Many of our tefillot and piyutim over Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur take the form of an acrostic of the aleph-bet. Why do we use

Yom Kippur invites us to confront our own mortality—symbolized by the white garments we wear, which resemble burial shrouds. This day is a rehearsal for

What does “Azazel” refer to? Based on the context of the four times the word appears in Tanach—all of them in Vayikra 16 regarding the

Yom Kippur “Kol makom sheata motzeh gedulato shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu—sham ata motzeh anvatanuto … ” In Masechet Megillah (31a), Rabbi Yochanan teaches us: “Wherever

Hashem—in His infinite kindness—has given us a gift in the Aseres Yemei Teshuva. How so? Not everyone, unfortunately, merited to receive a judgment on Rosh

לעילוי נשמת יואל אפרים בן אברהם עוזיאל זלצמן ז”ל Question: Is it permitted/proper to take pills before Yom Kippur in order to improve one’s fasting

As we approach the Yamim Noraim, the days of awe, there are a lot of powerful and intense feelings that may arise. This is a

In memory of Sam Borodach, z”l (1:2 and elsewhere) נינוה: It is of interest that the cuneiform sign for this city is a fish within

Why do we read the book of Yonah at mincha on Yom Kippur? If you say it is to read about repentance, then why not

Our rabbis deem the days between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur as yemi ratzon-—days of yearning. During this 40–day period, Jewish people across the

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a time for deep introspection, repentance and committing to personal transformation. It’s a day to

Some see Yom Kippur as a day of sadness, while others like it as the day of Purim. Which one is it? Yom Kippur is