The Days of Awe, which started with Rosh Hashanah, are drawing to a close. Yom Kippur will end at sunset tonight. I hope this has been a time of blessing and renewal, reconciliation and reflection for all of my friends who observe this holiest of holidays.
This is not a sad day, but it is a quiet day. A day of self-reflection and unflinching honesty, as I understand it. The Days of Awe are designed to be a time of atonement, forgiveness, and renewal. With a few exceptions that take health realities into account, it is a time of fasting, and also of prayer.
This is the kind of day when a person can gain a sense of the depth of their own faith, extend the reach of their compassion and grow in wisdom. A guiding text from Isaiah calls for sharing food with the hungry and shelter, clothing, and compassion to those in need. Many people hear this as a call to charitable giving.
If you are a Gentile like me, you may find this video interesting. It’s only about three and a half minutes long. It seemed shorter to me.
G’mar Chatimah Tovah, my friends. May you step into the new year refreshed, and may you feast well tonight.
IMAGE CREDITS: Many thanks to Anna Tkachuk of 123RF for the Yom Kippur greeting image, and to BimBam on YouTube for the very informative video about Yom Kippur.