Yom Kippur 2025: When does the fast start – and how to observe it properly?

It is a positive commandment from the Torah to return to God through confession of our wrongdoings and repentance for them, as well as to resolve not to commit the sin again in the future. How does one repent? Recognize the sin, confess to God verbally, abandon the transgression and not continue it in the present, regret the transgression intellectually, be ashamed of it in one's heart, and accept upon oneself not to return to it in the future (Mishneh Torah, beginning of Laws of Repentance).

For commandments between man and God – one should confess and not detail the sin to others. But if the sin became public, one should announce publicly that they have repented. For commandments between man and his fellow – one should confess and ask forgiveness from the friend, and also confess before God, and it's appropriate to publicize one's repentance to others.

If one has harmed a friend but the friend is unaware, such as speaking ill of them, and they assess that the friend won't be more hurt by knowing about the sin, they should ask forgiveness from them. However, if they assess that the friend will be angry and insulted by learning about the harm done to them, one should refrain from asking forgiveness. In any case, one should pay for what they damaged, and do everything to prevent continued damage.

It's appropriate to be strict about food kashrut matters during the Ten Days of Repentance, such as refraining from eating non-Jewish bread and non-Jewish milk, even for those who are lenient about this on regular days (Raaviah in the name of the Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat Chapter 3).

According to Jewish law, it is forbidden to operate, broadcast, or watch the Zoom application during Yom Kippur. It is forbidden to operate a loudspeaker in the synagogue.

Laws of Yom Kippur Eve

It's permitted to perform kapparot using a credit card or Paybox and Bit applications, by donating online through them. One circles the card/phone over their head like money, and intends the donation amount while saying the kapparot. If doing this, don't say "this money will go to charity" but rather "the amount I intended will go to charity."

It's a commandment to immerse in a spring or ritual bath, and one doesn't bless on the immersion. Those who cannot immerse should shower in a continuous shower of "nine kabin of water" on their head and body (4 minutes at medium flow), or immerse in a swimming pool (even though the water is drawn).

It's a positive commandment to eat as much as possible on this day, especially enjoyable foods (Yoma 81, Rosh there, Shulchan Aruch 604, and Mishna Berurah SK 1, and not like Rambam). Some explained that the Torah seeks to ease our fast through food (Bach 604), while others explained that the Torah also comes to make it slightly difficult for us on this day (Aruch Hashulchan 604). If one isn't thirsty now, but drinks water so they won't be thirsty in the future – they don't recite the initial blessing on this drinking.

One prays the afternoon prayer early before the final meal, and in the afternoon prayer, one says confession in the silent prayer but not in the cantor's repetition. If one forgot to say confession and remembers it after the final meal, they should recite confession when they remember before dark (based on the implication of the Ran Yoma 87).

Those praying alone on Yom Kippur don't say the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the penitential prayers. And if they want to say them with cantillation marks, they may.

One lights candles with the Yom Kippur blessing. Some women also bless Shehecheyanu, as written in the prayer book, according to the community. Before this, one should light a memorial candle, since Havdalah is made on a candle that has burned all day. The father (and some have the custom that the mother too) blesses the sons and daughters, as written in the prayer book. The children kiss their parents' hands after the blessing (Writings of the Ari).

One wraps themselves in a prayer shawl before sunset with a blessing. The ancient Ashkenazi custom is to wear a "kittel" or white clothing to resemble angels and to remind us of the day of judgment, arousing us to repentance. The Ashkenazi custom is to say "Pure Prayer" before Kol Nidrei. Men don't wear gold color in their clothes (because of the golden calf, that an accuser doesn't become an advocate).

One should try to say Kol Nidrei before sunset. But if they're late, it should be said even at night.

It's permitted to read by candlelight on Yom Kippur.

Laws of the Fast

On Yom Kippur, one must refrain from five things – eating and drinking, washing, anointing, wearing leather shoes, and marital relations. It's forbidden to do work on Yom Kippur (including transferring from fire to fire).

A woman who gave birth, pregnant woman, and sick person – are permitted to wash as usual, not for pleasure but for health and cleanliness. One should refrain from washing for pleasure. But washing for cleanliness is permitted from the basic law. Washing for both cleanliness and pleasure together (such as warm water on a dirty face) is forbidden. A bride who married within thirty days before Yom Kippur may wash her face as usual despite the fast. When necessary, it's permitted to clean hands with alcohol gel, for cleaning and not for pleasure, and there's no prohibition of anointing or washing in this. It's permitted to wash small children on Yom Kippur if they got dirty, in lukewarm water, but not hot.

For those who struggle to fast, it's permitted to chew flavorless gum on Yom Kippur, but it's appropriate to be strict.

It's permitted to bless on spices (and some are strict to refrain).

Some are strict about not wearing Crocs and comfortable sandals, but according to basic law, it's permitted. Even small children need to refrain from wearing leather shoes on Yom Kippur. However, to protect their feet from injuries, thorns, and cold, they're permitted to wear leather shoes. Leather shoes aren't considered muktzeh on Yom Kippur. A woman who gave birth within thirty days before Yom Kippur may wear leather shoes.

One should refrain from touching between spouses at night, but during the day, those who are lenient about touching (without hugging and kissing) have something to rely on.

Children until the age of bar/bat mitzvah are exempt from the fast, but from age nine, one should train them to fast at night and for a few hours in the morning. Healthy boys from age 12 and girls from age 11 who are able to fast customarily fast properly, and some are lenient, so they fast a complete fast only from the age of bar/bat mitzvah.

Those exempt from fasting

A woman in a normal pregnancy must fast. A pregnant woman at any stage who feels strong headaches or is vomiting, is permitted to drink immediately in small amounts, and if this isn't enough for her, she's permitted to drink without limitation. A nursing mother who fears her milk will decrease for the baby if she fasts, is permitted to drink in small amounts.

A pregnant woman who has begun regular contractions or her water broke, should drink without measures, even if she has no pain whatsoever. And if she feels a need to eat also, she should eat.

A woman who gave birth within three days of Yom Kippur (counting 72 hours from the birth), is forbidden to fast. A woman who gave birth within seven days of Yom Kippur, if she or a doctor want her to eat and drink, she eats and drinks in small amounts, and if that's not enough, she eats and drinks as usual. A woman who had a miscarriage after forty days of pregnancy, her law is like one who gave birth as above.

Nurses and doctors in life-saving departments, wearing masks and cumbersome clothing that cause sweating – if professionalism decreases due to the fast, then when they feel weakness or decrease in professional function, they drink in small amounts.

A dangerously ill person drinks and eats immediately, and even a possibly dangerously ill person shouldn't trouble themselves to look for a rabbi but should eat immediately. However, they shouldn't eat candies and other foods during the fast that are only for pleasure. A non-dangerously ill person, who during the fast feels that if they don't eat they'll come to mortal danger, eats and drinks in small amounts.

One who drinks and eats in small amounts should eat a volume of a small matchbox 30 cubic centimeters (or weight of 30 grams for Sephardim), every 7 minutes and drink less than the volume of one side of a full cheek (for an average person – about a fifth of a disposable cup, or 40 cc), every 7 minutes. It's preferable to eat and drink nutritious things.

In a pressing situation where small amounts are insufficient, it's better to drink and eat as above every four minutes (or two minutes) than to continue continuously.

If there's a medical need to drink at a higher rate even more, it's permitted to drink every five seconds, and this is preferable to continuous drinking (Sephardim can rely on this method for drinking in small amounts from the basic law, if they struggle to wait 5-7 minutes).

After the sick person ate or drank, if they certainly don't need more eating and drinking to escape danger, it's forbidden for them to continue eating and drinking, even in small amounts.

A non-dangerously ill person can take pills without water when greatly needed. A non-dangerously ill person must fast as usual. This includes regular headaches, general weakness and similar. In any doubt, ask one of the community doctors.

If one forgot and blessed on food, and immediately remembered that this is the Yom Kippur fast, they shouldn't eat. Rather, they should say, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever."

One who eats bread on Yom Kippur (with permission of course), washes their hands as usual on weekdays until the knuckle, and not just until the finger joints.

It's forbidden for a healthy person to give themselves an IV during the fast, to ease the difficulty of the fast.

One who eats on Yom Kippur (with permission of course), doesn't make kiddush, but adds Ya'aleh V'yavo in the grace after meals. And they can receive an aliyah to the Torah except for maftir and at mincha, but if they only ate in small amounts, they can receive an aliyah for maftir and mincha too.

Laws of Yom Kippur Day

In the morning, one washes hands until the finger joints.

The priests wash as usual in the morning prayer. If they maintained cleanliness, they don't have to wash again at musaf. But in the ne'ilah prayer they wash again because of the interruption.

We are promised by God that Yom Kippur itself atones for those who return in repentance, and therefore it's worthwhile to concentrate efforts and exertion in repentance of the day, even if it's difficult.

One should try very hard to pray musaf on time – before six hours have passed. But if the time passed, one prays musaf anyway.

During the prostration during the high priest's service order, one should place paper or a towel to separate between the head and the ground. The synagogue carpet is considered a separation.

At mincha one blesses again on the prayer shawl when wrapping in it (assuming half an hour passed since removing it).

It's permitted to speak during the fast about eating foods when it ends.

One who sees that the fast is hard for them and cannot pray, it's better that they lie in bed and not break the fast, even if they'll miss praying with a minyan.

One caring for sick family members, for example their children or spouse, may leave the synagogue prayer to assist them. But they should remain in synagogue for the silent prayer, and for Torah reading. And some say that in this situation they're completely exempt from a minyan, and should remain to pray in their home.

Laws of the end of the fast

One sanctifies the moon even though we haven't yet eaten, since we rejoice in our atonement.

After the holiday ends and havdalah (one makes havdalah with a candle that was lit before the fast began), it's customary to perform an action for building the sukkah, even if it's symbolic, and eat with joy.

The next morning one rises early for morning prayers slightly before the regular time.

Courtesy of Rabbi Baruch Efrati, community rabbi in Efrat, halachic decisor, and head of the "Derech Emunah" organization.