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Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday of repentance, held ten days after Rosh Hashanah. It involves attending the temple, fasting, and asking for forgiveness from God and others. The service includes group confession and the singing of Kol Nidre. The day concludes with a declaration of “Next year, in Jerusalem” and those who have made true atonement are regarded as a blank slate for sins against God.
Yom Kippur is the day of repentance in Jewish holidays. It is held ten days after the beginning of the Jewish New Year on Rosh Hashanah and marks the end of a forty-day period called Elul which are also considered the forty days of repentance.
Yom Kippur does not permit work, and much of the day is spent attending the temple. Many Jews also practice a ritual fast for the day, which ends at sunset. This is essentially the last day to ask God for forgiveness for sins against him.
In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, people can ask for forgiveness from others against whom they may have sinned. This is essential because many believe that God does not forgive sins committed against others, but forgives sins against himself. Thus the person who attends Yom Kippur must reflect on personal sins against God and ask for forgiveness.
This is different from the solitary form of Catholic confession, as sins against God are required to be forgiven in a group during the Yom Kippur service. In a sense it recognizes that all are sinners and all say “We have sinned” together.
Other aspects of the Yom Kippur service include the temple cantor singing the Kol Nidre three times. The prayer includes affirming that all in the temple have repented of vows, especially lies, and are therefore forgiven.
After the Kol Nidre is sung, the Jews together make their confession. This is followed by a final hour at the temple called Neilah. This is essentially the last time before the next beginning of Elul for the Jews to consider their sins against God and ask for forgiveness.
During the Rosh Hashanah Temple service, the ark, which contains the Torah, remains open. This is symbolic of the gates of heaven being opened during the service. Thus all prayers and pleas are heard in heaven and forgiveness can be granted.
The Yom Kippur service concludes with everyone declaring, “Next year, in Jerusalem.” Jerusalem represents the place of peace, where souls rest. It also refers to the time when the Jews were slaves of the Egyptians. So the statement can be taken as a wish for spiritual unity, peace and freedom.
Yom Kippur concludes with this final declaration. Jews who have made true atonement to God are now regarded as a blank slate for sins against God. Since the service is nocturnal, one can eat after the service is over. However, no food may have been prepared that day. It is acceptable to prepare food after the end of the service.
