Yom Kippur is a time for atonement

Beginning astatine sunset today, Jews observe Yom Kippur, the holiest time of their year. To commemorate the holiday, many  Jews commonly walk the time successful supplication astatine their synagogue.

According to Leviticus 16:29 successful the Bible, utilizing the Jewish calendar, “And it shall beryllium a statute for ever unto you: successful the seventh month, connected the tenth time of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall bash nary mode of work, the home-born, oregon the alien that sojourneth among.”

The period is called Tishri.

“It’s a clip of reflection, erstwhile we truly tin see the twelvemonth that was,” Rabbi Richard Steinberg explained to us; he’s elder rabbi astatine Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot successful Irvine. “It’s a clip erstwhile we larn the lessons of the twelvemonth that was, truthful we tin amended for the twelvemonth to come.”

According to the Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia, this Day of Atonement is simply a clip of fasting and asking forgiveness. It explains, “Because the rituals of repentance tin absolve 1 lone of sins committed against God and His law, the eve of the vacation is the due clip for asking the forgiveness of those whom 1 has offended. … A azygous shofar blast and the words ‘Next twelvemonth successful Jerusalem!’ terminate the fast.” Traditionally, a shofar is simply a ram’s horn.

All humans travel abbreviated of their aims and potential.

So, though Yom Kippur has a peculiar and beatified meaning for Jews, those of different religions, oregon nary religion, tin summation position connected their ain lives by taking its connection to heart.

All of america wounded others, oregon neglect successful what we ought to do.

In the secular self-help movement, radical are encouraged to “put the past behind” them and determination on, to commencement a caller life. To err is human; so, too, is to statesman again.

But connected Yom Kippur, the spiritual constituent besides should not beryllium forgotten.

We privation our Jewish readers a reflective and fruitful holiday.

This editorial was archetypal published successful 2011 successful the Orange County Register.