This Shabbat we won’t be partaking in warm chicken soup or steaming hot cholent (as reported in the IJN’s Rosh Hashana edition). We’ll be doing all of that before sundown hits, in preparation for Yom Kippur, which coincides this year with Shabbat. It’s the only time where Shabbat is superseded by a festival, where we abstain from the pleasures of the day of rest and instead focus on the day of atonement. Here are a few tips (both spiritual and physical) for making your Yom Kippur more meaningful – and bearable!
- Take a little time to reflect on the past year. What were your highlights? Your lowpoints?
- Then take some time to look toward the future. What are your goals for the coming year? Regarding any less than stellar moments from the year gone by, what areas of your life or personality would you like to improve?
- During your prayer, try to evoke the above two points to make your prayer more relevant and meaningful.
- Stop drinking caffeine at least 4 days before the fast!
- For your final pre-fast meal, eat lots of fresh vegetables which release water, such as cucumbers. As a main course, light yet filling food, such as lentils or chicken, will keep your tummy full for some time.
- Avoid any highly spiced dishes on erev Yom Kippur.
- Break the fast on a glass of OJ, which instantly replaces missing sugars in your blood.
When we chant Unetanneh Tokef, the haunting “Who by” piyyut composed according to the legend by Rabbi Amnon of Mainz and which later inspired Leonard Cohen, think about how real it is, how just recently so many died by flood in Pakistan. This poem forces us to accept and surrender ourselves to a greater power. No, we cannot control these larger events, but that doesn’t limit us when it comes to self-improvement. Chains-of-events, butterfly effect, karma, call it what you will, but our individual behavior can and does impact a larger community of people.
As physically tough as Yom Kippur is, having an instituted day of reflection is a blessing. Daily life has its own momentum, making it hard to take time-outs. So embrace the opportunity and have an easy fast and meaningful holiday!
