Yom Kippur Thoughts

Three thoughts on Yom Kippur. I hope they prove meaningful for you.

1) During the lengthy repetition of the Yom Kippur musaf service, there is a section devoted entirely to the Temple rites of the day. In fact, we are acting out the activities in the Temple as best we can. On Shabbat and other holidays, the section from the Torah dealing with that day's sacrifices is included in the repetition, and Yom Kippur is no different in that way. However, on no other day do we act as if we are the High Priest. We dress in white (as you'll see below) and proceed to fall on our faces before God, the ultimate sign of submission and supplication. I urge you not to allow your focus to wane during these holy hours, but rather to try and experience the Temple service with all its details.

2) It is customary on Yom Kippur to wear white. Yom Kippur is NOT the day to wear your best clothing, where you show off all of your material possessions. In fact, its the opposite. During his service in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, the High Priest would wear white. White is a symbol of purity and humility, even the people of Ninveh in the Book of Jonah used simple garments to effect their t'shuva. Married men commonly wear a kittel (white robe), and others should try to wear white in a demonstration of their humility and purity. There are plenty of days on which to display your possessions, I do not believe that Yom Kippur is one such day. We are forbidden from bathing and anointing our bodies with oils and perfumes. It is almost as if to say "God, this is me. Simple, humble, no adornments, and I am coming before You for atonement."

3)During the Pardes retreat, one student shared a story of his experience in the Israeli Defense Force where he felt a great deal of longing for God. He went on to explain that as downright frightening Yom Kippur can be, and sometimes even unpleasant, the closeness to God is unique. Rabbinic texts suggest that from the beginning of Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur, God is in the fields, at God's maximum accessibility. However, when the gates close at the end of Yom Kippur, that closeness is no longer the same and the longing for God returns. I hope that we can experience both the awesome power of Yom Kippur as well as the unique closeness to God that it provides. Through our t'shuva and t'fillot we can bring ourselves closer to God throughout the year.

Shana tova u'ktiva v'chatima tova l'kol beit Yisrael!
May all Israel be inscribed and sealed for a good year!