On ordinary days of the year, the connection of Jews with the Almighty may be hidden, they may not visit the synagogue, not remember the commandments. But on the day of Yom Kippur, a divine spark ignites in the depths of the Jewish heart - synagogues are filled with people and thousands of Jews unite in a common impulse.
Yom Kippur is celebrated ten days after the start of the new year. This is the day of the highest judgment, when all sins are atoned for. It is very important to pray not alone, but in the community, which is why many Jews go to the holy place. On the day of Yom Kippur, you can not do anything, except for the analysis of your actions and thoughts, you must sincerely repent of your sins and mistakes. After the end of the Day of Judgment Yom Kippur, every Jew receives an assessment of his deeds.
Each year Yom Kippur comes at a different time because the Jewish calendar is different from the Gregorian one. The ten days that pass after the beginning of the new year are meant for repentance and thoughts of the future. Even if a Jew did not follow the precepts and laws, these days he is cleansed from sin.
In Israel, on the solemn day of Yom Kippur, you will not see any cars or open shops, radio and television stations stop working, and even public transport does not work. You cannot work during the Day of Judgment, you must perform certain rituals.
Yom Kippur begins after sunset. The day before, every Jew must perform the rite of atonement: bring a rooster or chicken to the ritual butcher Shoikhet. Then give the approximate cost of the bird to the poor. You can do without sacrifice, just give money to the poor. In advance, it is necessary to distribute all debts, fulfill all vows, ask everyone for forgiveness and forgive everyone himself.
In the morning, all Jews unite for shahrit - prayer, then the first meal of the mikvah begins. It is impossible to refuse food on this day, it is necessary to take food in larger quantities than usual. On the holiday itself, a strict fast is provided, drinking, eating, washing, wearing leather shoes, applying cosmetics, and intimacy are prohibited. The fast ends in a day, with the appearance of a third star in the sky.
In the evening, men go to the evening worship service wearing a tallit. The liturgy begins: first, the "kol nidrei" prayer is said, followed by the "maariv" prayer, which includes additional "slikhot" prayers. After sunset, all people dress in white and go out for a walk, and especially religious Jews stay in the synagogue all night to read psalms and doxologies.
