What Do You Say on Yom Kippur? Greetings, Prayers for Day of Atonement

The holiest day in the Jewish community is here.

Yom Kippur began at sundown on Sunday as Rosh Hashanah came to an end. The holiday continues through sundown on Monday. Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, marks the end of the 10 days of repentance that begins with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Rosh Hashanah kicks off the Jewish New Year with celebration and self-reflection, but Yom Kippur adopts a more somber tone. The Day of Atonement is the most significant of all the Jewish holidays, and those observing the holiday do so by abstaining from food and drink during a one-day fasting period as they pray and seek forgiveness and a fresh start from God.

"Yom Kippur is a fast day when we ask [God] to forgive us and seal our fate for the coming year in the 'Book of Life.' As such, Jewish greetings for this time reflect our prayers for a good, sweet year up ahead," Rabbi Motti Seligson, director of public relations for Chabad.org, told Newsweek.

Seligson said the "catch-all greeting" to use throughout the season is "Shanah Tovah", which means "Good year."

Usually, you don't wish somebody a "happy" or "merry" Yom Kippur given the sober tone, as those observing the holiday spend it reflecting and repenting. Instead, one could support the person observing Yom Kippur by wishing them a good, easy or meaningful fast.

They also can extend greetings in Hebrew. Wishing someone tzom kal translates to "easy fast", and g'mar chatima tovah translates to "good final sealing." The latter sentiment recognizes the Jewish belief that God seals one's fate for the year on the Day of Atonement, according to their behavior between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Some observers don't fast during Yom Kippur, and you can wish these observers a "Good Yuntif" or "Yom Tov", translating to "Have a good holy day," in Yiddish and Hebrew, respectively.

Yom Kippur observers fast to "rise above the corporeal reality of day-to-day life, focusing solely on the spiritual," according to Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish movement.

"This is the day when we get in touch with our inner selves, our angelic side. And just as angels don't eat or drink, neither do we," the organization said in an online report about the holiday.

Yom Kippur observers spend the bulk of the holiday in a synagogue participating in five separate prayer services. Some observers also might abstain from using cell phones or other forms of technology.

Kol Nidrei, the first service, occurred on Sunday evening. The words of Kol Nidrei are recited in the form of prayer and are a declaration that forgives and nullifies future vows and promises.

Shacharit occurs the following morning, which this year takes place on Monday. There is a reading from Leviticus and the Yizkor, which is a memorial prayer for those who died this year.

Musaf, or the Yom Kippur Temple service, follows Shacharit. Then, the Minchah, or a reading from the Book of Jonah, is held. Neilah, the final service, occurs at sunset on Monday. Yom Kippur concludes with the blowing of the shofar, an ancient musical horn.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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