Have you never been to a synagogue and have no idea what to do?
You arrived late and you do not know what's going on?
• This is the news for you • Eliyahu Galil makes order out of a mess
Blows the shofar in Safed
Photo:
Eyal Margolin Ginny
Arriving at the synagogue on Yom Kippur for the first time and do not know who is against whom?
Praying at home and do not know what to do?
- We are here to put you in order with the complete guide to Yom Kippur prayers.
It should be noted that this year, due to the corona, there may be some changes in the order of prayers and piyyutim.
Yom Kippur, which some of us also call "Yom Kippur", begins with a sunset.
So, after the intermittent meal and lighting candles in honor of the holiday, go to the synagogue dressed in plain white clothes.
If you have a tallit, do not forget to come with it to prayer, because unlike the rest of the year, on Yom Kippur you also wear a tallit at night, to resemble the guardian angels as much as possible.
Wrap yourself in a tallit before sunset and leave it on you until after the end of the evening prayer.
If you are praying in a synagogue that follows the Ashkenazi custom, you can also wear a robe, which is a kind of white and festive shroud-like robe - which is supposed to remind worshipers of the day of death.
Before you leave home on your way to the synagogue, also pay attention to the following rule: According to tradition, leather shoes should not be worn during the holy day, because they are particularly comfortable, so if you usually wear such shoes, replace them with simple and less comfortable shoes, such as sandals Or slippers, before you leave the house.
A leather belt, cap or coat is allowed to be used during the day.
Also be sure to wear a mask, of course, and follow the rest of the Ministry of Health guidelines during all day prayers.
Watch: Who is allowed to wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur?
The first prayer you will meet in the synagogue is the "All Vows" prayer.
Although the technical "all vows" is a legal declaration of cancellation of all vows made by worshipers in the coming year and retroactive cancellation of all vows made in the previous year, it is seen as a central and very important prayer - and this is reflected in the right to open the ark and the right to remove The prayers are sold in some of the Sephardic synagogues for as much as possible, and the worshipers who compete with each other sometimes offer sums of six digits or more for these commandments.
If your budget is narrower - you can purchase the right to carry the grenades of the Torah scrolls or handkerchiefs, commandments that can be purchased for a significantly lower amount.
If you are praying in a Sephardic synagogue and you are interested, you are welcome to join the sale and try to win the various mitzvos, but please note: on the holy day it is forbidden to carry money, so you can only transfer the vow to the synagogue after the fast.
If you came to an Ashkenazi synagogue, however, you have already paid in advance for the chair.
Rare photo: Prayer of all vows at the Ponivez Yeshiva
During Yom Kippur itself, four more prayers are prayed - Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha and Closing - and also read from the Torah scroll.
In Ashkenazi synagogues, before the Mussaf prayer, you can also say "a prayer for the remembrance of souls," with those whose parents are alive leaving the synagogue during the prayer, chatting a little outside and returning to it after it ends.
During the public recitation of the Mussaf prayer - the prayer that the cantor repeatedly prays aloud to allow everyone to take part in the prayer - the passage called "Seder HaAvodah" is said, a passage describing the work of the High Priest on Yom Kippur
When the words are said in the order of work: "And the priests and the people standing in the aid would kneel and bow and fall on their faces," the worshipers usually kneel on the synagogue floor and even bow their noses and lay their faces on the floor.
While bowing, a garment should be spread on the ground, because it is forbidden to bow directly on a stone floor.
You can also use a large towel (if you remember to bring one from home) or the velvet bag of the tallit (if you have and did not remember to bring a towel ...).
If you visit the synagogue during the opening prayer, you will also hear the story of the prophet Jonah who tried to escape from the gospel - and after being swallowed by a large fish was forced to acknowledge that it was impossible to escape from God.
The order of work, the version of Yishai Ribo
The most unique prayer on Yom Kippur is the closing prayer, which is said only on this day and locks Yom Kippur as well as the gates of heaven.
At the time of closing, the sentence was signed, according to tradition, so the prayer is said with reverence and great intention, and we ask God to sign our sentence for good.
The closing prayer begins with the sun at the top of the trees, ie only a short period of time before the end of Yom Kippur.
Be careful not to miss the piyyutim that open the prayer including the moving Spanish piyyut "El Nura Plila" which is a moment of true transcendence.
You will not hear this in the synagogue: Terrible plot, the metal version
The end of the day heralds the blowing of the shofar, which is blown after the end of the slichot of the closing prayer.
Originally, by the way, the blast was intended to herald the release of the slaves and the return of the lands to their owners in the jubilee year (the fiftieth year in every Hebrew cycle).
After the shofar is blown, an evening prayer will be held in the synagogue, followed by a havdalah and a "blessing of the moon" (or: "sanctification of the moon").
Then the fast ends and you can go back to eating and drinking, with many people on the evening of the fast starting to build the sukkah immediately after eating, to continue doing mitzvos.
Fasting is easy and helpful!