Yom Kippur in one sentence?

amother

Orange

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 6:16 am

water_bear88 wrote:

40 days from Shavuot (Maamad Har Sinai) til 17 B'Tammuz when Moshe came down, saw the Golden Calf, and smashed the first set of luchot. He goes back up the mountain and pleads with G-d for 40 more days, which means he comes down with the second luchot and G-d's forgiveness on YK.

Ok. But where does it say this. Where does is say, And G-d said, this day will be a day of atonement for you, for the first time, and why?

Sanguine

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 6:41 am

amother wrote:

I saw the other two comments, also. So out of the blue, we have YK?

Orange - You just realized this morning that you have questions? RH was OK cause you were busy serving meals? No one wants to leave you hanging but realize that no one has the time today to answer all your deep questions today.

The Torah B'chtav doesn't explain anything on its own (do you know the "Lo Tevashel Gedi BeChalav Imo" joke?). We follow the Torah B'Al Peh for a much deeper understanding of how from one line in the Torah we understand so much more. Some people spend their life learning it all exactly. As religious Jews we often just take the word of our Scholars. You don't have to. Women also learn. But you're not going to get a quick answer today. Our laws are from when Moshe received the Torah.

You never answered what your background is but a sudden question like this makesme think that you're still questioning. Really try to get to a Beit Knesset for davening on YK since a lot of the reason "Why?" we just do is from our faith and Mesoret. You have to go to shul to see how people are praying to our creator for a good life.

imasinger

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 6:43 am

amother wrote:

And if I am the kind of person who beats myself up regularly, is all that focus on tshuva really good for me? If I'm the kind of person who thinks Hashem is scary, should I focus on fearing him?

If one is the self-castigating type, YK can sometimes feel satisfying, in that a) you're not alone in beating up on yourself on this day,and b) if there is hope for the rest of the world, there is hope for you, too. And c) there may be a perverse satisfaction in knowing that lots of other people have to work hard to reach the place that comes more naturally to you.

And one of the things that such a person should be contemplating on YK is that self abasement without commitment to change is actually a form of self indulgence. And perhaps that is the aveira that should be focused on seriously for the day -- how to move beyond formless guilt and shame into meaningful teshuva -- change.

Similarly, there is a difference between healthy fear and unhealthy fear. On these 10 days, we focus dually -- on Hashem's power as Judge, but also on Hashem's ongoing mercy, and the new chances we get just by detailing our faults honestly, and honestly committing to do better.

I love the piyyutim for kol nidrei, that speak to these facets so beautifully and powerfully.

imasinger

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 7:02 am

amother wrote:

Thank you for your patience today. I understand it's a busy day. Wink

I dont know where this questioning is coming from.

I dont know why there is no simple answer though.

What do you tell your kids?

Simple answers don't satisfy us after a while, because they are too, well, simplistic.

But on the simplest level, YK exists because Hashem told us to atone and afflict our souls on the 10th of Tishrei. Chazal explain that this mean fasting, not wearing leather, etc.

Davening, and describing in detail what would happen on YK replaces what was done in th Beis Hamikdash.

What is told to kids would depend on their age, experience, intellect, educational background, and temperament. (Like the 4 sons at the seder).

For little kids, we teach that this is a day to say sorry to Hashem and each other. In my preschool music classes, I start with a puppet show featuring some bad behavior, some tears, some apologizing, and some being happy together. Then, we sing some sngs on those themes.

grace413

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 7:52 am

amother wrote:

Why 'nullify the bad decrees'? What bad decrees, and why would Hashem make bad decrees against us?

Punishment for our sins. But if we sincerely repent Hashem will forgive us without the punishment.

Hashem doesnt really want to punish us, but as with my own childre punishment/consequences is a learning experience.

And of course, Hashem hears our prayers and and every day of the year, but Yom Kippr is a special day, and a day when Klal Yisrael joins together in asking forgiveness from Hashem, not just for ourselves but for all Am Yisrael. That's why the vidui is written in the plural.

amother

Crimson

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 1:25 pm

[quote="amother"]And if I am the kind of person who beats myself up regularly, is all that focus on tshuva really good for me? If I'm the kind of person who thinks Hashem is scary, should I focus on fearing him?[/quote

Focus on thanking H-Shem for all the good things HE does for us. H-Shem is not scary, HE is all merciful, we just don't understand the full picture. Focus on your positives and Thank H-Shem for giving them to you. Don't fear HIM, love HIM. When we do an Avera, we are not afraid of H-Shem's wrath against us, we are afraid that we disappointed our ABBA after HE does everything for us, and even though HE may be disappointed in us, HE still loves us. And knowing that makes us want to get close to him again.

zaq

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 4:01 pm

"Fear" of G-d is really a misnomer. We're not supposed to fear Him the way we fear big scary-looking thugs lurking in dark alleys in seedy parts of town. "Reverent awe" would be a more apt translation. The feeling (but many orders of magnitude higher) you might have when facing a powerful monarch or seeing something like the Grand Canyon.

naturalmom5

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 5:34 pm

Get your very own official Imamother embroidered Yom Kippur pillow. Dear Hashem; We're drek. You're not. Please don't kill us. This is surrounded by lovely multi colored embroidered flowers.
Not available in tee shirts or sweat shirts for tznius reasons. $250 each. Proceeds go to the R,' Falk fund for tznius awareness.

amother

Seashell

Tue, Sep 22 2015, 5:39 pm

naturalmom5 wrote:

Can you match it to my "tahharas hamishpacha" towels?
I'll take two

grace413

Wed, Sep 23 2015, 3:03 pm

naturalmom5 wrote:

Thanks for the laugh.

imasoftov

Wed, Sep 23 2015, 8:37 pm

amother wrote:

Ok. But where does it say this. Where does is say, And G-d said, this day will be a day of atonement for you, for the first time, and why?

The source for the second set of tablets being given on Yom Kippur is Yoma 4.

I don't believe there is anywhere that says precisely "this day will be a day of atonement for you". There's "For on this day He shall effect atonement for you to cleanse you. Before the Lord, you shall be cleansed from all your sins." (Vayikra 16:30)

Once more I did not answer your "why?". My suggestion is to read the entire Chumash and find out how many mitzvot are given together with reasons. This can take a while but if you follow the weekly readings starting this week you will be finished just in time for next Yom Kippur.

Ashrei

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 12:06 am

imasinger wrote:

"Dear Hashem, we're drek, You are not; please don't kill us."

I actually, literally, laughed out loud from this.

ETA (and then again when I looked at the other posts with the TH towel thread references)