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Yom Kippur

[ yawm kip-er, yohm, yom; Sephardic Hebrew yawm kee-poor; Ashkenazic Hebrew yohm ki-puhr ]

noun

, Judaism.
  1. a Jewish high holy day observed on the 10th day of the month of Tishri by abstinence from food and drink and by the daylong recitation of prayers of repentance in the synagogue.


Yom Kippur

/ jɔm kiˈpur; jɒm ˈkɪpə /

noun

  1. an annual Jewish holiday celebrated on Tishri 10 as a day of fasting, on which prayers of penitence are recited in the synagogue throughout the day Also calledDay of Atonement
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Yom Kippur

  1. In Judaism , the Day of Atonement , the most important religious holiday; a day of fasting to atone for sins. It comes in autumn. ( See Rosh Hashanah .)


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Word History and Origins

Origin of Yom Kippur1

From Hebrew, equivalent to yōm “day” + kippūr “atonement”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Yom Kippur1

from Hebrew, from yōm day + kippūr atonement
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Example Sentences

Tonight is Yom Kippur, and I’ll be offline, completely disconnected like I am every Saturday on Shabbat.

One example cited by the Air Force official was the 1973 Yom Kippur war, when Israel was attacked by Egypt and Syria.

Muslims observe a month-long day fast for Ramadan and Jews go a full day for the High Holy Day, Yom Kippur.

We fasted for Yom Kippur, read from the Megillah for Purim, and said bruchas over every meal.

The war, known in Israel as the Yom Kippur War and in the Arab world as the October War, is considered a victory in Egypt.

On Yom Kippur, Jewish communities fast, confess their sins in the collective “we,” and beseech God for forgiveness.

They strictly observed the dietary laws, and solemnized the festivals, and the fast of Yom-Kippur, which they called Ashura.

Berel is all astonishment and curiosity: how is it possible for Jews to busy themselves with commerce on Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur was my last day at the settlement before returning to college.

He must travel with purse and staff on the very day, according to his error, Yom Kippur would have fallen.

Not all of them keep Yom Kippur; they all talk of being “broad-minded.”

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More About Yom Kippur

What is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday devoted to atoning for sins. It’s considered the holiest day of the year in Judaism.

Yom Kippur is also called the Day of Atonement. Observation of Yom Kippur is marked by fasting and prayers of repentance during a daylong service in the synagogue.

It is the culmination of a 10-day period of penitence that starts with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This period is referred to as the High Holidays or the Days of Awe.

When is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur is observed each year on the 10th day of Tishri, the first month of the Jewish calendar. Because the Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar, the specific date on which Yom Kippur falls changes each year.

In 2023, Yom Kippur begins on the evening of September 24 and is observed until sundown on September 25.

In 2024, Yom Kippur begins on the evening of October 11 and is observed until sundown on October 12.

More information and context on Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement because that’s what it literally means. Its name comes from the Hebrew words yōm, meaning “day,” and kippūr, meaning “atonement.”

According to Jewish tradition, the period that begins with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur is when God renders judgment, so many Jews use the time to pray and make amends (atone) for the wrongs they have committed.

Yom Kippur is believed to originate with the story of God presenting Moses with the Ten Commandments, the first of which prohibits worshiping other gods. When Moses returned with the stone tablets that contained the commandments, he found the Israelites worshipping an idol in the form of a golden calf. Moses smashed the tablets in anger, but the Israelites atoned, and God forgave them and provided new tablets.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing Yom Kippur?

How is Yom Kippur used in real life?

In Judaism, Yom Kippur is considered the most important and holiest day of the year. Many Jews spend the day in the synagogue reciting prayers of repentance.

 

Try using Yom Kippur!

True or False?

Yom Kippur is considered one of the Jewish High Holidays.

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