The Secret of Yom Kippur

Why does Yom Kippur atone for Israel's sins? The secret is rooted in the "covenant of love" between G-d and His people Israel...

The Yom Kippur Time Tunnel

Why is it important that atonement and repentance remain outside the framework of time?And we may be like angels on the Day of Atonement, but the rest of the year, we are simply flesh and blood, so how are our sins of the year atoned for?

Yom Kippur

Let the Children Sing

Down to the Earth and Up to the Sky

Yom Kippur, the holiest of days, has two diametrically opposed halachot. There is a strict requirement to “afflict” ourselves. On the other hand, Chazal relate great importance to eating on the day before it. R. Yehoshua ben Chananya tried to learn from the pasuk, “You [Moshe] are going to lie with your fathers, and the nation will get up and act licentiously” (Devarim 31:16) that there is resurrection of the dead (it can be read, with difficulty, that Moshe will get up) and that Hashem knows what will happen in the future. He settles at the end that the pasuk proves only the latter, but why would one consider to read the pasuk referring to resurrection, which seems to “abuse” the pasuk? Yom Kippur, the holiest of days, has two diametrically opposed halachot. There is a strict requirement to “afflict” ourselves. On the other hand, Chazal relate great importance to eating on the day before it. R. Yehoshua ben Chananya tried to learn from the pasuk, “You [Moshe] are going to lie with your fathers, and the nation will get up and act licentiously” (Devarim 31:16) that there is resurrection of the dead (it can be read, with difficulty, that Moshe will get up) and that Hashem knows what will happen in the future. He settles at the end that the pasuk proves only the latter, but why would one consider to read the pasuk referring to resurrection, which seems to “abuse” the pasuk?

A Day of Light

On the first day of creation, Hashem created light. “Hashem called the light day …” (Bereishit 1:4). The midrash (Rabba 3:8) understands that this refers to the actions of the righteous. “… and He called the darkness night” – this refers to the actions of the wicked. “… day one” – this refers to the one special day that Hashem gave – namely, Yom Kippur.

THE JEWISH SHRINK