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 a gift from Hashem. Like Purim, which means by chance or by lotteries, Yom Kippur is not about coincidence but the opposite; it is about God-given chances. Yom Kippur is not a day by chance, but a day when Hashem gives us chances.

Hashem is giving us the gift of teshuva—the gift of returning our neshamot—allowing them to be clean from sin and full of mitzvot. It is a chance for us to get closer to Hashem despite what we have done in the past. This year, not by chance but by Hashem’s Divine mercy and love for us, He has given us a chance not only to help ourselves but to help all of Am Yisrael.

This year, Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, and all we need is a Shabbat of Am Yisrael being their true selves to bring Mashiach and the redemption we are waiting for. Many Jews, despite their level of observance, become their true selves on Yom Kippur. What do I mean? A story is told that many observant Jews asked the Rebbe how all the non-observant Jews could come once a year on Yom Kippur to the Beit Knesset to pray. Don’t they know Hashem knows who they are? The Rebbe answered: The rest of the year, like on Purim, they are masking themselves. They are their true selves when they have come to Beit Knesset to pray and get closer to Hashem. Hashem has created this gift of Shabbat to get closer to Him, as well as the day of Yom Kippur. This year Shabbat and Yom Kippur are one, making this day even more powerful. May we all be our true selves this Yom Kippur and realize that this did not happen by chance, but is a chance Hashem is giving us. May we merit all of our tefillot (prayers) being answered for good and seeing Mashiach and the full redemption speedily in our days.

Shira Sedek is a passionate educator at Ramaz Middle School in New York City who loves teaching Torah and inspiring her students.