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The Calendar עִנְיְנֵי דְּיוֹמָא
The Torah (Vayikra 23:28) tells us that the 10th day of the 7th month is יוֹם כִּפֻּרִים (Yom Kippurim, “the Day of Atonement”). This day is designated for תְּשׁוּבָה (teshuvah, repentance or return), which means asking forgiveness, reflecting on our choices, trying to become better people, and coming closer to God.
Shouldn’t we do teshuvah all year long? What’s special about Yom Kippur? The Rambam (Spain and Egypt, 850 years ago) explains:
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתְּשׁוּבָה וְהַצְּעָקָה יָפָה לְעוֹלָם, בַּעֲשָׂרָה הַיָּמִים שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הִיא יָפָה בְּיוֹתֵר וּמִתְקַבֶּלֶת הִיא מִיָּד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "דִּרְשׁוּ ה' בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ" (ישעיהו נה:ו)...
יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הוּא זְמַן תְּשׁוּבָה לַכֹּל, לְיָחִיד וְלָרַבִּים, וְהוּא קֵץ מְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. לְפִיכָךְ חַיָּבִים הַכֹּל לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
Although teshuvah and crying out to God are always good, during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur they are especially good and are accepted immediately, as it says: “Look for God when God is most present” (Yeshayahu 55:6)...
Yom Kippur is the time of teshuvah for everyone, both individuals and the community. It is the ultimate time of forgiveness for Israel. Therefore everyone must do teshuvah and confess on Yom Kippur.
- What does it mean for God to be closer to us during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
- Why would that make it a better time for doing teshuvah? What does that teach us about teshuvah?
Click here to return to the Table of Contents for Yom Kippur from Devash
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