Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is one of the popular holiday of Jewish people. It is the holiest day for the Jewish people.

Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar. It is also known as the Day of Atonement. The central theme of this festival is atonement and repentance. The Jews reflect on their past life on this day and ask God’s forgiveness for any sins. They celebrate this festival traditionally and have an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer. They often spend most of the time in synagogue services on this holy day.

History

The term Yom Kippur is written in the plural in the Torah, Yom Ha-Kippurim, perhaps because the purification process. There are two words in Yom Kippur. Yom means day in Hebrew and Kippur is taken from a word which means "to atone". Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah both are occurred in the same month. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the seven month of Hebrew calendar and the Yom Kippur is the tenth day.

Celebration

This is a very special day for Jews and they celebrate it in a very special way:

Most of them wear white cloths as a symbol of purity.
Have a continuous fast for almost 25-hour without food and water. Children below thirteen and ill people are not compulsory to participate in the fast.
They don't wear a makeup or a perfume.
They don't bath on this day.
They don't intercourse on this day.
They don't wear leather shoes on this day.

Prayer Service

The Yom Kippur prayer service is unique and different from regular praying. Unlike the regular prayer which has three prayer seasons (evening, morning and afternoon season), the Yom Kippur prayer service has five praying seasons. It also includes private and public confession of sins.