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Jewish Customs
In modern Jewish usage the Day of Atonement,
Yom Kippur, is the ‘10 Days of Awe’
which began with The Feast of Trumpets (see previous
chapter). This 10-day period is devoted to the
spiritual exercises of penitence, prayer and fasting
in preparation for the most solemn day of the
year, the Day of Atonement.
The number ten (10) symbolizes perfect holiness
as the aim on the most sacred day of the year.
The Ten Days of Repentance are concluded on the
tenth of Tishri. The Viddui (Confession of Sins)
begins with an immersion (baptism) of repentance,
and is recited ten times on the Day of the Atonement
to coincide with the tradition that the High Priest
pronounced the Name of God ten times when he invoked
divine pardon on Yom HaKippurim. Yom HaKippurim
also recalls the Ten Commandments, which serve
as advocates before the Supreme Judge in behalf
of the children of Israel, who accepted them with
love after the nations of the world refused them
(Killian n.d.).
Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish
custom will refrain from work, fast and attend
synagogue services on The Day of Atonement. In
modern Israel, this day is the one day in the
year when restaurants, places of entertainment,
stores, offices, factories, and even the radio
and television close down for more than 24 hours.
The sacrificial aspects of the Day of Atonement
have not been in effect since the destruction
of the Temple; however, Jews still observe the
day by fasting and refraining from all types of
work. It is the only Jewish fast day that is never
postponed if it coincides with a Sabbath. Everyone
is permitted in the synagogue for the Day of Atonement,
even those who have been previously barred. Just
the presence of someone confirms their desire
to make amends.
Fasting in Jewish tradition is a religious discipline
involving the abstention from food, drink, and
physical pleasures, for the purpose of enhancing
spiritual experience in atonement for sin, in
commemoration of national tragedies, or as part
of a personal petition to God in seeking His help.
Various rabbinical laws are associated with fasting.
The mandatory fasts have to be observed by all
males over the age of 13 and females over the
age of 12. In order to train the religious loyalty
and self-discipline of younger people, the rabbis
encouraged youngsters below those ages to observe
partial fasts. Fasting is not done in order to
rebuke oneself, but simply to focus the mind on
the occasion. To the Jews, entertainment of any
sort on a fast day is inappropriate. The denial
of pleasurable acts during Yom Kippur was designed
to focus on moral purification to cause total
dedication to the pursuit of moral character rather
than bodily comforts. Sick people may take medicine
and small amounts of food and drink, on the advice
of their doctors or rabbis. Those who are ill
may even be forbidden to fast altogether.
The Eve of the Day of Atonement
A special meal is prepared to be eaten before
sundown. The meal shows that enjoyment as well
as deprivation can be the expression of holiness
and that both have their place in the Jewish concept
of holiness. Jews fast for twenty-five hours on
Yom Kippur to help them to direct their thoughts
to their spiritual rather than to their physical
needs. Since one does not eat on Yom Kippur, the
meal is eaten earlier than usual and then the
candles are lit to begin the festival. Many families
bless their children (parents, spouse) after the
meal, prior to the departure for the synagogue.
The Day of Atonement starts, like Sabbath, at
sundown, and there is a long evening service called
Kol Nidre, as well as services throughout the
day. The shofar, or ram’s horn, is blown
to assemble the people for worship in the synagogue.
The impressive Kol Nidre (all vows) service is
chanted (some synagogues hold the Kol Nidre the
next day). This special prayer is sung to a sorrowful,
traditional melody asking for forgiveness from
God for breaking the vows which they were unable
to fulfill. A rabbinical decree of reprieve is
declared three times.
It is customary to wear white on the holiday,
which symbolizes purity and calls to mind the
promise that our sins shall be made as white as
snow (Isa. 1:18). The furnishings in the synagogue
are also draped in white (as on the Feast of Trumpets).
The customary greeting for the day is: “Gemar
Hatimah Tovah”–may you be finally sealed
for good (in the Book of Life).
It is a custom (now only among the very Orthodox)
to spend the night in synagogue reciting the entire
Book of Psalms and other readings. Sephardi and
Reform Jews recite memorial prayers on this night.
On the Day of Atonement
Five services are held on the Day of Atonement,
beginning with the initial evening service. Soon
after, the fast commences, proceeding with festive
morning, and afternoon prayers, and ending with
the concluding service. Each service has its own
special features and individual liturgy. Common
to all of them, however, is the confession of
sins. The confessions are written in the first
person plural to emphasize shared responsibility
for the individual, and the individual’s
responsibility for his community.
Services are held on the Day of Atonement from
early morning until night. At sunset the day is
ended by a single blast of the shofar, after which
the worshippers return to their homes. In the
thirteenth century a custom was established to
open the Ark replica and remove two scrolls held
by two individuals on either side of the reader.
These three men compose a judicial court and proclaim
the prayer the offenders are to recite. In most
Jewish communities the doors of the Ark remain
open and worshippers stand throughout the service.
In the Home
A special memorial light is kindled to burn throughout
the day and leather shoes are replaced by non-leather
shoes or slippers before worshippers leave for
the synagogue. The tallit prayer shawl is worn
continuously at all services, including those
held after dark. Since the color white is a traditional
symbol of purity and forgiveness, a white curtain
adorns the synagogue (Encyclopedia of Judaism).
A widespread custom is for construction of the
sukkah (see Feast of Tabernacles in the next chapter)
to begin at home, once people have broken their
fast.
Excerpts from the book A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays
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