Yom Kippur 2011 - October 7th/8th.
1. Yom Kippur's central theme is the plea for forgiveness from fellow human-beings, highlighting the most essential attributes of constructive leadership, healthy relationships and family and national cohesion: humility (admitting fallibility), faith, soul-searching, thoughtfulness, being considerate, compassion, accepting responsibility, minimizing personal hostility, magnanimity. In order to penetrate the heart of fellow human-beings, the plea for forgiveness must emanate from the heart. Yom Kippur is not driven by punishment, but by behavioral-enhancement.
2. The Jubilee - sanctifying each 50th year by proclaiming liberty, as inscribed also on the Liberty Bell - is announced by blowing the Shofar (a ritual horn) on Yom Kippur. The Jubilee liberates persons physically and spiritually. The word "jubilee" is a Hebrew synonym for "Shofar." Yom Kippur and Jubilee highlight the subordination of human-beings to God.
3. Yom Kippur culminates the ten days of a genuine, heart-driven atonement/repentance, which begin on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishrei - an Akkadian word for forgiveness and Genesis. It is observed on the tenth day of Tishrei. Ten has special significance in Judaism: G-D's abbreviation is the tenth Hebrew letter (Yod); Ten attributes of God - Divine perfection - during the Creation; the Ten Commandments; the Ten Plagues; Ten reasons for blowing the Shofar; Ten percent gift to God (tithe); The Ten Martyrs (Rabbis who were tortured/murdered by the Roman Empire); Ten generations between Adam & Noah and ten generations between Noah & Abraham; a Ten worshippers quorum (Minyan) is required for a collective Jewish prayer; etc.
4. Yom Kippur is a Happy Jewish Holiday, replacing vindictiveness and rage with peace-of-mind and peaceful co-existence between God and human-beings and primarily among human-beings. Yom Kippur emphasizes God's Covenant with the Jewish People, ending God's rage over the sin of the Golden Calf and commemorating Abraham's circumcision, which initialed God's covenant with the Jewish People.
5. The Hebrew word Kippur (atonement/repentance) is a derivative of the Biblical words Kaporet - which covered the Holy Ark at the Sanctuary - and Kopher, which covered Noah's Ark and the Holy Altar at the Temple. The reference is to a spiritual cover (dome), which does not cover-up, but separates between the holy and the mundane, between spiritualism and materialism. The Kippa (skullcap, Yarmulke), which covers one's head during prayers, reflects a spiritual dome. Thus, Yom Kippur constitutes the cover (Dome) of the Ten Days of Atonement (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), separating them from the rest of the year.
6. Yom Kippur calls for Teshuvah, which is the Hebrew word for repentance. The root of Teshuvah is similar to root of the Hebrew word for Return - returning to positive God-inspired values - and Shvitah - cessation (strike) of mundane thoughts and actions and eating. It is also similar to the root of Shabbat. Yom Kippur is also called Shabbat Shabbaton - the supreme Sabbath. The last Sabbath before Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Teshuvah (based on Hosea's prophesy, chapter 4). While the Sabbath is the soul of the week, Yom Kippur is the soul of the year.
7. The Hebrew spelling of "fast" - abstinence from food - reflects the substance of Yom Kippur. The Hebrew word for "fast" is the root of the Hebrew word for "reduction" and "shrinking" of one's wrong-doing. It is also the root of the Hebrew words for "slave" and "eternity" - enslavement to God, but not to human-beings. "Fast" is also the root of being oneself, awesome, power, independence, which are gained through the process of fasting, soul-searching, spiritual enhancement and trust in God.
8. The prayer of Veedooi (confession/confirmation/reaffirmation in Hebrew) is recited Ten times during Yom Kippur, re-entrenching genuine repentance and plea for forgiveness. The prerequisites for forgiveness are the expression & exercise (talking & walking) of confession; assuming full-responsibility for one's (mis)behavior, and significantly altering one's behavior. King Saul sinned only once - ignoring the commandment to annihilate the Amalekites - but was banished from the crown and killed, because he shirked responsibility, while responding to Samuel's accusation. King David sinned twice (The "Bat-Sheba Gate" and the "Census Gate"), but was forgiven, because he accepted full-responsibility and the death sentence (as proclaimed by Nathan the Prophet), which was promptly rescinded.
9. The initial prayer on the eve of Yom Kippur, Tefilah Zakah (pure prayer), enables each worshipper to announce universal forgiveness. While transgressions between human-beings and G-D are forgiven summarily via prayers, transgressions among human-beings require explicit forgiveness. Ill-speaking of other persons may not be forgiven.
10. The Memorial Candle, commemorating one's parent(s), is lit during Yom Kippur. It reaffirms Honor Thy Father and Mother, providing another opportunity to ask forgiveness of one's parent(s), as well as asking forgiveness on their behalf.
11. The Scroll of Jonas is read on Yom Kippur. It demonstrates that repentance and forgiveness is universal to all Peoples, commanding one to assume responsibility, to get involved socially-politically, to sound the alarm when wrong-doing is committed anywhere in the world, to display compassion for all peoples and to adhere to Faith and Optimism, in defiance of all odds. It behooves good folks to roll up their sleeves, lest evil triumphs!
12. A long sound of the Shofar concludes Yom Kippur. It commemorates the covenant with God (the almost-sacrifice of Isaac), the receipt of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, Liberty (Jubilee) and the opening of Gods gates of forgiveness. The Hebrew root of Shofar means to enhance/improve oneself. A Hebrew synonym for Shofar is Keseh, which also means cover-Kaporet-Kippur.
Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger
The Ettinger Report
"Second Thought: A US-Israel Initiative"
