Yom Kippur: repentance before God and forgiveness among people are key aspects of the holiday
Quick Look
- On Yom Kippur, which concludes the Ten Days of Repentance, Jews need to sincerely repent before God and ask people for forgiveness for insults, deception and misappropriation of others, since sins against people cannot be atoned for by prayer alone, said German Zakharyaev, President of the International Fund of Mountain Jews.
- The holiday is celebrated from the evening of September 20 to the evening of September 21, 2026, accompanied by strict fasting, long prayers and wearing white clothes as a symbol of spiritual renewal.
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Why It Matters
Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in Judaism, concluding the Ten Days of Repentance that begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. On this day, according to tradition, the fate of a person for the year ahead is decided.
Brief retelling from RIA II
On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Jews should sincerely repent for their mistakes before God and ask people for forgiveness for the offenses they have caused.
Yom Kippur ends the Ten Days of Repentance, during which, according to tradition, a person’s fate for the year ahead is decided.
On Yom Kippur, the longest prayers of the year are read, strict fasting is observed, and on this day it is customary to wear white clothes, which emphasize the idea of spiritual renewal and purity.
MOSCOW, September 20 - RIA Novosti. On the Day of Atonement, Jews should, during strict fasting and prayer, sincerely repent for their mistakes before God and ask for forgiveness from people for the offenses caused, German Zakharyaev, president of the International Fund of Mountain Jews (STMEGI), told RIA Novosti.
The holiday of Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, is celebrated this year by Jews from the evening of September 20 to the evening of September 21. Yom Kippur ends the Ten Days of Repentance, during which a person’s fate for the year ahead is decided. These days are counted from the holiday of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year, which in 2026 was celebrated from September 11 to 13.
“One of the main myths about Yom Kippur says that Jews pray all day to receive automatic forgiveness for all sins. Judaism draws a clear line here. Sins against God can indeed be atoned for by repentance and prayer before the Heavenly court. But sins against people - insults, deception, misappropriation of someone else's - Yom Kippur does not atone... If an offense is committed against a person, tradition requires sincerely asking for forgiveness,” said Zakharyaev.
The head of the foundation noted that on Yom Kippur the longest prayers of the year are read, and strict fasting is observed: abstinence from water, food and other earthly pleasures. Also on this day, it is customary to wear white clothes, which emphasize the idea of spiritual renewal and purity.
“White color is a symbol of angels, a shroud and the absence of stains of sin. Entering a holy day in such vestments means declaring your desire to become a clean slate,” Zakharyaev explained.
“The Talmud considers Yom Kippur a happy day because joy can be different. There is the joy of fun, and there is the joy of deep peace. When hard work to correct mistakes is done, when relationships with people are established, and the soul is reconciled with the Creator, a feeling of deep satisfaction comes. Physical hunger recedes, and a person experiences a feeling of lightness and hope,” noted the head of STMEGI.
Open Questions
- How exactly are the dates of Yom Kippur determined in the Gregorian calendar in different years?
- What specific prayers are recited on Yom Kippur and how do they differ from regular prayers?
- Are there differences in the observance of Yom Kippur between different sects of Judaism?
