Approaching Yom Kippur

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.

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Ahead of Yom Kippur, and against the background of the ground operation in Gaza City, a document was issued to soldiers containing religious legal emphases for Yom Kippur, while sharpening instructions for Operation Gideon's Chariots II in the Gaza Strip. Among other things, Rabbi Krim sought to address the phenomenon where soldiers insist on fasting before or after operational activity, even though they are at war, inside the Strip.

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The individuals who established the starting date of a Hebrew month were members of the Jewish court residing in the Land of Israel, first in Jerusalem and later in the town of Yavneh after its destruction. This situation led to many regions in the Jewish world being uncertain whether a new month had already been declared in the Land of Israel or if the declaration was delayed by one day. This situation evolved because they needed to wait for two witnesses to testify about it.

Due to this reason, Jews throughout the world continue to observe holidays twice to this day. Passover Seder is observed for two nights, Shavuot is observed for two days, and so forth. This became an established and obligatory practice despite the fact that nowadays the procedure for establishing months in the Hebrew calendar is predetermined and not decided based on witness testimony.

The Yom Kippur exception

The doubling that developed from communication gaps should theoretically have affected Yom Kippur too, as it wasn't clear when the court declared Rosh Chodesh Tishrei. Yet here, authorities determined not to require the community to fast two days, partly since this was a religious requirement that obviously most Jews couldn't meet, and also because it presents life-threatening risks.

However, every principle has its exceptions. Such a person was the Babylonian Amora Rava, who strictly fasted on the 10th day of Tishrei and the 11th, fearing that the month's declaration was delayed by a day in the Land of Israel. The Amora Bar Avuy of Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak likewise fasted two days, though his body couldn't endure it, and in one year this practice caused his death.

Either way, theoretically, once the Hebrew calendar was finalized and people stopped waiting for the court's decision in the Land of Israel, there was no reasonable justification to fast two days, as it was evident when Yom Kippur occurred. Yet some still fasted for two days.

Testimony to this appears in the liturgical and legal text Machzor Vitry, composed by Rabbi Simcha ben Shmuel of Vitry, Rashi's disciple. In the machzor, Rashi's student recounts that "I heard regarding the Geonim R' Yehuda bar Baruch and R' Yitzchak bar Yehuda, may their memory be blessed, that they fasted on the day following Yom Kippur. Their children and disciples continue this practice."

The debate over Yom Kippur observance in Japan

The practice of fasting for two days for Yom Kippur was dismissed by the majority of Jews and their leadership and disappeared entirely. Yet during World War II, the issue resurfaced when the Mir Yeshiva and additional European refugees escaped via Russia to Japan. Reaching Japan prompted questions about when the Sabbath occurs and when festivals take place in the remote island country.

The issue was – where does Jewish law place the date boundary separating the globe's two sections? Certain rabbinic scholars maintained the decisive line sits directly across from Jerusalem on the globe's opposite side, specifically 180 degrees from Jerusalem. Still, others maintained the line runs through East Asia roughly where China starts – specifically, 90 degrees from Jerusalem.

This created a difficulty, since sections of Japan sit precisely between these two boundaries – meaning the Sabbath and Yom Kippur, for instance, would fall on separate days according to each rabbinic view. The difference between these two views, with both backed by numerous prominent rabbinic figures, resulted in some Mir Yeshiva students planning to fast two days. Ultimately, for various reasons, a major gathering convened in Jerusalem under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Herzog determined that the date boundary lies 180 degrees from Jerusalem. Most rabbinic scholars adopted this view, although discussions concerning this matter persist to this day.

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In the heart of Los Angeles lies Dodger Stadium, a place where baseball history has been made and where two players have statues outside in their honor: Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax. While Robinson is celebrated for breaking baseball's color barrier, Koufax's legacy is tied to a remarkable choice he made during the biggest game of his career. This is the story of how sitting out of the World Series transformed Sandy Koufax into a Jewish American icon.

The context of the 1960s

The 1960s in America were marked by cultural upheaval, with the likes of lava lamps, Beatlemania, and flower children. However, this period was also rife with casual antisemitism. Although American Jews enjoyed freedoms their grandparents could scarcely imagine, they faced significant societal barriers. Strict quotas kept them out of affluent neighborhoods and elite universities, and antisemitic tropes persisted, suggesting that Jews were too powerful and that they could never fully belong in America.

Most American Jews sought acceptance, often turning their backs on their heritage to assimilate into mainstream society. They worked on Saturdays, changed their Jewish last names, and ignored Jewish holidays, all in an effort to fit in. Then came Sandy Koufax, who threw a curveball into this identity crisis.

Sandy Koufax's identity

Though not the most devout Jew, Sandy Koufax was proud of his Jewish heritage. He grew up in a Jewish neighborhood, attended synagogue during the high holidays, and never hid his identity. In the world of Major League Baseball, he stood out, facing prejudice and slurs from some of his teammates. The black players, including Jackie Robinson, recognized Koufax's struggles and welcomed him, forming a bond over shared experiences of discrimination.

They supported one another, and Koufax found camaraderie with them. Despite his talent, he faced criticism in the media. Nonetheless, he excelled, earning the nickname "the left arm of God." His success shattered stereotypes that Jews were weak or incapable of athleticism, inspiring pride among Jewish Americans.

The 1965 World Series

In 1965, as the Dodgers entered the World Series, expectations were low due to a lackluster offense. However, their pitching staff, led by Koufax, carried the team to the championship. When Game 1 of the World Series arrived on October 6, all eyes were on Koufax. But he was nowhere to be found at Metropolitan Stadium, leading to questions about his absence during such a crucial game.

Why was he missing? October 6 was not only the day of the World Series; it was also Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. For Koufax, this was a no-brainer. Baseball was his profession, but Judaism was central to his identity. He chose to honor his faith over his career, a decision that resonated deeply within the Jewish community.

The impact of his decision

For decades, American Jews had faced a binary choice: to be Jewish or to be American. Koufax's decision demonstrated that they could embrace both identities. He took Yom Kippur off as a sign of respect for his heritage, honoring his parents, ancestors, and community. The Dodgers owner even supported his choice, stating he wouldn't let Koufax pitch on Yom Kippur under any circumstances.

The team played Game 1 without him, and when the substitute pitcher struggled, he humorously remarked to the manager, "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish too." Despite the initial setback, Koufax returned after Yom Kippur and pitched brilliantly, leading the Dodgers to victory and earning the MVP title.

Legacy

Koufax's legacy extended beyond the baseball field. His decision inspired countless Jews, even those who were not baseball fans. The news of his choice reached far and wide, even to the headquarters of the Chabad movement, where the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson spoke about his example of pride and self-sacrifice. Many young Jews began attending services instead of watching the games, and parents held Koufax up as a role model.

Throughout the years, other Jewish players followed in his footsteps. In 2001, Shawn Green ended his consecutive game streak to observe Yom Kippur, and Max Fried, a Jewish pitcher, wore number 32 in Koufax's honor. Koufax became a symbol not just of Jewish pride but of resilience against antisemitism, reminding everyone of the importance of standing by one's beliefs. The statue of Sandy Koufax stands proudly outside Dodger Stadium alongside Jackie Robinson, a testament to his enduring impact.

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A Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Chabad girls' school in Toronto was hit by gunfire for the second time this year, police reported on Saturday. The shooting at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School occurred as Canada has seen an increase in antisemitic incidents since the start of the war in Gaza. The attack took place as Jewish people were observing Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism, according to AFP.

This is Toronto Canada.

A Jewish girls school has been riddled with bullets for a SECOND time. The video is of the 1st shooting.

Mayor Chow couldn't be bothered to attend an October 7th memorial. The Trudeau government does nothing to address antisemitism.

This is the result. https://t.co/TJLpMWc4GP pic.twitter.com/FzPFrlksKD

— David Jacobs (@DrJacobsRad) October 12, 2024

 According to authorities, shots were fired from a vehicle around 4 AM local time at the school located in Toronto's North York area. No one was injured in the attack, with the only damage being a broken window. Police believe this incident is connected to a similar shooting that targeted the same school in May.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his concern over the incident on social media platform X, stating, "I'm very disturbed to hear that last night, as families marked Yom Kippur, there were shots fired at a Jewish school in Toronto. As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff, and parents who must be terrified and hurting today. Antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate – and we won't let it stand."

As you wait for more details? How many more 'details' do you need? Antisemitism and violence against Jews in Canada, is surging unabated, why your government does nothing. You say you "won't let it stand", yet that's precisely what you've done!

— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 12, 2024

 The shooting comes amid a troubling rise in antisemitic acts across Canada. A report published in May by Jewish organization B'nai Brith Canada found that such incidents more than doubled in the country between 2022 and 2023.

Today, for the second time since May, shots were fired at a Jewish girls' elementary school in Toronto. With antisemitism and racism on the rise in British Columbia and Richmond, I felt it was essential to call the Richmond RCMP to help protect and patrol the Bayit Synagogue and… pic.twitter.com/BjeQGv6ppo

— Michelle Mollineaux 莫米雪 (@Michelle_CPBC) October 12, 2024

 In a similar occurrence last November, a Jewish school in Montreal was shot at twice within a single week, though no one was injured in those attacks.

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In a touching nod to Yom Kippur, rock legend Lenny Kravitz took to social media to share a photo of himself wearing a striking Chai necklace. The post resonated widely, drawing thousands of reactions, including heartfelt responses from several prominent Israeli figures in entertainment.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lenny Kravitz (@lennykravitz)

 Accompanying the image, Kravitz penned the caption: "Life has never been better than it is right now." At the time of reporting, the post had amassed over two thousand impassioned responses, with Israeli followers enthusiastically populating the comments section with the country's flag. Notable among the commenters were several Israeli celebrities.

Actress Gal Gadot chimed in with "Chai" and a white heart emoji, while actor Liran Danino expressed his admiration, writing, "Wow, I love this." Comedian Shahar Hasson affectionately responded with "Kaparara," and television host Miri Michaeli confessed, "I always had a serious crush on you."

Kravitz, self-identifying as "half-Jewish, half-black," is a descendant of Ukrainian Jews and was raised in New York. He is a household name in the music industry and is renowned as an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. His talent has been recognized with four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

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1.

"Cry with full throat, without restraint; Raise your voice like a ram's horn! Declare to My people their transgression, To the House of Jacob their sin." So we were taught by the Prophet Isaiah in the eighth century BCE and it is this prophecy that we read on Yom Kippur.

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For most of my life, I have tried not to tarry on the "hollow and empty crops," in the words of the late Hebrew poet and translator Aharon Amir. I have tried to focus on the good, on achievement and challenges, on the spirit of greatness, and on the enormous historical changes that we have been given the right to be a part of. Many generations would have wished to live in these times. Our sages taught that the difference between this world and the days of the Messiah is that "oppression by other kingdoms will be abolished" – namely that Israel is independent. Therefore, I have always believed that it is more important to strengthen healthy foundations and show there is hope for the future than it is to be outspoken and to prove others wrong. We are in a lengthy process of building our independence and sovereignty, a process during which we have experienced ups and downs, but the dominant trendline is one of progress and ascent.

2.

But the difficult events that took place during Yom Kippur prayers on the streets of Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city, are a watershed, and cannot simply be ignored. When I took up my post as Israel's ambassador to Italy, we responded aggressively to the antisemitic incidents that were brought to my attention. But I noticed that there were cases that, even if the Italian Jewish community was horrified, did not seem to me antisemitic. I realized that living in an independent country had numbed our historical sensors and we failed to discern what Jews around the world were experiencing as an attack on their identity. I remember a case in which a public figure linked Jews to money; the case led to a great scandal, condemnations, and apologies. But then I remembered not long ago, a Jew who got up and threw banknotes at ultra-Orthodox Jews in Bnei Brak. He took pride in his actions and asked his friend to take his picture. Can you imagine a similar humiliating act against Jews anywhere else in the world?

Jews pray on the streets of Tel Aviv on our people's holiest day and repeat the ancient words that our forefathers uttered in the dungeons of the Inquisition and during the terrible Nazi Aktion (mass murder operations) in the death camps – the chilling opening to the Yom Kippur prayers: "In the heavenly court and in the earthly court; with the consent of the omnipresent and with the consent of the congregation, we are permitted to pray together with the transgressors." Immediately afterward, we commence the Kol Nidrei prayer.

As a child, from my seat, I would see my father and the elders of the synagogue hunched over on the Bimah and in an ancient voice that came from their hearts they would bring God (the Omnipresent Blessed Be He) into their court to permit all of us to pray with them without weighing all our indiscretions. Every Yom Kippur, I would tremble at the weight of the occasion.

3.

During the period of the Spanish Inquisition, Jews who were forced to convert to Christianity used the Kol Nidrei prayer to annul their vows to the Church. Below is the testimony in a trial of a converted Jew from Aragon in the autumn of 1469: "In the season of grapes and figs they used to ... go out into the orchards... they would go back and forth in the orchards and all day they didn't work ... You could see on their faces that they were almost fainting or dying. They didn't eat all day... some of them went barefoot... They said Jewish prayers..." Another convert testified about her aunt Violante Alvarez: "When it was evening, she called her and took her out next to a field that was next to the house and said: 'Take care to fast today so that our Lord will give you life.'... And as the two of them stood there, facing east she unwrapped his head covering and taught him prayers ... and the witness repeated the same words and when it was done, she said, 'Aunt, whom are we praying to?' and she said to her, 'Look, we worship a single God, the God of Israel, your people.'"

4.

Now, some 500 years later, in our independent state, Jews, in plain sight, rampage, and riot, pull off prayer shawls, throw prayer books to the ground, call their fellow Jews by terrible names, and shout "shame" during the Kol Nidrei prayer and again during the Neilah prayer that brings Yom Kippur to an end. Some people attending prayers were beaten up. In one clip, one innocent little girl asks: "Daddy, why do they say shame to the shofar?" What would we call a similar incident elsewhere in the world? Overseas, were we to see something that is just a fraction of this disgrace, we would condemn it as an antisemitic incident. The attempts to understand and place the event in a particular context are an added disgrace because they justify the aggressor.

The mayor of Tel Aviv refused to speak out against the incident "because there was no violence," and, he said, "there was a provocation." Yair Lapid put it this way: "Messianic and racist groups who have come here from other places are trying to impose their version of Judaism on us." But there was no condemnation of the shameful events. Rest assured, Yair, no one imposed anything. People turned up of their own free will. Adults like you chose "their version of Judaism." Benny Gantz also failed to rise to the occasion and released an accusatory statement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Right. The reason for the feeble condemnations may be found in the words of Shikma Bressler, one of the leaders of the protest movement: "The Messianic Kahanist extremists decided to start a religious war against the people of Israel on Yom Kippur... For all those who are confused, this is not Judaism." How low, woe the disgrace. The term "confused" was a warning to politicians.

5.

When the municipality issued a response to the court, there was no discussion of outdoor prayer on the city streets. Moreover, the municipality wrote explicitly that "in any event, any party so interested may hold prayers in the public sphere, without any authorization from the municipality." The ruling did not prohibit gender-separated prayer as is the age-old Jewish custom, but only that there "be no gender-separation via physical means." In other words, a physical partition that blocks the ability to pass through the public sphere. In past years, a minority (a few hundred) prayed separately, while the majority (thousands) prayed, men and women, together.

This time, the court and the municipality's decision were upheld and no partition was placed at the site. This was confirmed by police. The Israeli flags that fluttered in the wind were just a symbolic separation of the Dizengoff Square for those who wished to pray separately. The flags didn't block anything or anyone. In the Babylonian Talmud (Tractate Sukkah 24b) Rav Aḥa bar Ya'akov said "Any partition that is not able to stand in a typical wind...is not a partition." Rashi explained, "A typical wind - that the wind blows to and fro." In other words, if a partition flutters in the wind, that is enough to disqualify it from being a wall of a sukkah because it does not separate the outside from the inside.

The sukkah calls on us to go out of our protected home to an impermanent home just as winter begins to teach us that not all that seems stable is in fact permanent. Everything is ephemeral and what holds the walls of homes is the same faith that holds the walls of a fragile sukkah. The Zohar describes the sukkah as the "shadow of faith." "A song of ascents. Of Solomon, Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain on it; unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain." This ancient assertion begins with "Song of Ascents", and indeed we must transcend reality to see what is permanent and what is ephemeral.

The rioters were not interested in these subtleties; they wanted to show the worshippers that they would not be able to bring prayer to the streets. By doing so, they desecrated the holy day, blasphemed God, and caused disappointment and sorrow to many who understand that the protest is long since not about legal reform but has reached the very root: the identity of the state. Fortunately, the majority despises the attempt to create a conflict over our ancient tradition. It is by virtue of that tradition that we live, as individuals and as a people.

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1.

Should we talk about these terrible times, about the horror of the Jewish street attacking Jews, about the destruction of statism, and about how rules and boundaries are being broken in almost every field of our lives? Public discourse is saturated with such talk to the point of nausea. On a personal level, I feel I should not drag us further into this mire. We will have plenty of time after the holidays to go on arguing. But now, Jewish time urges us to withdraw into ourselves, both our individual and collective selves, to leave behind our ugly reality, to rise above our petty desire to settle scores in the present and look fearlessly to eternity.

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Yom Kippur is upon us. It is an opportunity to return to the root, to heal our spirit, and to prepare it for the new year. Atonement is the kapporet, the cover on the Ark of the Covenant, meaning it is a cover for our errors. But in order to reach atonement, we are commanded to lift the veil and confess, to face up to our weaknesses and falsities, to our internal insurrections – large and small, to the chasm between what we are and what we would like to be. We must observe and contemplate ourselves courageously; we must not be afraid, we must examine our successes and failures over the course of the year and look at our moments of grace and judgment. Don't worry, it will pay off.

2.

For what is sin if not taking the wrong direction (sin in Hebrew is "chet", which derives from "hachta'ah", meaning missing the direction), refusing to hear the inner voice calling to us? "Our Father, our King, we have sinned before You, have mercy on us": We have gone astray of the goal, we have forgotten ourselves, and therefore we ask for your mercy. Mercy is the womb (womb in Hebrew is "rechem", connected to "rachamim", i.e. mercy) into which we seek to be gathered into and where we can renew our powers, and then be born again.

Video: Herzog speaks on the clashes during Yom Kippur / Credit: President's residence

The Yoma tractate, which deals with the Yom Kippur service, ends with the words of the greatest of the Tannaim, Rabbi Akiva (who lived in the first half of the second century CE): "How fortunate are you, Israel; before Whom are you purified, and Who purifies you? It is your Father in Heaven, as it is stated: 'And I will sprinkle purifying water upon you, and you shall be purified' (Ezekiel 36:25). And it says: 'The ritual bath ("mikveh") of Israel is God' (Jeremiah 17:13). Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so too, the Holy One, Blessed be He, purifies Israel.'" And what is a mikveh if not the womb that contains mercy? Just as immersion in a mikveh purifies involuntarily, passing through the time tunnel of Yom Kippur purifies all of us, those who participate in public fast and those who exempt themselves. For Yom Kippur it is not only a personal religious day of atonement, but a national day of atonement. The entire nation is purified.

3.

At the height of the day, the Minchah, afternoon prayer cites the Book of Jonah. In the third chapter, we read about repentance from the ways of evil and of the evil-doing that characterized the life of the inhabitants of Nineveh. They fast and cover themselves with sackcloth and call out to God, "Who knows but that God may turn and relent? God may turn back from wrathfulness so that we do not perish. God saw what they did, how they were turning back from their evil ways. And God renounced the punishment that had been planned for them, and did not carry it out."  On the face of it, this is the reason why the story of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur.

Nevertheless, let us look at the beginning of the story: God calls Jonah and entrusts him with a mission ("Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me"), but he refuses to listen and runs away. Escape is the main theme. Sometimes we have to run away, far from home, from family, from homeland, far from ourselves, because we don't believe that this is the right voice for us. Jonah flees from the mountains to the lowlands and from there he takes to the seas. "Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord; and he went down to Jaffa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish..." The descent is emphasized twice and hints the decline.

And again, it is precisely in the process of escape that he finds (reinvents) himself. The sea represents the hidden part of our personality, the unconscious, the realm of dreams, of repression, and of missing out. Repression is not necessarily of forbidden things that we wanted and hid, but of the directions, we knew were right but removed below the threshold of consciousness because of the pressures of society and work, because of life. It is the inner voice of the authentic self that resides deep within us, it is the voice that we ignore.  It is there that Jonah fled to. "Where can I escape from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I descend to Sheol (the abode of the dead), You are there too." Thus the Psalmist describes the flight from ourselves, which ends up as a failed effort to abandon the nigun (the song of the soul) that comes back to us and will bring us back to ourselves. This is how Nathan Alterman begins his great poetic project: "The melody (nigun) whom you abandoned in vanity, comes back." He tries to flee his vocation as a poet, but it is stronger than him: "To avail I shall besiege you with a wall, to avail I shall erect doors!" and thus "forever I shall play your melody."

4.

Jonah, too, cannot escape the voice that calls him. As he flees, on the high seas, a storm endangers his life. Man runs away and his life swirls and becomes groggy and delirious. At first, he denies the reason: "But the Lord hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the ship was like to be broken." So, what does Jonah do? "But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep." Interestingly, perhaps unconsciously, Jonah goes deeper inside himself: he sleeps (and dreams) in the belly of a ship rocking in the sea: a womb (sleep) inside another womb (a belly of a ship) inside yet another womb (the sea). And still, it is not enough. He asks to be thrown into the depths of the sea: "Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you." It is a suicidal request! Has he given up hope in the face of his mental distress?

It is precisely then that salvation arrives. Jonah is swallowed in the stomach of a great fish (a fourth womb). Only here does he encounter his God, that is, the deep self of his personality. Then he prays: He asks to return home and promises to accept his destiny, to hear the inner voice calling to him. How many changes and challenges must a man go through from the time he flees to the moment of his long-awaited rebirth? "And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." Returning home, to ourselves, is not easy. The moment of discovery could be sometimes a violent moment, described as vomiting. Man is cast out against his will, until he finds himself standing on his own shores, kneeling on the shore of forgiveness, to hear the silenced voice.

5.

The 19th-century Italian writer Carlo Collodi turned the story of Jonah into the story of Pinocchio, a wooden doll, fleeing from his carpenter father who created it. His escape also creates a tempest. So as to ignore the father's call, Pinocchio follows various temptations that divert him from his path and bring him to the point of forgetting himself. The climax of his flight takes place on stormy seas. Like Jonah, he is swallowed into the belly of a large fish, and it is there of all places that, to his surprise, he meets his father, who has gone in search of him. In Collodi's story, Pinocchio rescues his father from the belly of a fish, which teaches that sometimes God also needs man to rescue Him from his state of concealment and to reveal Him, or in the language of Kabbalah: in order to cause an "awakening from above" (in heaven), man, down below, must first awaken himself ("awakening from below"). Only when Pinocchio becomes fully acquainted with his father does the wooden doll become a flesh-and-blood child. Only after Jonah becomes acquainted with his heavenly Father does he return to his prophetic destiny. Will we hear the voice?

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They are young Israeli men and women, each with relatively bright futures in their respective sporting fields of cycling and tennis. In the pursuit of their dreams, the thing they lack the most is ample opportunity to prove themselves on the international stage. However, they may have broken an unofficial rule on Thursday, Yom Kippur, by opting to compete in various tournaments across the globe on the holiest day in Judaism.

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Cyclist Itamar Reinhorn, who rides for UCI WorldTeam Israel Start-Up Nation, took part on Wednesday and Thursday in the opening stage of the Tour of Slovakia and even managed to finish a respectable sixth. Yuval Ben Moshe, who rides for team Israel Cycling Academy, will also compete in stage two of the event, which begins Friday evening, Israel time.

Tennis players Nicole Khirin, Shavit Kimchi and Sahar Simon competed in the futures tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa (J3 Johannesburg Tournament 2021), where prizes worth NIS 25,000 ($7,800) were distributed among the winners. Simon and Khirin won their opening matches to advance, which Kimchi was eliminated. The three were accompanied by their coach, Yoav Schab.

As stated, the decision to compete on Yom Kippur was likely to ruffle some feathers. Such a decision likely wouldn't have been met with understanding in the 1990s, and certainly not earlier. It should be noted that UCI WorldTeam Israel Start-Up Nation is owned and funded by businessmen Sylvan Adams and Ron Baron, and is not supported in any official capacity by the State of Israel.

The Israel Tennis Association said in response: "These are personal tournaments for the players, not the official national team."

Israel Start-Up Nation said: "The Tour of Slovakia has five stages and as per the rules of racing events – absence from one of the days – in this case, Yom Kippur – doesn't allow [the rider] to continue competing in the remaining days. The choice was in the hands of the cyclists and had they asked not to compete in Slovakia, the team would have accepted their request, of course, and assigned them to a different race."

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Synagogues across Israel were making final preparations for Yom Kippur late into the night on Tuesday. Because of the social distancing measures made necessary by the COVID pandemic, many synagogues set up additional seating outside.

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Moshe Mizrahi, gabbai of the Zechor LeAvraham Synagogue in Givat Massua in Jerusalem, said, "I've been doing this for over 20 years, happily and with love, because it's important to me to give people the feeling that we want them at synagogue. Even those who don't pray regularly, I want them to feel like they belong at synagogue because it's a place that brings us all together."

Israel's municipalities have long since started preparations to accommodate the crowds wanting to take part in the Yom Kippur prayer services, whether in a synagogue or an outside minyan. The Jerusalem Municipality has distributed over 500 shades to protect worshippers from the September sun.

"The gabbays do holy work, especially at this time of the year. Yom Kippur gives us strength for the entire year, and we're very happy that the communities and the gabbays open their doors for all the public who want to attend synagogue to hear Kol Nidrei and Neilah," Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon said.

Yom Kippur traditions were already underway on Tuesday morning, including kapparot – whose traditional chicken slaughter is being replaced by charitable donations in an attempt to avoid cruelty to animals.

As for Yom Kippur in the time of COVID, Rabbi Baruch Efrati explained that a person who is in quarantine but asymptomatic should observe the fast as usual, but if symptoms appear, he or she should start drinking moderate amounts of water, as should anyone who has tested positive for COVID.

Efrati said that anyone who has recovered from moderate to serious COVID-19 in the past three months should consume moderate amounts of food and drink, despite the fast.

Anyone concerned that they might have contracted COVID may test themselves using a home antigen kit, Efrati added.

But COVID isn't the only problem making this Yom Kippur a challenging one. The IDF has bolstered forces in several regions and is on high alert for possible escalations of violence. Forces continue to pursue two of the six terrorist inmates who escaped Gilboa Prison on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and have still evaded capture.

Security forces expect that as long as the two remain at large, tensions in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria will continue. Recent days have seen more warnings about terrorist attacks than usual.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Tuesday that "Security forces are deployed and prepared to protect the residents of Israel from any threat. I praise our soldiers, police, and Border Police who have responded to recent events rapidly and have shown that they were alert.

"Israel has no desire to disrupt the Palestinians' routine way of life and we want to offer them economic and civil benefits and keep strengthening coordination with the Palestinian Authority. If any terrorist groups rear their heads, we'll take care to push them down. This goes for Judea and Samaria as well as the Gaza Strip," Gantz added.

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