|
The ten days starting with
Rosh Hashanah and
ending with Yom
Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the
Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to
consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.
One of the ongoing themes of the Days of Awe is the concept that
G-d has "books" that he
writes our names in, writing down who will live and who will die, who
will have a good life and who will have a bad life, for the next year.
These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions during the
Days of Awe can alter G-d's decree. The actions that change the decree
are "teshuvah, tefilah
and tzedakah,"
repentance, prayer, good deeds (usually, charity). These "books" are
sealed on Yom Kippur. This concept of writing in books is the source of
the common greeting during this time is "May you be inscribed and sealed
for a good year."
Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation
with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The
Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and
G-d. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek
reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed
against them if possible.
Another custom observed during this time is kapparot. This is rarely
practiced today, and is observed in its true form only by
Chasidic and
occasionally Orthodox
Jews. Basically, you purchase a live fowl, and on the morning before Yom
Kippur you waive it over your head reciting a prayer asking that the
fowl be considered atonement for sins. The fowl is then slaughtered and
given to the poor (or its value is given). Some Jews today simply use a
bag of money instead of a fowl. Most Reform and Conservative Jews have
never even heard of this practice.
Work is permitted as usual during the intermediate Days of Awe, from
Tishri 3 to Tishri 9, except of course for
Shabbat during that
week.
Two lesser special occasions occur during the course of the Days of
Awe.
Tishri 3, the day after the second day of Rosh Hashanah, is the Fast
of Gedaliah. This really has nothing to do with the Days of Awe, except
that it occurs in the middle of them. For more information, see
Minor Fasts.
The Shabbat that
occurs in this period is known as Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of
Return). This is considered a rather important Shabbat. |
