Yom Kippur - Traditions 

 

Yom Kippur - beginning at sunset on the evening of the 10th of Tishrei, Jews all over the world do not eat or drink for 25 hours.  The fast of Yom Kippur can be found in (Num 29:7). All adults are required to fast. Boys and girls before their Bar or Bat Mitzvahs are not required to fast. People that are too ill to fast are also not required to fast. The Yom Kippur service is actually FIVE services: 1) Kol Nidre  The evening service 2) Shacharit The early morning service 3) Musaf The second  Service 4) Mincha The afternoon service 5) Ne'ila The final service The Kol Nidre service is the evening service and is called that because of the first prayer we say Kol Nidre ("all Vows"). The service is started before sundown because we are asking for all of the vows we have taken or the promises that we have made and not kept be forgotten. This is like a lawyer asking for something and it is not done on a holiday or Shabbat, so before the sun goes down and the holiday begins, we say this three times. Strange facts about Yom Kippur:   Candles are lit after the meal  The only biblical holiday that  there is no kiddush preformed. the only time during the year   that we wear a talit after dark in a prayer service. Many people wear sneakers or soft slippers throughout the day rather than leather shoes. After the final shofar blast in the Ne'ila service the whole congregation says "Next year in Jerusalem!" Now it is time to break the fast. Now you know where that phrase came from: Breakfast.

©1999-2009 Akhlah Inc. Donate to Akhlah Email Akhlah