Why I May Not Fast at All or Last the (Yom Kippur) Fast (quote, Jewish)
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Today I played tennis in the morning. Right afterward I donated blood. The sky was a beautiful blue, and it was an unseasonable 77° or so. When I came home I went outside to read. It was a relaxing day, with no work until Tuesday, because the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur starts at sundown today and stretches to sundown tomorrow. The weather was idyllic, and with tennis and blood donation I had a constructive and satisfying day. Yet something felt terribly, terribly wrong.
Yom Kippur is in many ways the keystone holiday on the Jewish calendar. This is the holiday where Jews atone for their sins to G-d, and are supposed to consider what they need to do to atone for the parts of those sins that are again man. Traditionally the holiday calls for a food and water fast for its duration. This is not as hard as it seems since it starts an hour before sundown, and stretches through the hours when you sleep. Starting after what would be lunchtime the fasting gets rougher, especially the part of "no water." Then, shortly after sundown (traditionally one hour) the relief of "fast-break" comes.
This comes with a cycle of services and sometimes seminars. The opening service is Kol Nidre, the breaking of all vows to G-d. Let's face it, people make promises they intend to, but cannot keep. Our synagogue is large to we split attendance by halves of the alphabet, but I digress. Any year that the service does not start on Friday night, it is also marked by the blast of the shofar. The next day one is pretty much in temple the whole day while the fast proceeds. There is, at our temple, an alternative seminar on subjects of Jewish interest, primarily for the holders of "early" service tickets. I usually attend that and read the sermon online when I have the "late" half. The services march into a Yizkor service, to remember the deceased, and conclude in a beautiful Neilah service. Followed by a delicious fast break.
This year, coronavirus has marred or ruined the holiday season. Whereas normally one greets people that they haven't seen since last year, and dress up, as well as commiserate about the fast, this year it is all on streaming platforms. It is not the same.
I will say that I had been brooding about this holiday a lot. One reason I donated blood today was that it was the first day I was eligible after my last donation, August 2. Also, more significantly, I wanted to do something that would benefit both G-d and people if I didn't fast, or make it through.
And fittingly, as I ate my dinner on the patio, it suddenly started to rain lightly.
I'm about to ZOOM into my congregation's online Kol Nidre service tonight, but first I had to respond to this. Not only do I believe that you are forgiven (as TroutDude says), but I am sure that HaShem loves your selfless and meaningful act of giving blood in case you don't make it through the fast.
May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year, dear Jbgusa.
remember we're talking about an all loving and all powerful god that can do anything, like forgive, with just a thought.
It wasn't eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil that brought the judgement, it was Adam's response to God after he ate that fruit. Blaming God and the woman, and calling God the sinner. Adam chose not to own any of it.
Adam didn't seek the mercy seat, and because of his response of judgement against God, was blocked from eating the fruit from the tree of life.
And the way to atonement is pronounced in God's judgement on the serpents head, through the seed of the woman. They were put out of the Garden of Eden, but not without the hope of return. Repentance means to turn around and return. As God accepts the death judgement and fulfills the whole law, which is why now there is the application of blood in the Holy of Hollies which contains the mercy seat, the Ark of the Covenant, under the wings of the Cheribum, who guard the way to the entrance of the Garden of Eden and the fruit from the tree of life. And inside the Ark of the Covenant is Arron's staff that budded, which means God does not lead down a dead end road.
I am reposting the OP since the thread is derailed. I gave that post a lot of thought.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbgusa
Today I played tennis in the morning. Right afterward I donated blood. The sky was a beautiful blue, and it was an unseasonable 77° or so. When I came home I went outside to read. It was a relaxing day, with no work until Tuesday, because the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur starts at sundown today and stretches to sundown tomorrow. The weather was idyllic, and with tennis and blood donation I had a constructive and satisfying day. Yet something felt terribly, terribly wrong.
Yom Kippur is in many ways the keystone holiday on the Jewish calendar. This is the holiday where Jews atone for their sins to G-d, and are supposed to consider what they need to do to atone for the parts of those sins that are again man. Traditionally the holiday calls for a food and water fast for its duration. This is not as hard as it seems since it starts an hour before sundown, and stretches through the hours when you sleep. Starting after what would be lunchtime the fasting gets rougher, especially the part of "no water." Then, shortly after sundown (traditionally one hour) the relief of "fast-break" comes.
This comes with a cycle of services and sometimes seminars. The opening service is Kol Nidre, the breaking of all vows to G-d. Let's face it, people make promises they intend to, but cannot keep. Our synagogue is large to we split attendance by halves of the alphabet, but I digress. Any year that the service does not start on Friday night, it is also marked by the blast of the shofar. The next day one is pretty much in temple the whole day while the fast proceeds. There is, at our temple, an alternative seminar on subjects of Jewish interest, primarily for the holders of "early" service tickets. I usually attend that and read the sermon online when I have the "late" half. The services march into a Yizkor service, to remember the deceased, and conclude in a beautiful Neilah service. Followed by a delicious fast break.
This year, coronavirus has marred or ruined the holiday season. Whereas normally one greets people that they haven't seen since last year, and dress up, as well as commiserate about the fast, this year it is all on streaming platforms. It is not the same.
I will say that I had been brooding about this holiday a lot. One reason I donated blood today was that it was the first day I was eligible after my last donation, August 2. Also, more significantly, I wanted to do something that would benefit both G-d and people if I didn't fast, or make it through.
And fittingly, as I ate my dinner on the patio, it suddenly started to rain lightly.
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