Very soon – in less than a week, on the evening of September 20 – the most important day of the year will begin: the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. The judgment of every individual, which began on Rosh Hashanah, will conclude on Yom Kippur, and to a significant extent it depends on us what the final verdict will be. What the Creator of the world has allotted us these 10 days between the two dates for, how we should prepare for Yom Kippur, and what its main moments and prayers mean – our website has prepared a series of publications on this, the first of which we offer to our readers.
The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Yamim Noraim, or the Days of Awe. This is a special period of the year that has significant differences from all others. Why do the Days of Awe have this name, what do they mean spiritually, and how do they differ from other days?
The first ten days of the month of Tishrei, the “Days of Awe,” have another name – the Ten Days of Repentance. The first name indicates that, from Rosh Hashanah, when the Heavenly Court renders a verdict for every living being on earth, until Yom Kippur, when this verdict is sealed, the entire world is gripped by fear of the Almighty. The second name indicates that these ten days are the most suitable time of the year for repentance. The prophet says: “Seek G-d while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near! Let the wicked forsake his way, and the sinful man his thoughts, and let him return to G-d, and He will have mercy on him, and to our G-d, for He will abundantly pardon” (Yeshayahu 55:6–7).
Our Sages explain that this refers specifically to the Ten Days of Repentance: during these days, the Almighty, as it were, descends to us, making Himself especially close and accessible.
Therefore, each of us during these days is obligated to once again analyze their behavior, take account of their actions, and perform teshuvah.
One might ask: but the entire month of Elul is designated for repentance – is teshuvah before Rosh Hashanah not enough? This question can be answered with a question: why do we recite Tachanun after the Shemoneh Esrei – for, seemingly, the confession of sins should precede this prayer, when we stand, as it were, before the face of the Almighty? There is one answer to both questions: just as after washing, stains remain on a white tablecloth (which were not visible while the tablecloth was dirty), so only after the teshuvah of the month of Elul does a person become aware of their true sins, which have penetrated so deeply into their soul that they do not notice them.
A hint that hidden evil in the soul is far more dangerous than obvious evil is found in one of the laws of the Torah. A person who has become aware of their sin brings an atoning “chatas” sacrifice depending on their material means: a wealthy person brings a sheep or goat, a poor person brings a measure of flour. However, if a person is unsure whether they have committed a sin and wishes to rid themselves of doubt by bringing a “guilt” offering (“asham”), then regardless of whether this person is poor or rich, they are obligated to bring a ram, whose cost is quite high (Vayikra 4:27 – 5:19). The Torah thereby indicates that performing teshuvah while knowing of one’s transgressions is easier than overcoming a bad habit that may have already become second nature, and repenting of sins that have already taken root in the soul. This is precisely what is required of us during the Ten Days of Repentance.
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria-Ashkenazi revealed to his students that the seven days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provide us with a unique opportunity for teshuvah for the entire past year. Namely: on the first of these seven days, one should perform teshuvah, praying for forgiveness for all sins committed on the first day of all the weeks of the year; on the second – for all sins committed on the second day of all the weeks; and so on.
The great Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, who lived in the 16th century, writes that during the Ten Days of Repentance, one should perform only the most essential work, as on Chol HaMoed, and devote as much time as possible to Torah study, prayer, and good deeds.
Special attention should be given to improving one’s relationships with other people. It is stated in the Talmud that Yom Kippur atones only for sins committed against the Almighty. Sins committed against other people are atoned for by Yom Kippur only on the condition that the offender has received forgiveness from the offended.
Damage caused to someone must not only be compensated – one must also obtain forgiveness from the injured party.
It is recommended during these days to observe more strictly those details of the laws of the Torah in which Halachah sometimes permits leniency. For example, one who throughout the year eats bread baked by a non-Jewish baker should, during the Ten Days of Repentance, eat only bread baked by a Jew.
The logic here is simple: after all, we ask the Almighty during these days to do more for us than we deserve – so we too should do more for the Almighty than the letter of the law requires.
The Selichos for the Fast of Gedaliah are not found in the siddur (as are the Selichos for the other fasts), but in the collection of Selichos recited before Rosh Hashanah. Since on the Fast of Gedaliah, Selichos are recited not before the Shacharis prayer but in the middle of it – during Tachanun – the portion analogous to the Selichos before Rosh Hashanah is omitted, and only those portions analogous to the corresponding parts of the Selichos for the other fasts are recited. Namely: Ashrei is not recited, nor the entire section after the first Kaddish (quotations from Tanach about the greatness and mercy of the Almighty), nor “Selach Lanu,” nor the piyyut “Az Terem,” nor “Kel Erech Apayim,” nor the confession of sins (“Ashamnu”), nor the 6th chapter of Tehillim together with its introduction (“Vayomer David…”), and at the conclusion of Tachanun, the full text of “Avinu Malkeinu” is recited with certain changes specifically for the Ten Days of Repentance, after which the chazzan recites “Chatzi Kaddish” (and not “Kaddish Shalem,” as in the Selichos before Rosh Hashanah). One who wishes to perform the mitzvos as meticulously as possible purchases an esrog, lulav, and hadas for the arba minim already during the Ten Days of Repentance, so that before Yom Kippur they may be credited with yet another merit – preparation for the fulfillment of this important mitzvah. On all the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in Shacharis and Minchah, at the conclusion of Tachanun, the full text of “Avinu Malkeinu” is recited before the open Aron Kodesh, except for Minchah on Friday and the prayers on Shabbos (Shabbos Teshuvah) and on the eve of Yom Kippur (since “Avinu Malkeinu” is not recited on days when Tachanun is not said).
The Shabbos between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur has two names. The first – Shabbos Shuvah – it received from the first words of the haftarah read on this day: Shuvah, Yisrael! (“Return, O Israel!”) (Hoshea 14:2). The second – Shabbos Teshuvah – because this Shabbos is one of the Ten Days of Repentance. The second name hints that although on Shabbos we do not recite prayers in which we mention our sins, nevertheless on this Shabbos it is necessary to perform teshuvah – but a special, “Shabbos teshuvah,” i.e., to strive to rise to a higher spiritual level not from the abyss of sin, but already within the realm of holiness.
There is a custom to light before the onset of Shabbos Teshuvah a special candle that burns for a full day – so that the “light of teshuvah” may shine for us.
For the reading of the haftarah on Shabbos Teshuvah, the most respected person in the community is called up. In Minchah, “Tzidkascha” is recited, even if the next day is the eve of Yom Kippur. At the conclusion of this Shabbos, “Vihi Noam” is not recited, etc., except in the case when Yom Kippur coincides with the following Shabbos.
It is not customary to perform the sanctification of the moon (Kiddush Levanah) until the end of Yom Kippur – unless the weather raises concern that it will not be possible to do so on the night after Yom Kippur.
