YOM KIPPUR

Starting this Friday night at sunset and ending at sunset on Saturday  is the most holy day of the Jewish year; Yom Kippur. I have in the past tried to give a lay person’s explanation of the meaning of this holiday. However this year I am going to post an explanation of its importance for non-Jews from Rabbi Joel Abraham the spiritual leader of the Reform Congregation Temple Sholom.

“Yom Kippur is the end of the ten days of repentance.  Certainly, we, as Jews, are expected to do our best, and to immediately seek to right whatever errors we may make or make amends to those whom we offend.  However, much as the Catholic Church provides a regular interval for self-reflection in the confessional, Jews are expected to take the month before Rosh haShanah (Elul) to perform a cheshbon nefesh (literally a "soul check") to think back over what we may have done wrong, find the people whom we have wronged, make amends, and then ask for pardon.   The period from Rosh haShanah to Yom Kippur - the ten days of repentance - are the last chance to perform those tasks.  Then, on Yom Kippur, we ask for atonement.  The sages of old said, "For sins between the human being and God, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) atones; but for sins between one human being and another, the Day of Atonement does not atone, until we make peace with that person."  In all of this, the traditional and Reform meanings are the same - we are all fallible, but that is no excuse for trying to make things right and to do better the next time.  As fallible human beings, we might not take time to engage in this process of t'shuvah, so the Jewish calendar makes us stop, at least once a year, to do so.”

Since most committed Jews of all denominations observe Yom Kippur as a day of fasting from sunset to sunset I was intrigued by a report in Monday’s news about the dinner meeting between President Obama and India’s newly elected President Modi.

“Despite the energy-sapping itinerary of high level summits and jet travel, Modi was expected to take only tea and lemonade as he maintains a nine day religious fast that he observes every year. Modi was fasting to honor the Hindu goddess Durga and was only permitted to consume water or lemon-flavored water”.–

Fasting on religious holidays seems to be a common practice in many religions; although the meaning, significance, and “degree “of the fast varies sometimes in the same faith especially among different denominations. My knowledge of Christian practices is limited. I know that there is a difference from Roman Catholic dogma and among various Protestant denominations. The Eastern Orthodox churches along with their different calendar have other than the major holidays, such as Easter, different celebrations many that require “fasting” or abstinence.  

The Copts (Christians of Egypt) who belong mostly to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, observe fasting periods according to the Coptic calendar. These fasting periods are exceeded by no other Christian community except the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Out of the 365 days of the year, the Copts fast over 210 days.

How about Islam? Like Jews they use a lunar calendar. Interesting their year starts one lunar month after Rosh HaShanah; this year it is on 25 Oct. 2014.  Different factions of the Muslim community observe this day differently. While for Sunni Muslims, it is a day of celebration, for Shia Muslims, it is a day of mourning. However, both the factions have almost identical traditions. Both the factions observe fast on this day. It also may be observed differently in America but various denominations.

Also similar to Judaism, 10 days after “New Years” is another more important Muslim holiday, although in much of Islam it is not a major religious holy day, it may have been intended by Mohammed as a day of fasting. Since traditionally, Ashura commemorates two events: the day Nuh (Noah) left the ark and the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah, it does not have the significance for the Sunni as it does for Shi'a Muslims who observe the day in mourning for Hussein and in remembrance of his martyrdom.

Yet this year  on October 4th there is an occurance that is unique; one of the most important Islam holidays, Eid-al-Adha, which commemorates Prophet Abraham's unselfish act of willingness to sacrifice his own son Ishmael to the One God, Allah.

In the words of an Israeli Arab:  "Once every 33 years it happens: Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, and on the same day the Jews are engaged in introspection each looking at their relations with others in the world, and seeking forgiveness, on Yom Kippur. Jews fast while we feast from dawn to dusk in a rare and inexplicable festivity."

Could the true meaning of Yom Kippur be; Respect your fellow human, his beliefs and ethnicity and want him to respect you and yours?

All the above facts are gleamed out of ignorance and clarification or correction is most welcomed. My intent is that we better understand each other.