traditions of Yom Kippur as achieving spiritual purification for Israel by arousing G-d’s mercy in place of His judgment.

Why is Yom Kippur the Holiest Day of the Jewish Year?

On Rosh Hashanah, G-d opens a metaphorical Book of Life and writes (ktivah) each of our names in it according to the fate He determines for us for the coming year. On Yom Kippur, He seals (gmarah) that fate. This is why the traditional greeting for Yom Kippur is “Gmar chatimah tovah!,” or “May you be sealed for a good year!”  

Further reading: What happens on Rosh Hashana

The Meaning of Yom Kippur: Connecting with G-d Through Atonement

Yom Kippur is the Jewish holiday of atonement when G-d forgives His people for their transgressions of the past year.  One might ask; if we know G-d will forgive us every Yom Kippur, why do we put effort into repentance? If the outcome is certain, why try to affect it?  

It would be great if we could devote our complete time and energy to connecting with G-d.  However, if after all the fasting, prayer, teshuvah, and good intentions, some imperfection still lingers within us, G-d will still forgive us completely.  

And it’s because of this measure of G-d’s kindness, not despite it, that we do tefillah, teshuvah and tzedakah anyway.  Then we can rest assured we’ve done our part, and He forgives, out of love. 

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Yom Kippur Observance: Laws, Customs and Traditions

The traditions of Yom Kippur focus on the goal of arousing G-d’s mercy. In addition, because the Torah calls Yom Kippur a “day of rest,” we observe all laws of Shabbat on Yom Kippur too. Aside from those, we have several more:

Ask Others for Forgiveness

The Talmud discusses two main categories of sin. One is “bein adam limakom,” i.e. between man and G-d. The other is “bein adam lichavero,” between people. The Talmud states that “Yom Kippur doesn’t atone for sins between a person and his fellow until he has appeased his fellow.” That’s why, as part of Yom Kippur observance, we’re obliged to apologize to those we’ve hurt or wronged, and ask them for mechila, or forgiveness.  

Kapparot and Tzedakah: Ritual Traditions of Yom Kippur

Among the traditions of Yom Kippur is the ritual custom of designating a live chicken known as kaparot, or donating funds for food to the needy. During this ritual, we ask G-d to transfer our sins to the animal, or the physical tzedakah money, rather than associating them with us. The chicken goes to the slaughter by a professional shochet (kosher slaughterer), or money that is donated to the best Jewish charities often soup kitchens.

Se’udat Hamafseket: The Pre-Fast Separation Feast

All major Jewish holidays, or Yomim Tovim, feature a celebratory meal (or two). Yom Kippur in Judaism is no different, except for the timing. Since we’re forbidden to eat on Yom Kippur, we feast before and afterward.

On Erev Yom Kippur, before the holiday begins, we have a separation feast called the se’udat hamafseket. The idea behind fasting on Yom Kippur is on attaining spiritual focus. And we want to remain healthy and well during the fast, so we make sure to have our fill ahead of time.  

Lekach: The Honey Cake Tradition 

For Ashkenazi Jews, one of the beloved traditions of Yom Kippur is having honey cake ready to serve, and for those present to ask one another for a piece. In Yiddish, one says “Ich bet Lekach?” to someone, and receives a slice, then you switch roles. The custom is in hopes that the cake will be the only handout we’ll need to ask for in the coming year.

Immerse in the Mikvah

Some have a custom of immersing in a mikvah (a ritual pool of natural water) before the holiday. This custom is based on a verse from the Prophets, stating that “Israel’s hope (mikveh) is in G-d.” The word in Hebrew for “hope” is similar to the word for the ritual pool; mikvah. According to the tanna (Talmudic sage) Rabbi Akiva, this implies the metaphor of G-d Himself serving as a mikvah to purify the Jewish people with his forgiveness on this Jewish holiday of atonement. 

The custom is also based on the practices the Kohein Gadol carried out during the Yom Kippur Temple Service. He would change into and out of different sets of clothing for different parts of the ritual, and immerse in a mikvah in between.

Fasting and Self-Affliction on Yom Kippur

The commandment of self-affliction, or “affliction of the soul”, on Yom Kippur is mentioned in several places throughout Leviticus. It’s important to note here that “self-affliction” is not to be confused with self-harm. Rather, we’re talking about a few, specific restrictions on everyday enjoyments.  

These restrictions, however, are not only for the purpose of self-affliction. They’re also reminiscent of angelic behavior. Angels, according to the teachings of the Torah, don’t have many of the features and needs that humans have.

They don’t need to eat, bathe, wear clothes, nor do they have any physical desires, or feet! Among the tradition of Yom Kippur that mimic these qualities include wearing white, wearing slippers or non-leather shoes, fasting, and refraining from bathing and marital relations.  

The Yom Kippur Fast: Who Fasts and Who Is Exempt 

The Rabbinic sages and Chabad rabbis understood the commandment of self-affliction on Yom Kippur to refer mainly to fasting.

Fasting in response to national tragedies and atonement is a core Jewish belief and value, deeply embedded in Jewish tradition and practice. However, for a Yom Kippur observance, fasting is also intended to help us focus on G-d through prayer.  

Despite the importance of Jewish prayers, however, halachah (Torah Law) specifies that if going to synagogue will make it too difficult to fast, one should stay home. You can always pray according to your ability at home, for the sake of keeping the fast.

Note: there are exceptions to the fasting requirement and some people are indeed exempt, such as diabetics, the infirm and women who’ve just given birth. However, there are rules about how to eat permissibly. If you need this option, please contact your local rabbi – an authority on Torah law. 

Bat and bar mitzvah aged children are always exempt. In some families, older children “practice” for fasting in the year or two leading up to their bar or bat mitzvah by delaying eating on Yom Kippur, according to their tolerance.

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Yom Kippur Prayers and Torah Readings

As with Rosh Hashana, the prayer services on Yom Kippur are extra long compared to other holidays and Shabbat. The prayer book we use is the Yom Kippur Machzor, which contains everything a person needs to do and say.  

Throughout Yom Kippur, there are six prayer services. At night, Kol Nidrei, nullifying any vows we may have made and not kept throughout the year, and Maariv; the evening prayer. During the day, we hold Shacharit; the morning service, Torah reading, then Mussaf; a second morning service added on all holidays and Shabbat. After a break, there’s Minchah; the afternoon service, then Neilah; the heartfelt concluding service of Yom Kippur.

Some notable prayers within the services include:

• Shalosh-Esrei Middot Harachamim (lit. Thirteen Attributes of Mercy); spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai the second time around, featured in Selichot and Neilah.
• Al Cheit (lit. “for the sins…”); repeated confessions throughout the day.
• Avinu Malkeinu (lit. “Our Father, Our King,”); reflecting on the duality of our relationship with G-d.  
• Chazzan’s repetitions, in which the synagogue’s cantor repeats the main silent parts of each service, but out loud and expanded.  
• Unetaneh Tokef (i.e. “We shall ascribe holiness to this day”); a long piyut (devotional poem) containing the oft-quoted verse:

“…But teshuvah, tefilah (prayer), and tzedakah remove the evil of the decree… For You (G-d) do not desire a person’s death, but rather that he return (to you) and live. Until the day of his death You wait for him; if he returns, You accept him immediately.” – Unetaneh Tokef, Yom Kippur Machzor.

Torah Reading for Yom Kippur

After Shacharit (the morning prayers), congregations with a minyan (quorum of ten) conduct the public Torah reading from Leviticus 16 and haftarah (reading from the Prophets) in Isaiah 57.  

Breaking the Fast: How Jews End Yom Kippur Observance 

Perhaps everyone’s favorite part of this Jewish holiday of atonement is the final meal we eat after the holiday is over. The break-fast meal is integral to Yom Kippur observance, and necessary to restore our vitality after the day is done. Luckily, other than the laws of kashrut, there’s no prescribed way to enjoy this meal. Though you may want to pace yourself.

Colel Chabad’s Yom Kippur Tzedakah and Charity Initiatives

All year round, Colel Chabad offers meaningful ways to help Israel through ongoing funds and initiatives dedicated to:

• Hunger relief and nutrition security
• Medical care and dentist Israel services
• Childcare in the form of Jewish Big Brother Big Sister
• Israeli charities for children
• Seasonal needs including wedding funds such as hachnasat kallah
• All manner of circumstances for struggling Israeli families

Our programs assisting widows and orphans, and Colel Chabad’s Gett Chesed, a lifesaving program of chesed provide much-needed aid to those who need it most.  

Some special seasonal programs we’re running include meals for the elderly through food kitchens, additional household groceries and food card distribution for needy families, and immediate support for injured IDF soldiers protecting the country.  

Much of the funding required to make these things happen comes from the generous donations during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. G-d always sees your chesed (loving kindness) and tzedakah, and makes note, then seals it. As you reflect on your year, you can take action and help people now!

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