Yom Kippur Eve
Yom Kippur is a holy day in Judaism and its main themes are repentance and atonement. The purpose of this holiday is to affect not only personal purification by the practice of forgiveness but also collective purification. It’s observed by forgiving the sins of others and repenting for one’s own sins that they’ve committed against God.
This is such an important religious day, that Yom Kippur Eve has been placed on the calendar so that the Jewish congregation can prepare for On this day, there’s an entire day of prayer and meditation that includes readings from the Torah, and with penitential prayers.
The History Of Yom Kippur
As described in the Book of Leviticus in the Bible, Yom Kippur is a day of cleansing and a day when the Jewish people atone for their sins. It’s a day that’s been observed since biblical times, and that’s why it’s woven into Jewish culture. So much so, that even non-observant Jews may take some time out of their day to observe the holiday in one way or another.
Observing Yom Kippur Eve
In Israel, it’s observed as a public holiday and all across the country, many businesses, government offices, and schools are either already closed or closed early for the day. It’s become popular in many communities for people to ride their bikes through the city since the streets are free of traffic.
On this holiday, people prepare for Yom Kippur by attending services, listening to readings from the Torah, and listening to penitential prayers.
