Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) on the 10th of Tishrei, the Hebrew month that correlates with September-October on the secular calendar.
The purpose of Yom Kippur is to reconcile people and God. People atone for their sins in various ways, then are reconciled with the Divine.
According to Jewish tradition, it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being.
There are three essential components of Yom Kippur:
1. Repentance
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
People should seek out those they have offended and ask for forgiveness. If refused forgiveness, they should ask two more times. Traditionally, the rabbis considered it cruel to refuse forgiveness unless the transgression caused grave and lasting harm.
Once one has been forgiven for transgressions against your fellow humans, one can participate in prayer and ask forgiveness for transgressions against God.
The prayer of
Al Khet is repeated several times during the day-long Yom Kippur service:
For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;
For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;
For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;
For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;
For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;
For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;
For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!
Observant Jews who are able fast for 25 hours, from an hour before sunset the evening before until sunset on Yom Kippur.
Join the Society on Sunday, September 27, 2009, at 10:30am as we meditate on the power of repentance and forgiveness.
However, we will not be observing the Yom Kippur fast, and coffee and refreshments will be served after the service during social hour.
Religious education and nursery care are available for children.
