Photo by Yaffa Phillips (via Flickr).

How to Say Yom Kippur Blessings

Blessings said at home to enter Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day of the year. For a full 25 hours, Jews fast (eating and drinking nothing) and spend most of their day in prayer.

These are the three blessings said at home to bring in this solemn day and you can find full text for each at the links:

  1. Blessing for the children: This is the same blessing made at the Friday night table. 
  2. Candle lighting: This is very similar to the blessing for lighting Shabbat candles. 
  3. Shehechiyanu: This is the Jewish blessing for reaching milestones. 

Other rituals for entering Yom Kippur include immersing in the mikveh, eating a seudah mafseket (last meal before the fast), and attending Kol Nidre services.

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