There is one special day in Israel when life seems to freeze. Cars are disappearing from the roads, shops are closing, even the airport is stopping operations. There are kings in the city

There is one special day in Israel when life seems to freeze. Cars are disappearing from the roads, shops are closing, even the airport is stopping operations. An unusual silence reigns in the city, and only the ringing of bicycle wheels can be heard on empty highways. It is Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

It is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei, ten days after Rosh Hashanah, and it is on this day, according to tradition, that the fate of each person for the year ahead is decided. It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah the heavenly books are opened, where destinies are recorded, and on Yom Kippur they are finally “sealed.” This holiday has its roots in biblical times: it was on this day that the high priest entered the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple only once a year to offer sacrifices for the sins of the entire people. The ritual involved two goats - one was sacrificed to God, and the other, symbolically “loaded” with sins, was sent into the desert. This is where, by the way, the expression “scapegoat” appeared in world culture.

Today, Yom Kippur is not only a memory of ancient rituals, but also a deep spiritual experience. On this day, Jews observe a strict fast for approximately twenty-five hours: it is forbidden to eat, drink, wear leather shoes, wash, use cosmetics or indulge in pleasure. All attention is focused on prayer, repentance and introspection. Services in synagogues are particularly solemn: in the evening the “Kol Nidrei” is heard, an ancient and touching prayer for the annulment of vows, and the day ends with the “Neila” prayer, when, according to legend, the gates of heaven are gradually closed. Many people wear white clothes - a symbol of purity and spiritual renewal, as if reminding themselves that on this day a person is like the angels.

This is the day when a person is freed from the burden of mistakes, returns to himself and those around him, and gets a chance to renew not only his soul, but also his life.

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