Yom Kippur - Jewish Judgment Day

Yom Kippur 2011 falls on the 8th of October. It is celebrated by Yom Kippur on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei- the month of the beginning of the year according to the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur completes Ten days of repentance. During the Yom Kippur, Jews need to observe certain traditions. It is noteworthy that even secular Jews who do not observe other religious laws and regulations, visit the synagogue on the day of Yom Kippur, they observe a strict fast.

Yom Kippur is considered the most solemn day of the year. During Yom Kippur in no case canwork, so on this day in the streets of the cities of Israel you will not see cars (except, perhaps, firefighters or ambulances), you will not find any open store. Even TV and radio stations, public transport stop their work for this day.

Yom Kippur, like all other Jewish holidays, begins with sunset. On the eve of the holiday, October 7, Jews are ordered to perform several rituals. One of them is custom Kaparot, the rite of redemption. Earlier, for the rite of redemption, one had to take a chicken or a cock and take the bird to the ritual carnal - the shoyhet. After that, the poor were given money, approximately equal to the value of the bird. Today kaparot often do without a bird: they take money, say "This money will be tsedaka", and then they give money to the poor.

For the custom of kaparot follows the morning prayer (Shahrite), the first meal, mikvah, day prayer (minha), "interrupting" the meal. After the morning prayer, the Jews on the day before Yom Kippur try to pay their debts, fulfill these vows. Throughout the day on the eve of Yom Kippur, it is accepted to ask forgiveness and forgive.

Next, the table is laid for the first meal. And it's impossible to eat in Yom Kippur, so you can not abandon it on the eve of the holiday. It is believed that if you do not eat enough before Yom Kippur, a person will not be able to fully prepare his body for taanitou (post). It is customary to eat more than usual after a meal.

The "interruptive" meal ends the day. After it you need to rinse your mouth, brush your teeth -Now you can not eat and drink until the end of Yom Kippur (about 25 hours). It is allowed not to fast only for children under 9 years old, also to take food and water can be sick, but only after the permission of the rabbi. The amount of food that is allowed to eat is strictly regulated.

After the "interrupting" meal, the Jews must fulfill all other fasting prohibitions, such as a ban on wearing leather shoes, a ban on work, a ban on washing and rubbing.

Directly Yom Kippur begins 18 minutes before sunset. Now the mistress of the house should light the candles. Then begins the time of fasting and prayer. Prayers throughout Yom Kippur are pronounced special in strict accordance with the ancient rites.

Ends with Yom Kippur the evening of the next day after the start of the fasting (ie October 9) together with the appearance of a third star in the sky. At home, a special short prayer (gavdala, avdala) is pronounced, after which it is already possible to eat and drink.