Whew! Yom Kippur for this year over and done with!

[Zack]

The Jewish holiday Yom Kippur comes a week after Rosh Hashana, which is the Jewish new year. Yom Kippur, translated as "Day of Atonement" is a day when observant Jews don't eat, drink or wear leather for 25 hours. We also spend most of the day in Synagogue. The reason is to atone for all the sins that we have commited over the past year, and to pray that God will see us worthy to live for another.

It's my second time I've ever fasted the whole thing. I was alright, but pretty weak toward the end. There's this great feeling during Ne'ila, the last Synagogue service of Yom Kippur, that lasts for a couple of hours. Everybody is hungry, thirsty and tired, and there's more than a little desperation in people's voices as they pray out loud. Traditionally, this is said to be the time that the gates are closing to heaven, and it is our last chance to get in words of repentance, and beg for forgiveness.

Any other Jewish observers of the holiday around here?

[whitetiger0990]

I'm not jewish myself but I have a good friend that is.

She said you shouldn't walk around. :roll:

[TheBigBasicQ]

Fasting is very common in my culture. But i dont observe fasting. I get hungry often

[Rhiannon]

Why cant you wear leather?

[Zack]

Originally the rule is that you cannot wear shoes. It goes with the fasting, to show humbleness. But in modern days, we can't really walk to Synagogue bare-foot without risk of injury, so instead the rule is bent to say that you shouldn't wear leather, which is generally known to be comfortable.

TBBQ: You think I don't?

[TheBigBasicQ]

I guess fasting is a way to discipline your body =P. But I can observe it in this hectic lifestyle =(.

And i dont like to =P