"Yom Kippur", a day of atonement.
We are approaching this great day "Yom Kippur" The Day of Atonement. This coming Sunday, September 24 (10 of the Hebrew month of Tishrei) at dusk it will begin, ending on Monday with the rising of the stars.
But what does Yom Kippur mean?
The word "Yom" in Hebrew is day, and "Kippur" is derived from the word Kapara "expiation", kapara comes from "Kaporet or Kofer" Which means "to cover" We can then understand that it would be an atonement for our sins or "a covering for our sins"
Each one anticipates this fearful day by preparing, since on this day our destiny will be decided and our verdict will be sealed, but what the uninitiated person does not manage to grasp the real dimension of Yom Kippur: "A spiritual force extraordinary that has been granted to this day ", that impresses even the farthest heart of Judaism, even it feels the need to manifest the Jewish identity no matter how far away it may be, meeting the entire community gathered in the synagogue.
Every son of Israel descended from Yaacov called Israel, possess a spark of Yaacov's soul "Nefesh Yaacov" is the spark of the truth of the Torah that Yaacov personified.
Although the Jew, due to his many faults, manages to extinguish this Sacred spark in himself due to his estrangement from Judaism, he can never be completely extinguished.
On Yom Kippur, a breath reaches us from the highest spiritual spheres, enlightening our spirit and helping us to reject the seductions of a "free" life of Torah and Divine Precepts. This breath enlivens our "perpetual flame."
He exhorts certain people to redouble their fervor, to sustain their elevation, to others it only produces a leaking thrust, something to calm a restless conscience.
It is very important how much the person has prepared in advance in the days of Teshuva to receive this Divine breath.
We read in the Mishnah Yomá 8: "Rabi Akiba says: You are blessed Israel, see before Whom you purify yourselves and Who Purifies you" For the Creator, is the source of the perfection. However, the forgiveness of Israel's sins during the day of Kippur can only take place if it is preceded by a "Teshuva Shlemá"
(a complete regret) and the determination not to relapse.
(Information sources Kitzur Shulján Aruj R.Yosef Caro)
GMAR JATIMA TOVA! (It is customary to wish others before and during the day of Yom Kippur with this phrase, and its literal translation is "that we have a good final seal" and its meaning is "the desire that we are inscribed in the book of life ”)
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