(כט) וְהָיְתָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ֠שְּׁבִיעִ֠י בֶּֽעָשׂ֨וֹר לַחֹ֜דֶשׁ תְּעַנּ֣וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֗ם וְכׇל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ הָֽאֶזְרָ֔ח וְהַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃
(29) And this shall be to you a law for all time: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you.
כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה תִּטְהָֽרוּ׃
For on this day atonement shall be made for you to purify you of all your sins; you shall be pure before יהוה.
(כז) אַ֡ךְ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֨י הַזֶּ֜ה י֧וֹם הַכִּפֻּרִ֣ים ה֗וּא מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֥ם אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַיהוה׃
(27) Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to יהוה;
בחדש השביעי בעשור לחדש תענו את נפשותיכם. אחר שהכתוב אומר ותתענג בדשן נפשכם ידענו כי הענוי הפך התענוג והוא הצום ועוד ונפש נענה תשביע שטעמו כמו ותפק לרעב נפשך כי דרך דברי הנביאים להכפל ואחר שיש לנו קבלה אין צורך לחפש ואין עניתי בצום נפשי ראיה בעבור זכר צום והכלל כל עינוי שימצא במקרא דבק עם נפש הוא הצום:
IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, YE SHALL AFFLICT YOUR SOULS. Since Scripture writes, And let your soul delight itself in fatness (Is. 55:2), we know that affliction is the reverse of delight and that affliction of the soul refers to fasting. Furthermore, Scripture states, And satisfy the afflicted soul (Is. 58:10), the meaning of which is like And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry (Ibid.), for it is the style of the prophets to repeat themselves. Now since we have tradition there is no reason to go on searching. I afflicted my soul with fasting (Ps. 35:13) is no proof because the word fast is mentioned. The general rule is, whenever we find in Scripture the word affliction connected to soul, the reference is to a fast.
בככותבת ביום הכיפורים. ששינה הכתוב וכתב תענו, ולא כתב לא תאכלו, דמשמע דלא קפיד רחמנא אלא אעינוי,
בככותבת ביום הכיפורים (see also Tractate Yoma, Chapter 8, Mishnah 2)– The Biblical verse changed it and wrote (Leviticus 16:29): "תענו" /”you shall practice self-denial,” but did not write “תאכלו “/”you shall [not] eat,” that implies that the All-Merciful was not stringent other than with self-denial/affliction,
(א) קְרָ֤א בְגָרוֹן֙ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ כַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר הָרֵ֣ם קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְהַגֵּ֤ד לְעַמִּי֙ פִּשְׁעָ֔ם וּלְבֵ֥ית יַעֲקֹ֖ב חַטֹּאתָֽם׃(ב) וְאוֹתִ֗י י֥וֹם יוֹם֙ יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּן וְדַ֥עַת דְּרָכַ֖י יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן כְּג֞וֹי אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָ֣ה עָשָׂ֗ה וּמִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱלֹהָיו֙ לֹ֣א עָזָ֔ב יִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙ מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶ֔דֶק קִרְבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃(ג) לָ֤מָּה צַּ֙מְנוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּנַפְשֵׁ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א תֵדָ֑ע הֵ֣ן בְּי֤וֹם צֹֽמְכֶם֙ תִּמְצְאוּ־חֵ֔פֶץ וְכָל־עַצְּבֵיכֶ֖ם תִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּ׃(ד) הֵ֣ן לְרִ֤יב וּמַצָּה֙ תָּצ֔וּמוּ וּלְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּאֶגְרֹ֣ף רֶ֑שַׁע לֹא־תָצ֣וּמוּ כַיּ֔וֹם לְהַשְׁמִ֥יעַ בַּמָּר֖וֹם קוֹלְכֶֽם׃(ה)הֲכָזֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ י֛וֹם עַנּ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם נַפְשׁ֑וֹ הֲלָכֹ֨ף כְּאַגְמֹ֜ן רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וְשַׂ֤ק וָאֵ֙פֶר֙ יַצִּ֔יעַ הֲלָזֶה֙ תִּקְרָא־צ֔וֹם וְי֥וֹם רָצ֖וֹן לַיהוה׃(ו)הֲל֣וֹא זֶה֮ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒ פַּתֵּ֙חַ֙ חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת רֶ֔שַׁע הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת מוֹטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־מוֹטָ֖ה תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃(ז) הֲל֨וֹא פָרֹ֤ס לָֽרָעֵב֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וַעֲנִיִּ֥ים מְרוּדִ֖ים תָּ֣בִיא בָ֑יִת כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֤ה עָרֹם֙ וְכִסִּית֔וֹ וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתְעַלָּֽם׃(ח) אָ֣ז יִבָּקַ֤ע כַּשַּׁ֙חַר֙ אוֹרֶ֔ךָ וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ֖ מְהֵרָ֣ה תִצְמָ֑ח וְהָלַ֤ךְ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ צִדְקֶ֔ךָ כְּב֥וֹד יהוה יַאַסְפֶֽךָ׃(ט) אָ֤ז תִּקְרָא֙ וַיהוה יַעֲנֶ֔ה תְּשַׁוַּ֖ע וְיֹאמַ֣ר הִנֵּ֑נִי אִם־תָּסִ֤יר מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙ מוֹטָ֔ה שְׁלַ֥ח אֶצְבַּ֖ע וְדַבֶּר־אָֽוֶן׃(י) וְתָפֵ֤ק לָֽרָעֵב֙ נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ נַעֲנָ֖ה תַּשְׂבִּ֑יעַ וְזָרַ֤ח בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ אוֹרֶ֔ךָ וַאֲפֵלָתְךָ֖ כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃(יא) וְנָחֲךָ֣ יהוה תָּמִיד֒ וְהִשְׂבִּ֤יעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת֙ נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְעַצְמֹתֶ֖יךָ יַחֲלִ֑יץ וְהָיִ֙יתָ֙ כְּגַ֣ן רָוֶ֔ה וּכְמוֹצָ֣א מַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יְכַזְּב֖וּ מֵימָֽיו׃
(1) Cry with full throat, without restraint; Raise your voice like a ram’s horn! Declare to My people their transgression, To the House of Jacob their sin.(2) To be sure, they seek Me daily, Eager to learn My ways. Like a nation that does what is right, That has not abandoned the laws of its God, They ask Me for the right way, They are eager for the nearness of God:(3)“Why, when we fasted, did You not see? When we starved our bodies, did You pay no heed?” Because on your fast day You see to your business And oppress all your laborers!(4)Because you fast in strife and contention, And you strike with a wicked fist! Your fasting today is not such as to make your voice heard on high.(5) Is such the fast I desire, A day for men to starve their bodies? Is it bowing the head like a bulrush And lying in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call that a fast, A day when the LORD is favorable?(6)No, this is the fast I desire: To unlock fetters of wickedness, And untie the cords of the yoke To let the oppressed go free; To break off every yoke.(7) It is to share your bread with the hungry, And to take the wretched poor into your home; When you see the naked, to clothe him, And not to ignore your own kin.(8) Then shall your light burst through like the dawn And your healing spring up quickly; Your Vindicator shall march before you, The Presence of the LORD shall be your rear guard.(9)Then, when you call, the LORD will answer; When you cry, He will say: Here I am. If you banish the yoke from your midst, The menacing hand, and evil speech,(10) And you offer your compassion to the hungry And satisfy the famished creature— Then shall your light shine in darkness, And your gloom shall be like noonday.(11) The LORD will guide you always; He will slake your thirst in parched places And give strength to your bones. You shall be like a watered garden, Like a spring whose waters do not fail.
The meta analysis of social media is that it’s bad for our souls. It causes FOMO, jealousy, shame, grief, miscommunication and even depression. Delete those apps from your phone or, better yet, turn off your phone on Yom Kippur. Instead, go outside and watch God’s social media channel—the faces of humanity and the colors of nature are so beautiful and inspiring.
It’s hard to do, but especially on a day of returning to our highest moral self, consider the Mussar practice of recognizing the goodness in the people who challenge you the most.
Commit to living a life that produces less waste, purchase less fast fashion and invest in eating local foods, borrowing from others or joining your local sharing economy (mine is Everything Free JP), start composting and do anything you can to slow down climate change. Also, consider making a donation to a food pantry to “share your bread with the hungry,” as inspired by the Prophet Isaiah.
This seems harder to do given that Yom Kippur is all about scrubbing one’s soul of all of our sins and tresspasses, but of course, what it means is to be gentle with yourself. It is customary to beat our chests on Yom Kippur as we recite the vidui list of transgressions. You can do that ritual, but after, consider gently patting your heart, too. Remember, most of us are imperfect beings trying to do the best we can.
10. Annual ritual ablution in any natural (or unnatural) body of water for sake of washing oneself clean” and to reinforce inner-conviction that no matter what we have done, there is almost certainly the possibility to begin anew.
13. Visit the site of a tragedy or trauma that affected someone else (not you) and sit there quietly, maybe praying on behalf of all those directly and indirectly impacted by the event.
16. Occasional genuflection all the way down to the bare earth. Hold for ten seconds.
25. Don’t worry as much about growing your own food as you do about whether every child in a 5-mile radius of your home has access to fresh food.
42. The body is the palace of the soul – not the prison of the soul.
43. In moments of despair: retreat, forgive, and refocus.
74. Being weird for God is one of the great delights of this life.
75. Living a happy life is not the goal. Living a meaningful life is the goal. And often the pursuit of meaning is very difficult.
81. Do not practice a spirituality that has you despair having been placed in this world.
93. Speak to God as if you are speaking to a close friend.
כִּי עִקַּר הַמַּאֲכָל הוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת הַלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (רות ג׳:ז׳): וַיֹּאכַל וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַיִּיטַב לִבּוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מח): פִּתָּא סַעֲדָא דְּלִבָּא. וּכְשֶׁאֵין הַמַּאֲכָל מְבֹרָר, וְאֵין אוֹכֵל אוֹתוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה – אֲזַי מֵבִיא רֹעַ אֶל הַלֵּב, וְעַל יְדֵי רֹעַ הַלֵּב נִתְקַלְקֵל הַפָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (נחמיה ב׳:ב׳): מַדּוּעַ פָּנֶיךָ רָעִים, אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם רֹעַ לֵב. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, בַּקָּשַׁת הַפָּנִים, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וִיבַקֵּשׁ פָּנָיו, הוּא תָּלוּי בְּתִקּוּן הַלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ״ז:ח׳): לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנַי.
The main purpose of food is to revive the heart, as it is written (Ruth 3:7), “he ate and drank and his heart was in good spirits”; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Bread satiates the heart (Bereishit Rabbah 48:11). However, when the food is not refined or a person does not eat it in holiness, it brings evil to the heart. Evil-heartedness mars the countenance, as it is written (Nehemiah 2:2), “Why is your countenance so dour? It can only be [that you harbor] evil in your heart.” And the reverse is likewise true, seeking the countenance—i.e., that he should return and seek his countenance—is contingent upon rectification of the heart, as it is written (Psalms 27:8), “In Your behalf my heart says, ‘Seek My countenance.’”
[On] Yom HaKippurim it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint oneself, to put on sandals, or to have intercourse. According to the Babylonian Talmud there are five prohibitions (eating and drinking is considered only one prohibition), which are derived from the fact that the root for “afflict oneself” appears five times in the Torah in connection with Yom Kippur. However, the Yerushalmi understands these as six prohibitions and does not connect them directly with the verses. These are just how the rabbis understood the meaning of “afflict oneself.” “Putting on sandals” refers to wearing leather shoes, whether they are sandals or closed shoes.
יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אָסוּר בַּאֲכִילָה וּבִשְׁתִיָּה וּבִרְחִיצָה וּבְסִיכָה וּבִנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל וּבְתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַכַּלָּה יִרְחֲצוּ אֶת פְּנֵיהֶם, וְהֶחָיָה תִנְעֹל אֶת הַסַּנְדָּל, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִין:
On Yom Kippur, the day on which there is a mitzva by Torah law to afflict oneself, it is prohibited to engage in eating and in drinking, and in bathing, and in smearing oil on one’s body, and in wearing shoes, and in conjugal relations. However, the king, in deference to his eminence, and a new bride within thirty days of her marriage, who wishes to look especially attractive at the beginning of her relationship with her husband, may wash their faces on Yom Kippur. A woman after childbirth, who is suffering, may wear shoes because going barefoot causes her pain. This is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. The Rabbis prohibit these activities for a king, a new bride, and a woman after childbirth.