Rabbi Joseph Solovetchik explained that there are different forms of prayer. We fulfill an obligation to pray three times a day, we pray in order to take the place of sacrifices, we pray in times of great need. Maimonides says that an integral part of the process of teshuvah, of repentance and return, is prayer, that one who returns is naturally inclined as part of this process to cry out to God. Rabbi Solovetchik also adds yet another mode of prayer - he says that the nature of Yom Kippur, its meaning and thrust, is as a “yom tefilah” a day of prayer. It is for this reason that we have an extra service unique to Yom Kippur - Neilah. Neilah, this totally extra service, is one which brings together all the other prayer services of the day and stamps the day’s purpose as one of prayer.
This Yom Kippur we will have less communal prayer. But less is sometimes more. As the commentaries say, “greater is a small amount of prayer with much concentration (kavanah), than a great deal of prayer with less kavanah”. This year will not be the norm but we can take advantage of it. Less prayer perhaps means more space to focus on what we are saying. Less communal prayer does not have to rob Yom Kippur of its identity as the day of prayer, it can open up time for us to pray and reflect in new ways - in our homes, in the forest, or while walking home from davening. Perhaps it will give us the time to read and understand what we pray.
I advise us all to prepare in advance for this Yom Kippur. It is one on which we will have extra time - but let us not spend it shmoozing reading the newspaper - prepare in advance with something to read and reflect on that is in the spirit of the day. May we be blessed to bring with us the deeper parts of ourselves and our prayers that we excavate this year, to the days following Yom Kippur and to future Yom Kippurs.
My blessings for a Shanah Tovah U’mitukah, a sweet year, a fulfilling Yom Kippur, and a year of health and of return to sour full communal life.