Yom Kippur

Meaning and repentance

Yom Kippur centers on teshuvah, a Hebrew term for repentance and returning to God. Jewish belief holds that divine judgment opened on Rosh Hashanah is sealed on Yom Kippur. According to rabbinic teaching, the fast atones for offences between a person and God, but wrongs done to fellow humans require personal apologies and reconciliation beforehand. Worshippers confess errors through collective prayers and recite the Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy, focusing on second chances. Some modern movements also emphasize setting positive intentions and shedding harmful habits rather than dwelling only on past guilt.

Fasting and synagogue prayer

The observance lasts from evening to evening, demanding complete abstinence from all food and drink. To step away from physical comforts, people traditionally avoid leather shoes, standing during extended services to resemble angels in their focus on the spiritual realm. Synagogue gatherings feature poems such as Unetanneh Tokef and a detailed review of the ancient Temple service, called the Avodah. Five distinct prayer services span the holy day, concluding at sundown with the Ne'ila service, where the final blast of the shofar marks the end of the fast.

Ancient temple rites

In biblical times, the day revolved around an intricate sacrificial ceremony led by the High Priest at the Temple in Jerusalem. It was the sole occasion in the year when the High Priest entered the inner sanctuary, known as the Holy of Holies, enveloped in incense smoke. Two goats were chosen by lot: one was offered as a sacrifice to purify the sanctuary, while the other was sent away into the wilderness, giving rise to the term scapegoat. Although these physical rites ended with the Temple, their memory remains central to the liturgy.

How Yom Kippur is kept

Observance begins before sundown on the ninth of Tishrei. People seek forgiveness from friends and family to resolve interpersonal grievances before the holy day starts. A strict twenty-five hour fast begins in the evening, alongside restrictions on wearing leather footwear and other physical comforts. Families gather in synagogues for evening prayers, including the recitation of divine mercy. The following day is devoted almost entirely to communal worship, scripture reading, and extended confessions. As twilight approaches, the closing Ne'ila service takes place, ending with a single long sounding of the ram's horn, the shofar, after which the fast is broken.

When and where

Yom Kippur occurs on the tenth day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It falls during the autumn, typically in late September or early October, nine days after Rosh Hashanah. The fast lasts for about twenty-five hours, starting before sunset and ending at nightfall.

The holiday is kept by Jewish and Samaritan communities across the globe, with attendance filling synagogues everywhere. In Israel, it is a national public holiday where normal public life, traffic, and commercial activity pause for the duration of the fast.

What Yom Kippur means

Yom Kippur symbolizes complete reconciliation with the Divine and the cleansing of the soul. Fasting and standing without leather shoes reflect a temporary departure from bodily concerns, making worshippers akin to angels. Historically compared to a joyful wedding day when Moses returned with the second tablets of the law, it represents unconditional divine mercy and the deepest, unbreakable bond between the soul and its Creator.

Days Yom Kippur is marked

Yom Kippur dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Yom Kippur

See also

HanukkahAn eight-day Jewish festival marking the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of a single day'MimounaA Maghrebi Jewish celebration marking the end of Passover with sweets and open doorsEid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits home

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Yom Kippur: History & OverviewJewish Virtual Library, Article
• Yom Kippur: History & OverviewJewish Virtual Library, Article

• Yom Kippur on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.