What Is Yom Kippur?

The Fellowship  |  June 26, 2024

When is Yom Kippur in 2024?

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year and is the culmination of the High Holy Days. In 2024, the observance of Yom Kippur starts at sunset on October 11 and concludes on the evening of October 12. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the High Holy Days, begins at sunset on October 2, and spans two days, concluding at sunset on October 4.

Here are the times that Yom Kippur 2024 (the year 5784 on the Hebrew calendar) begins and ends:

In Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur marks the final opportunity to repent before God before the Book of Life is sealed for another year. Use our resources below to learn more about this biblically-mandated observance.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is observed on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar, which falls in September or October on the Gregorian calendar (the calendar in common use throughout the world).

This day marks the culmination of the High Holy Days or Ten Days of Repentance, which began ten days earlier with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur offers Jews the final opportunity of the holy season to repent of their sins.

Yom Kippur in the Bible

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year or, as the Bible describes it, the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” The Bible states,

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance” (Leviticus 16:29–32).

During Yom Kippur, Jews fulfill this biblical commandment by fasting from food and water, engaging in intense soul-searching, and praying for forgiveness.

From the evening of the holiday until sundown the following day (except for the few hours when they go home to sleep), Jews are in the synagogue beseeching God for forgiveness and reflecting upon the course of their lives. An entirely different synagogue liturgy is used every year only on this day.

Learn more about the meaning of Yom Kippur with our downloadable Bible Study. Atonement: At One with God.

The History of Yom Kippur

The history of Yom Kippur is chronicled in the Torah, in the Book of Leviticus, where God delineates to Moses the rituals and practices the Israelites are to observe for atonement. This day, set on the 10th of Tishrei, emerges not just as a time for abstaining from worldly pleasures but as a profound opportunity for spiritual renewal and reconciliation with God.

Adaptation and Continuity

The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. marked a shift in the observance of Yom Kippur. Deprived of the Temple’s altar, the Jewish people turned to prayer, fasting, and personal repentance as means of atonement. The synagogue took on the role of the Temple, becoming the focal point of the community’s Yom Kippur observance.

The Kol Nidre service, with its poignant annulment of vows, and the closing Neilah service, symbolizing the sealing of the Book of Life, became central elements of the Yom Kippur liturgy. These adaptations ensured the continuity of Yom Kippur’s core themes—repentance, atonement, and renewal.

Modern Observance

Today, Yom Kippur weaves together the ancient and the modern, inviting Jews around the world to partake in a day of fasting, prayer, and introspection. It’s a day that transcends the mere act of seeking forgiveness; it’s about communal unity, the strengthening of bonds within the Jewish community, and the reaffirmation of one’s commitment to live by God’s commandments.

The rituals of Yom Kippur serve as a constant reminder of the importance and significance of the day.

How to Observe Yom Kippur: A Day of Purification

To observe Yom Kippur is to engage in a profound spiritual journey, marked by fasting, prayer, and introspection. This holiest day in the Jewish calendar calls for a 25-hour fasting period, beginning just before sunset on the eve of Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day itself. During this time, Jews abstain from food and drink, dedicating their time to prayer and synagogue services. The day is spent in reflection, seeking forgiveness from God, and committing to personal improvement in the coming year.

The observance includes several unique prayers and services, such as the Kol Nidre, which is recited on the eve of Yom Kippur. This powerful prayer involves the annulment of vows, symbolizing a fresh start for the year ahead. The day continues with the recitation of the Vidui (a confession of sins), and the Neilah service, which marks the closing of Yom Kippur. Neilah concludes with a long, final blast of the shofar, signaling the end of the fast and the hope that one’s prayers have been accepted.

Fasting on Yom Kippur is a physical act meant to prod Jews on to spiritual matters. It is a reminder of the frailty of human existence and of the duty to act charitably toward the less fortunate. The inspiring, yet sobering, words of Isaiah 58 are read publicly in the synagogue to reveal the true meaning of the Yom Kippur fast:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:6–7).

Learn more about the Book of Jonah, which is traditionally read in synagogue on Yom Kippur and how its message of repentance, forgiveness, and second chances relate to this holy observance.

The 5 Rules of Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is also characterized by its five prohibitions, which include refraining from eating and drinking, wearing leather shoes, bathing, anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions, and marital relations. These acts of abstention are designed to minimize physical distractions, allowing individuals to focus entirely on their spiritual selves.

This is a day of inner purification and of reconciliation with God and fellow human beings. Those sins committed against their fellow man require that Jews seek forgiveness personally from those they have offended, as well as from God.

The Yom Kippur Goats

“Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats — one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.” — Leviticus 16:7–8

Today, Yom Kippur is marked with a day of fasting and worship in the synagogue. However, when the Temple stood, the people observed an elaborate service, culminating when a red thread representing the sins of Israel would miraculously turn white when they were forgiven.

The service that once took place in the Temple was based on the commandments regarding two goats. Today, we only read about that service; however, it is imperative that we understand the meaning behind this ritual. Once we do, we can still benefit from the message.

The Bible instructed the High Priest to select two goats and then cast lots to determine each one’s fate. By way of the lots, God would determine which goat would be consecrated to Him and which would become the scapegoat sent into the desert to die. The commandment required that the two goats be identical in appearance, size, and value. These goats would look like twins – the same on the outside – but their destinies would be completely different.

A Reminder of Jacob and Esau

The idea of twins that are opposite in nature is familiar in the Bible. Although twins, Jacob and Esau could not have been more different. Ultimately, as adults, they took very different paths in life, and Jacob became the father of God’s people while Esau became the father of Amalek – the nation designated by the Bible as God’s archenemy. The twin goats on Yom Kippur are meant to remind us of Esau and Jacob.

The message of the twin goats is that while their appearance may fool men, there is no fooling God. He only determines their appropriate fate. “People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

On Yom Kippur, we have an incredible opportunity for forgiveness. But in order for that to happen, we must admit our errors and resolve to be better. We can only do that if we are willing to uncover our greatest shortcomings and confront our hidden vices. We can fool others and even ourselves, but there is no deceiving God.

Yom Kippur is a time to come clean. We need to take an honest look inside the places that only we can see. We have to determine where we have gone wrong and make amends. Only then can God cleanse us of our sins.

Learn more about Jacob with our downloadable Bible Study, Jacob: Our Patriarch of Truth.

Yom Kippur Greetings

On Yom Kippur, the greetings one extends to family, friends, and community members carry a deep significance, reflecting the solemnity and introspection of the day. Unlike the more joyous expressions shared during other Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur greetings are imbued with wishes for atonement, reflection, and renewal. Here are some of the most meaningful greetings you can use to convey your heartfelt wishes during Yom Kippur:

• Tizku Leshanim Rabot- (תזכו לשנים רבות May you merit many years.)
• Tizku LeShanim Tovot- (תזכו לשנים טובות May you merit good years.)
• Chatimah Tovah- (חתימה טובה A good final sealing.)
• Tzom Kal- (צום קל Easy fast.)
• Gmar Tov- (גמר טוב A good seal.)