DAY OF ATONEMENT BEGINS TONIGHT.Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer Yom Kippur Yom Kippur [Heb.,=day of atonement], in Judaism, the most sacred holy day, falling on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishri (usually late September or early October). It is a day of fasting and prayer for forgiveness for sins committed during the year. - the Day of Atonement Day of Atonement n. See Yom Kippur. [Translation of Hebrew yôm kippûr.] Day of Atonement Noun same as Yom Kippur Noun 1. - begins at sundown today, and some area rabbis plan to use the holiest day of the Jewish calendar Jewish calendar n. The lunisolar calendar used to mark the events of the Jewish year, dating the creation of the world at 3761 b.c. See Table at calendar. Noun 1. to reflect on ways to make the world a better place. At Yom Kippur services, Jews confess their sins to God, resolve not to repeat them, and ask God for forgiveness. The holiday is the culmination of a 10-day period of soul searching and repairing personal relationships that began at sundown Sept. 6 - Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year. Sometimes called the Day of Judgment, Rosh Hashanah falls on Tishri 1 (in September or October) and ushers in a 10-day period of self-examination and penitence that ends with Yom Kippur. , the Jewish new year. ``On Yom Kippur, I'll be talking about revenge and how easy it is to define an enemy,'' said Rabbi Steven Jacobs Steven Jacobs (b. 1967 in Wollongong, New South Wales) is an Australian television presenter and actor. Jacobs started his career in radio, presenting a weekly top 40 countdown. of Temple Kol Tikvah in Woodland Hills. ``I'll be talking about how difficult are acts of forgiveness and yet we must do them. If the need to be always revengeful is central, there is no hope for the future.'' Rabbi Steven Tucker of Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge explained that the word ``atonement'' can instead be read as ``at-one-ment,'' meaning that a Jew is at one with himself and God on Yom Kippur. ``It's easy to blame other people, but how are we responsible?'' Tucker said. ``I'll be asking, how can we help create a better world? Can we have more love in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. to help make it happen? Can we refrain from snide comments? Can we stop teaching our children to hate? Can we refrain from stereotyping? ``What role can we play to destroy terrorism?'' The holy day, as explained in Leviticus 16:29-31, asks Jews to ``afflict af·flict tr.v. af·flict·ed, af·flict·ing, af·flicts To inflict grievous physical or mental suffering on. [Middle English afflighten, from afflight, yourselves and not do any work.'' The five categories of affliction include eating and drinking, bathing or washing, wearing leather, having intimate relations and anointing a·noint tr.v. a·noint·ed, a·noint·ing, a·noints 1. To apply oil, ointment, or a similar substance to. 2. To put oil on during a religious ceremony as a sign of sanctification or consecration. 3. oneself. Rabbi Sheryl Nosan of Temple Beth Torah in Granada Hills said the prohibitions on Yom Kippur are tools that Jews use to turn from physical and everyday matters to the spiritual plane. ``We don't want to engage in the physical things that would turn our focus away from the spirituality of the day,'' Nosan said. ``When Yom Kippur ends, it's like we're coming back into life after stepping away into death. In the Reform liturgy there is a Torah reading Torah reading (Hebrew: קריאת התורה, K'riat HaTorah that says to choose life. We choose and affirm life on Yom Kippur. ``The fast shows us that we can change,'' Nosan said. ``If we can change for a day, then certainly we can change and become better people. We can watch the way we speak to others. We can stop engaging in malicious gossip. We can focus away from envying what other people have.'' Jacobs said Yom Kippur also allows Jews to examine their lives, achievements and human errors. ``We are obligated ob·li·gate tr.v. ob·li·gat·ed, ob·li·gat·ing, ob·li·gates 1. To bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie. See Synonyms at force. 2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige. to seek forgiveness and to mend relationships and become involved in the act of reconciliation. None of these are easy,'' he said. During the evening service today, the Kol Nidre, or ``all vows,'' prayer and a communal confession are recited. Yom Kippur day services include Torah readings and Yizkor, a memorial service. The shofar is sounded one more time at the concluding service on Monday. ``The Kol Nidre service is one of the two moments in the day of fasting that are the most reflective. The Kol Nidre prayer has the most haunting melody that has us examining all our vows, examining our own soul, admitting mistakes, jealousies and brokenness and all human things that we deal with,'' Jacobs said. ``We begin once again to repair them, acknowledging that we're not perfect. The second most reflective time comes with the Yizkor service where we remember our dead. Our tears flow freely as we remember them and as we wish we could reconcile our differences with them. It's a great tribute to love, and that's why it's a packed service.'' |
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