Yom Kippur (יום כיפור)
Yom Kippur (Hebrew: יום כִּפּוּר or יום הכיפורים), the Day of Atonement, is observed on the 10th day of the Hebrew month Tishrei. It marks the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance (עשרת ימי תשובה) that begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur is a solemn day of fasting and reflection, with prayers seeking forgiveness for sins committed against the Almighty - but not for sins against other people.
Yom Kippur fasting starts before sunset on the evening of the day before and ends after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. In Israel, vehicle travel is strictly prohibited except in emergency situations.
Yom Kippur services begin generally at 8 AM and continue until about 1-3 PM. Many worshippers will go home for a brief rest during the afternoon before returning for the closing services (Minha and Tefilat Neila - נעילה), which conclude with the blowing of the shofar
The shofar, a ram's horn, symbolizes the divine call to repentance and the promise of redemption. The blowing of the shofar marks the end of Yom Kippur and the beginning of a new year.
Mention of Yom Kippur in the Torah
Leviticus 23:26-32:
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
27 But on the tenth of this seventh month, it is a day of atonement, it shall be a holy occasion for you; you shall afflict yourselves, and you shall offer up a fire offering to the Lord.
28 You shall not perform any work on that very day, for it is a day of atonement, for you to gain atonement before the Lord, your God.
29 For any person who will not be afflicted on that very day, shall be cut off from its people.
30 And any person who performs any work on that very day I will destroy that person from amidst its people.
31 You shall not perform any work. [This is] an eternal statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.
32 It is a complete day of rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth of the month in the evening, from evening to evening, you shall observe your rest day.
ויקרא פרק כג
כו וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
כז אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים הוּא, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, וְעִנִּיתֶם, אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה, לַיהוָה.
כח וְכָל-מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה: כִּי יוֹם כִּפֻּרִים, הוּא, לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.
כט כִּי כָל-הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא-תְעֻנֶּה, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה--וְנִכְרְתָה, מֵעַמֶּיהָ.
ל וְכָל-הַנֶּפֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה כָּל-מְלָאכָה, בְּעֶצֶם, הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה--וְהַאֲבַדְתִּי אֶת-הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא, מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּהּ. לא כָּל-מְלָאכָה,
לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם.
לב שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן הוּא לָכֶם, וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם; בְּתִשְׁעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ, בָּעֶרֶב--מֵעֶרֶב עַד-עֶרֶב, תִּשְׁבְּתוּ שַׁבַּתְּכֶם.
Kapparot tradition
Kapparot (כפרות, kapparot) is a Jewish ritual traditionally performed in the days immediately before Yom Kippur. The Hebrew word is related to kapparah (כפרה), meaning atonement or expiation.
In the traditional form, a person takes a chicken and circles it over their head three times while reciting a prescribed passage. The chicken was then slaughtered according to Jewish dietary law, and its meat was given to poor families. Today, the vast expansion of the custom involves using money instead of live animals. This avoids animal welfare concerns (Tza'ar Ba'alei Chaim) and directly provides financial support to those in need.
The ritual is associated with the idea of compensating for one's sins, followed by repentance and charity. Importantly, kapparot is not itself a substitute for repentance (teshuvah), prayer, and charitable acts, which are central to the Yom Kippur tradition.
The precise origin of kapparot is uncertain. It is not mentioned in the Talmud, and the practice appears in medieval Jewish sources. The earliest known references are generally associated with the Geonic period (approximately 7th–11th centuries), while the practice became more widespread during the Middle Ages.
Some prominent rabbis historically opposed the ritual, considering it an inappropriate or non-Jewish practice. Joseph Karo, for example, strongly criticized kapparot in the Shulchan Aruch, whereas Moses Isserles (Rema) defended the custom among Ashkenazi Jews. Consequently, the practice has never been universally accepted within Judaism.