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The term “Yom Kippur” can be translated as “day of atonement”. In tradition, this date is also translated as “the day of purification” or “the day of forgiveness”. Among Ashkenazi Jews in Central Europe, it is spelled and pronounced as Yom-Kiper. Like all Jewish observances, Yom Kippur spans two days, as it begins at sunset and ends the next evening, when dusk begins to fall.
According to the Talmud, a set of legal and religious-ethical rules in Judaism, on Yom Kippur everyone gets what he deserves. After all, these days the Almighty evaluates the behavior of all people over the past year. Yom Kippur usually ends the ten-day cycle of repentance.
When is Yom Kippur celebrated in 2022
In 2022, Yom Kipur will begin the evening of October 4 and will continue until the next sunset. This will happen ten days after the Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur usually falls on a Saturday. Therefore, it also has the name “Shabbat Shabaton.” In translation, it means “Saturday of Saturdays.” On Yom Kippur in the State of Israel, public transport will not operate, airports will also cancel all departures of their flights.
history of the holiday
The celebration of Yom Kippur is closely connected with the liberation of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. At the end of the Babylonian domination, approximately in the XNUMXth century BC, for several decades there was a forcible resettlement of Jews to the Babylonian lands. Once in half a century, a ritual wind instrument called the shofar was to be blown throughout the country. The shofar heralded the coming of the year of jubilee. This was done on the day that later became known as Yom Kippur. The term Yom Kippur was coined and coined by medieval rabbis. They began to use it in their writings. Already from religious literature, Yom Kippur was adopted by the people. According to legend, it was on Yom Kippur that the prophet Moses, who led the Jews out of the desert, received the Tablets of the Old Testament.
It is believed that the Tablets are the main historical document of the Jewish people. It is the transfer of the Tablets to Moses that is the key moment in the centuries-old history of Judaism. As a result of this, an alliance was achieved between the Jewish people and the Lord, who forgave all the sins of the Jews. It happened just on the tenth of Tishrei according to the Jewish calendar. And that day became known as Yom Kippur. After the conquest of Babylonia by the Persian Empire, the final liberation and return of the Jews to their homeland took place. However, the tradition of celebrating Yom Kippur remained and has survived to this day.
Rules and customs of the holiday
On the eve of Yom Kippur, it is customary for Jews to wonder whether the Lord will give them another year of life or not? It is necessary to meet the holiday by washing the fingertips, dressed in white clothes, which personify the purity of thoughts.
Kaparot is a rite of atonement when people twirl a live chicken over their heads, after which they give the bird or money to the poor and destitute.
Another indispensable attribute of Yom Kippur is the lighting of a family candle by the husband. She is called “Ner Hayim” (candles of life). She is destined to burn until the very end of the celebrations.
All people on this holiday should be extremely polite and attentive to each other. On Yom Kippur, there are a number of prohibitions. For example, during the whole day you can not eat, drink, wash, take care of your skin. On Yom Kippur, the wearing of leather clothes and intimate relationships between a man and a woman are also discouraged. But you can confess and commemorate close deceased relatives.
As with any Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur devotes a special place to prayer. Men put on a cape – tallit – and only once a year go to the evening church service in it. First, the prayer “Kol Nidrei” is read. When the sun disappears behind the horizon, the time comes for Maariv, the evening prayer, and the addition to it is slikhota. Holy believing Jews can spend the whole night in the synagogue. The holiday ends with a hearty meal.