Preparing for Yom Kippur “It is a mitzvah to eat on the day before Yom Kippur and to celebrate it with a lavish meal.� Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chayim 604:1
Sunday, September 27, the day preceding Yom Kippur, is treated as a holiday. There are several observances on this day that help prepare us for Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur provides. In fact, Yom Kippur itself is a day worthy of celebration, and in Judaism, we usually celebrate with a festive meal; because no festive meal can occur on Yom Kippur itself, we fulfill it on the preceding day.
FESTIVE MEAL The Talmud (Berachot 8b) teaches that when we partake in a festive meal on the day preceding Yom Kippur, and then fast on Yom Kippur itself, we are credited as though we fasted for two days. Practically, the festive meal is important because it gives us the strength for the subsequent fast and the many hours of immersive prayer. In addition, by celebrating the ninth of Tishrei, we demonstrate our eagerness for the renewal that
DRESS Before the fast begins, we remove our leather shoes, which we refrain from wearing on Yom Kippur. It is also customary to wear a white garment on Yom Kippur, reminding us of our mortality and of our potential for purity. It is also customary to avoid wearing anything that is made of gold, to avoid invoking the sin of the Golden Calf.
YOM K I P P U R
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