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Elizabeth Applebaum AppleTree Editor
E
ach Yom Kippur, tradition says, something magical
happens.
On this day, the gates of heaven open as wide as
they are able, wider even than the whole world. Then every
one of our thoughts and prayers and yearnings fly from our
hearts and go directly to God.
It is the most solemn Jewish holiday and, in addition to
Pesach, the most widely observed. This year, Yom Kippur
begins sundown Tuesday, Sept. 29, the 10th of the Jewish
month of Tishrei.
No doubt you already know about the fasting, but did
you know ...
* During the time of the Second Temple, the most impor-
tant moment of the day came when the High Priest entered
the Temple and performed a ceremony on behalf of all the
Jewish people. As he went into the Temple, he was said to
be "enveloped in awe, holiness and mystery," and when he
came out, he looked like "a bright star emerging from
between the clouds."
* The custom of wearing a kittel, or white robe, on Yom
Kippur originated in Italy. Those who do not wear a kittel
often wear white clothing instead. Some scholars suggest
this tradition arose out of a desire to appear more like the
angels; others say the white reminds us of the shrouds in
which we will be wrapped upon our death.
* The Torah refers to Yom Kippur not only as the "Day of
Atonement," but as "a Sabbath of solemn rest."
* Some Jewish communities in Europe observe the day by
donating charily in memory of those who have died. Some
Jews also had the custom of lighting not two but three can-
dles as the holiday began, including one in memory of the
dead.
* Yom Kippur is the only day on which you say the Ami-
dah prayer five times.
Though on Yom Kippur we ask God to forgive us, there
are sins He will not pardon. For those transgressions we
have committed against other human beings, we must
appeal directly to them for pardon.
* Children today are exempt from all prohibitions to
which adults are held responsible on Yom Kippur — except
one. Like adults, children may not wear leather shoes. But
they didn't always have it so easy. During the Second Tem-
ple period and the Middle Ages, some families actually had
their children fast the whole day — this despite the fact that
rabbis forbade it, and insisted that parents themselves should
feed their children.
* Yom Kippur.will never fall on either Friday or Sunday
because this would cause complications in observing Shab-
bat.
* Because holiday dates were set in Eretz Yisrael, the
land of Israel, and there weren't any e-mail or phones or
telegrams back then to let Diaspora residents know exactly
when things got started, no one outside Israel was really cer-
tain when a holy day began. So many holidays were
extended to two days, just to- be sure. Mercifully, though, the
rabbis in their wisdom realized no one could fast for two
days, which is why Yom Kippur is just one. But if you really
want to go without food and water for 48 hours, be
assured you won't be the first. A handful of rabbis in history,
including Isaac ben Moses of Vienna, actually fatted for two
days.
*According to tradition, Yom Kippur occurs the day after
God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, and on the
day Abraham was circumcised and Isaac was offered as a
sacrifice.
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