Aish UK Yom Kippur Companion

Neilah Service 101 The Silent Amidah

Shalom - Peace for All Humanity

Grant peace, goodness and blessing, endearment, loving-kindness and
compassion to us, and to all Your people Israel. Bless us our Father – all of
us, as one – with the light of Your Presence. For it is with the light of Your
Presence that You, Adonai our God, gave us: Guidance – Torah – for living and
a love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life and Peace. May
it be fitting in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel in all times, in every hour,
with Your [gift of] Shalom.
In the book of life, blessing and peace, And financial well-being May we, be
remembered and sealed before You. We, amongst all the people of Israel -
for life, good and peace.

If you forgot to say this, and became aware of your omission before saying the following blessing, you should recite it.
If you have already said “Blessed are You Adonai” you must continue the prayers without saying “In the book of life...”

Blessed are You Adonai, who blesses His people with Shalom.

YHoigmh KHoiplypuDarys

E'xDpIYl'aEnxapltaonraytosreyrMvaicchezohrighlights

‫תפילת נעילה ‪ 102‬ודוי‬

‫ודוי‬

‫ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ֵואֹל ֵהי ֲאבֹו ֵ ֽתינּו ָּת ֹבא ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְּת ִפָּל ֵ ֽתנּו‪ְ ,‬ו ַאל ִּת ְת ַעַּלם ִמ ְּת ִחָּנ ֵ ֽתנּו‬
‫ֶׁש ֵאין ֲא ַ ֽנ ְחנּו ַע ֵּזי ָפ ִנים ּו ְקֵׁשי ֽ ֹעֶרף לֹו ַמר ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְי ֹהָוה ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ֵואֹל ֵהי‬
‫ֲאבֹו ֵ ֽתינּו ַצ ִּדי ִקים ֲא ַ ֽנ ְחנּו ְולֹא ָח ָ ֽטאנּו ֲא ָבל ֲא ַ ֽנ ְחנּו ַו ֲאבֹו ֵ ֽתינּו ָח ָ ֽטאנּו‪:‬‬

‫‪Lightly beat the chest over the area of the heart when reciting each of the categories below.‬‬

‫ָא ַֽׁש ְמנּו‪ָּ .‬ב ַ ֽגְדנּו‪ָּ .‬גַ ֽז ְלנּו‪ִּ .‬ד ַּֽבְרנּו ּֽדֹ ִפי‪ֶ .‬ה ֱעִֽוינּו‪ְ .‬ו ִהְר ַֽׁש ְענּו‪ֽ ַ .‬ז ְדנּו‪ָ .‬ח ַ ֽמ ְסנּו‪.‬‬
‫ָט ַ ֽפ ְלנּו ֶֽׁש ֶקר‪ָ .‬י ַ ֽע ְצנּו ָרע‪ִּ .‬כַּֽז ְבנּו‪ֽ ַ .‬ל ְצנּו‪ָ .‬מַ ֽר ְדנּו‪ִ .‬נ ַ ֽא ְצנּו‪ָ .‬סַ ֽרְרנּו‪ָ .‬עִֽוינּו‪.‬‬
‫ָּפ ַֽׁש ְענּו‪ָ .‬צַ ֽרְרנּו‪ִ .‬קִּֽׁשינּו ֽ ֹעֶרף‪ָ .‬ר ַֽׁש ְענּו‪ִׁ .‬ש ַ ֽח ְתנּו‪ִּ .‬ת ַ ֽע ְבנּו‪ָּ .‬ת ִֽעינּו‪ִּ .‬ת ְע ָּֽת ְענּו‪:‬‬

‫ַ ֽסְרנּו ִמִּמ ְצֹו ֶ ֽתיָך ּו ִמִּמְׁשָּפ ֶ ֽטיָך ַהּטֹו ִבים ְולֹא ָֽׁשָוה ָ ֽלנּו‪ְ .‬ו ַא ָּתה‬
‫ַצ ִּדיק ַעל ָּכל ַהָּבא ָע ֵ ֽלינּו‪ִּ .‬כי ֱא ֶמת ָע ִֽׂשי ָת ַו ֲא ַ ֽנ ְחנּו ִהְר ָֽׁש ְענּו‪:‬‬
‫ַמה ּ ֹנא ַמר ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך יֹוֵׁשב ָמרֹום‪ּ .‬ו ַמה ְּנ ַסֵּפר ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ׁשֹו ֵכן ְׁש ָח ִקים‪ֲ .‬הלֹא ָּכל‬

‫ַהִּנ ְס ָּתרֹות ְו ַהִּנ ְגלֹות ַא ָּתה יֹוֵ ֽד ַע‪:‬‬
‫ַא ָּתה נֹו ֵתן ָיד ַלּפֹוְׁש ִעים‪ִ ,‬וי ִמי ְנָך ְפׁשּו ָטה ְל ַקֵּבל ָׁש ִבים‪ַ .‬ו ְּת ַלְּמֵ ֽדנּו ְי ֹהָוה‬
‫ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ְל ִה ְתַוּדֹות ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ַעל ָּכל ֲעוֹ‍נֹו ֵ ֽתינּו‪ְ ,‬ל ַ ֽמ ַען ֶנ ְח ַּדל ֵמ ֽעֶׁשק ָיֵ ֽדינּו‪,‬‬
‫ּו ְת ַקְּב ֵ ֽלנּו ִּב ְתׁשּו ָבה ְׁש ֵל ָמה ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְּכ ִאׁ ִּשים ּו ְכ ִניחֹו ִחים ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ְּד ָבֶ ֽריָך ֲאֶׁשר‬
‫ָא ָ ֽמְר ָּת‪ֵ :‬אין ֵקץ ְל ִאׁ ֵּשי חֹובֹו ֵ ֽתינּו‪ְ ,‬ו ֵאין ִמ ְסָּפר ְל ִניחֹו ֵחי ַאְׁש ָמ ֵ ֽתנּו‪ְ .‬ו ַא ָּתה יֹוֵ ֽד ַע‬
‫ֶׁש ַא ֲחִרי ֵ ֽתנּו ִרָּמה ְותֹו ֵל ָעה‪ְ ,‬ל ִפי ָכְך ִהְר ֵּֽבי ָת ְס ִלי ָח ֵ ֽתנּו‪ָ .‬מה ָ ֽאנּו‪ֶ .‬מה ַחֵּֽיינּו‪.‬‬
‫ֶמה ַח ְסֵּֽדנּו‪ַ .‬מה ִּצ ְד ֵ ֽקנּו‪ַ .‬מה ְּיׁשּו ָע ֵ ֽתנּו‪ַ .‬מה ּ ֹכ ֵ ֽחנּו‪ַ .‬מה ְּגבּוָר ֵ ֽתנּו‪ַ .‬מה ּ ֹנא ַמר‬
‫ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְי ֹהָוה ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ֵואֹל ֵהי ֲאבֹו ֵ ֽתינּו ֲהלֹא ָּכל ַה ִּגּבֹוִרים ְּכ ַ ֽא ִין ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְו ַא ְנֵׁשי‬
‫ַהׁ ֵּשם ְּכלֹא ָהיּו ַו ֲח ָכ ִמים ִּכ ְב ִלי ַמ ָּדע ּו ְנבֹו ִנים ִּכ ְב ִלי ַהְׂשֵּכל ִּכי רֹב ַמ ֲעֵׂשי ֶהם‬
‫ּֽ ֹתהּו ִוי ֵמי ַחֵּיי ֶהם ֶ ֽה ֶבל ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך‪ּ .‬ומֹו ַתר ָה ָאָדם ִמן ַהְּב ֵה ָמה ָ ֽא ִין ִּכי ַהּ ֹכל ָ ֽה ֶבל‪.‬‬

Neilah Service 103 Vidui/Confession

Vidui - Confronting Ourselves

Our God and God of our ancestors, may our prayer come before You, and do
not ignore our pleas. Because, Hashem our God and God of our ancestors,
we are not so two-faced and stubborn as to claim we are righteous and have
never made any mistakes. On the contrary, we and our ancestors have erred.

Lightly beat the chest over the area of the heart when reciting each of the categories below.

We admit responsibility, we have betrayed, stolen, spoken slander, perverted
justice, caused bad things to happen, willfully done the wrong thing, taken
money by force, falsely accused others and given misleading advice. We have
been deceitful, we scorned, rebelled, provoked, ignored, have been perverse,
and we have acted carelessly. We have annoyed others, we have been obstinate,
and we have performed evil acts. We have corrupted, followed our base desires,
we have strayed from the path; You have let us weaken our relationship with
You.
We have turned away from Your commandments and Your good laws and it hasn't
worked. But You are right in guiding all that has come upon us because You have
acted truthfully and we have behaved wrongly. What can we say before You,
sitting up on High? And what can we tell You - who lives in the highest heavens?
After all, You know all things hidden and revealed. You reach out Your hand to
transgressors, and Your right hand is extended to receive those who [truly] repent.
You have taught us, our God, to confess before You all our mistakes so that we
may refrain from the injustice of our hands; so that You will accept us in perfect
repentance before You, [as You would accept] fire-offerings and sweet savours, for
the sake of Your word which You spoke. There is no end to the offerings required
[to atone] for our faults, and there is no number for the sacrifices required for
our guilt. But You know that our ultimate end is decay, and therefore You have
increased the means of our pardon. What are we? What is our life? What are
our acts of kindness? What is our righteousness? What is our deliverance? What
is our strength? What is our might? What can we say before You, Adonoy, our
God and God of our fathers? Are not even great people as nothing before You?
Famous people as though they had never been? The wise as if they were without
knowledge? And men of understanding as if they were devoid of intelligence?
For most of their actions are a waste and the days of their life are trivial in Your
presence. The superiority of man over the animal is nil, for all is futile.

YHoigmh KHoiplypuDarys

E'xDpIYl'aEnxapltaonraytosreyrMvaicchezohrighlights

‫תפילת נעילה ‪ 104‬ודוי‬

‫ַא ָּתה ִה ְבַּֽד ְל ָּת ֱאנֹוׁש ֵמרֹאׁש‪ַ ,‬ו ַּתִּכיֵ ֽרהּו ַל ֲעמֹוד ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך‪ִ .‬כי ִמי ֹיא ַמר ְלָך ַמה‬
‫ִּת ְפ ַעל‪ְ ,‬ו ִאם ִי ְצ ַּדק ַמה ִּי ֶּתן־ ָלְך‪ַ :‬ו ִּת ֶּתן ָ ֽלנּו ְי ֹהָוה ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ְּב ַא ֲה ָבה ֶאת יֹום‬
‫ַהִּכֻּפִרים ַה ֶּזה‪ֵ ,‬קץ ּו ְמ ִחי ָלה ּו ְס ִלי ָחה ַעל ָּכל ֲע‍ֹונֹו ֵ ֽתינּו ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ֶנ ְח ַּדל ֵמ ֽעֶׁשק ָיֵ ֽדנּו‪,‬‬

‫ְו ָנׁשּוב ֵא ֶ ֽליָך ַל ֲעׂשֹות ֻח ֵּקי ְרצֹו ְנָך ְּב ֵל ָבב ָׁש ֵלם‪:‬‬
‫ְו ַא ָּתה ְּבַר ֲח ֶ ֽמיָך ָהַרִּבים ַר ֵחם ָע ֵ ֽלינּו‪ִּ ,‬כי לֹא ַת ְחּפֹוץ ְּב ַהְׁש ָח ַתת עֹו ָלם‪ֶׁ .‬שֶּנ ֱא ַמר‬
‫ִּדְרׁשּו ְי ֹהָוה ְּב ִהָּמ ְצאֹו‪ְ ,‬קָר ֻ ֽאהּו ִּב ְהיֹותֹו ָקרֹוב‪ְ :‬ו ֶנ ֱא ַמר ַי ֲע ֹזב ָרָׁשע ַּדְרּכֹו‪ְ ,‬ו ִאיׁש‬
‫ָ ֽאֶון ַמ ְחְׁש ֹב ָתיו‪ְ ,‬וָיׁ ֹשב ֶאל ְי ֹהָוה ִויַר ֲח ֵ ֽמהּו‪ְ ,‬ו ֶאל ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ִּכי ַיְרֶּבה ִל ְס ֽלֹו ַח‪ְ :‬ו ַא ָּתה‬

‫ֱא ֽלֹוַּה ְס ִליחֹות ַחּנּון ְוַרחּום‪ֽ ֶ ,‬אֶרְך ַא ַּֽפִים ְוַרב ֶ ֽח ֶסד ֶו ֱא ֶמת‪ּ ,‬ו ַמְרֶּבה ְל ֵהי ִטיב‪.‬‬
‫ְורֹו ֶצה ַא ָּתה ִּב ְתׁשּו ַבת ְרָׁש ִעים ְו ֵאין ַא ָּתה ָח ֵפץ ְּב ִמי ָת ָתם‪ֶׁ .‬שֶּנ ֱא ַמר ֱאמֹר‬
‫ֲא ֵלי ֶהם ַחי ָ ֽא ִני ְנ ֻאם ֲאדֹ ָני ֱי ֹהִוה‪ִ ,‬אם ֶא ְחּ ֹפץ ְּבמֹות ָהָרָׁשע ִּכי ִאם ְּבׁשּוב ָרָׁשע‬
‫ִמ ַּדְרּכֹו ְו ָחָיה‪ְ .‬ו ֶנ ֱא ַמר ֽׁשּובּו ֽׁשּובּו ִמ ַּדְר ֵכי ֶכם ָהָר ִעים ְו ָ ֽלָּמה ָת ֽמּותּו ֵּבית ִיְׂשָר ֵאל‪:‬‬
‫ְו ֶנ ֱא ַמר ֶה ָח ֹפץ ֶא ְחּ ֹפץ מֹות ָרָׁשע ְנ ֻאם ֲאדֹ ָני ֱי ֹהִוה‪ֲ ,‬הלֹא ְּבׁשּובֹו ִמ ְּדָר ָכיו ְו ָחָיה‪:‬‬

‫ְו ֶנ ֱא ַמר ִּכי לֹא ֶא ְחּ ֹפץ ְּבמֹות ַהֵּמת ְנ ֻאם ֲאדֹ ָני ֱי ֹהִוה‪ְ .‬ו ָה ִֽׁשיבּו ִו ְחיּו‪:‬‬
‫ִּכי ַא ָּתה ָס ְל ָחן ְל ִיְׂשָר ֵאל ּו ָמ ֳח ָלן ְלִׁש ְב ֵטי ְיֻׁשרּון ְּב ָכל ּדֹור ָודֹור ּו ִמַּב ְל ָעֶ ֽדיָך ֵאין‬

‫ָ ֽלנּו ֶ ֽמ ֶל ָך מֹו ֵחל ְוסֹו ֵ ֽל ַח ֶאָּלא ָ ֽא ָּתה‪:‬‬
‫ֱאֹל ַהי‪ַ .‬עד ֶׁשּלֹא נֹו ַ ֽצְר ִּתי ֵאי ִני ְכ ַדאי‪ְ ,‬ו ַע ְכָׁשו ֶׁשּנֹו ַ ֽצְר ִּתי ְּכ ִאּלּו לֹא נֹו ַ ֽצְר ִּתי‪ָ .‬ע ָפר‬
‫ֲא ִני ְּב ַחָּיי‪ַ .‬קל ָו ֽ ֹח ֶמר ְּב ִמי ָת ִתי‪ֲ .‬הֵרי ֲא ִני ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ִּכ ְכ ִלי ָמ ֵלא בּוָׁשה ּו ְכ ִלָּמה‪ְ .‬י ִהי‬
‫ָרצֹון ִמְּל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְי ֹהָוה ֱאֹל ַהי ֵואֹל ֵהי ֲאבֹו ַתי ֶׁשּלֹא ֶא ֱח ָטא עֹוד‪ּ .‬ו ַמה ׁ ֶּש ָח ָ ֽטא ִתי‬

‫ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ָמֵרק ְּבַר ֲח ֶ ֽמיָך ָהַרִּבים‪ֲ .‬א ָבל לֹא ַעל ְי ֵדי ִיּסּוִרים ָו ֳח ָל ִים ָר ִעים‪:‬‬

‫‪Despite the often dire outlook on the human condition; despite a world that is‬‬
‫‪filled with man-made vice, corruption and suffering, we recall the founding‬‬

‫‪and perhaps most fundamental tenet of Jewish theology: Humanity was‬‬
‫‪created to serve an unimaginably lofty purpose - that of partnering with God‬‬
‫‪in perfecting the creation. For all our faults, for all our mistakes, God has no‬‬

‫‪desire to watch us fail. He wants us to succeed, to flourish, to blossom into‬‬
‫‪the awe-inspiring beings we have the potential to become. Armed with this‬‬
‫‪profoundly encouraging realisation, we conclude Neilah by begging God to‬‬

‫‪help us believe in our true self-worth and realise our full potential.‬‬

Neilah Service 105 Vidui/Confession

Despite all this, You have set humanity apart from the beginning, and
recognised us as worthy to stand before You. For who could tell You what
You should do, and even if that advice came from someone righteous, of what
benefit is it to You? And You, Adonai, our God, gave us with love, this Day of
Atonement to be the conclusion of forgiveness, and pardon for all our sins, so
that we may cleanse the injustice of our actions; and return to You, to fulfill
the statutes of Your will with a perfect heart.
And in Your abundant mercy, have compassion on us, for You do not desire
the destruction of the world; as it is stated: “Seek God while He may be
found, call to Him while He is near.” And it is said: “Let the wicked abandon
his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return to God for
He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He pardons abundantly.”
And You, God of pardon, are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger,
abundant in kindness and truth, and abounding in goodness.
You wish for the repentance of the wicked, and do not desire their demise.
As it is stated: “Say to them, as truly as I live, declares the Lord, Adonai, I have
no desire for the death of the wicked, but only that they return from their
evil path and live." And it is said, “Return, return, from your evil ways, why
should you die - people of Israel?” And it is said, “Do I desire the death of the
wicked? declares the Master, Adonai; rather that he return from his evil way
and live.” And it is said: “For I do not desire the death of him who deserves
death, declares the Master, Adonai; therefore return and live.”
For You are the Pardoner of Yisrael, and the Forgiver of the tribes of Yeshurun
[the Jewish people] in every generation; and besides You we have no King
Who forgives and pardons - only You.
God, before I was formed, I was unworthy [to be created]. And now that I
have been formed, it is as if I had not been formed. I am like dust while I live,
how much more so when I am dead. Here I am before You like a vessel filled
with shame. May it be Your will, Adonai, my God, and the God of my fathers,
that I shall sin no more, and the sins I have committed before You, cleanse
them in Your abundant mercy; but not through suffering and severe illness.

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‫תפילת נעילה ‪ 106‬שמונה עשרה‬

‫ֱאֹל ַהי ְנצֹור ְלׁשֹו ִני ֵמָרע ּוְׂש ָפ ַתי ִמ ַּדֵּבר ִמְר ָמה ְו ִל ְמ ַק ְל ַלי ַנ ְפִׁשי ִתּדֹום ְו ַנ ְפִׁשי‬
‫ֶּכ ָע ָפר ַלּ ֹכל ִּת ְהֶיה ְּפ ַתח ִלִּבי ְּבתֹוָר ֶ ֽתָך ּו ְב ִמ ְצֹו ֶ ֽתיָך ִּתְרּדֹוף ַנ ְפִׁשי ְו ֹכל ַהחֹוְׁש ִבים‬
‫ָע ַלי ָר ָעה ְמ ֵהָרה ָה ֵפר ֲע ָצ ָתם ְו ַק ְל ֵקל ַמ ֲחַׁש ְב ָּתם‪ֲ :‬עֵׂשה ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ְׁש ֶ ֽמָך‪ֲ ,‬עֵׂשה‬
‫ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ְי ִמי ֶ ֽנָך‪ֲ ,‬עֵׂשה ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ְק ֻדׁ ָּש ֶ ֽתָך‪ֲ ,‬עֵׂשה ְל ַ ֽמ ַען ּתֹוָר ֶ ֽתָך‪ְ .‬ל ַ ֽמ ַען ֵי ָח ְלצּון ְי ִדיֶ ֽדיָך‬
‫הֹו ִֽׁשי ָעה ְי ִמי ְנָך ַו ֲע ֵ ֽנ ִני‪ִ :‬י ְהיּו ְלָרצֹון ִא ְמֵרי ִפי ְו ֶה ְגיֹון ִלִּבי ְל ָפ ֶ ֽניָך ְי ֹהָוה צּוִרי ְוגֹו ֲא ִלי‪:‬‬

‫;’‪.‬הּוא ַי ֲעֶׂשה‘ ‪ֹ .’; Bow right and say‬עֶׂשה ַהׁ ָּשלֹום‘ ‪Bow and take three steps backwards. Bow left and say‬‬
‫’… ְו ַעל ָּכל‘ ‪Bow forward and say‬‬

‫ֹעֶׂשה ַהׁ ָּשלֹום ִּב ְמרֹו ָמיו הּוא ַי ֲעֶׂשה ָׁשלֹום ָע ֵ ֽלינּו ְו ַעל ָּכל ִיְׂשָר ֵאל ְו ִא ְמרּו ָא ֵמן‪:‬‬

‫‪As we come to the conclusion of the Yom‬‬
‫‪Kippur Service, we would like to take this‬‬
‫‪opportunity to wish you, your family and‬‬

‫‪your friends a very happy, healthy‬‬
‫!‪and sweet new year‬‬

Neilah Service 107 The Silent Amidah

My God, please ensure my tongue is not used to speak badly, and that my
lips not speak deceitfully. To those who curse me, help me have the self-
control that I should stay silent, and my soul should be [humble] as dust
before others so that I not belittle myself to react with arrogance or anger.
Open my heart to Your Torah that my soul should pursue Your mitzvot. As for
all those who desire evil against me, please speedily thwart their plans and
undo their intentions. Thwart the plans of those who wish harm to the Jewish
people, and those who wish harm to one another. Please act for the sake of
Your Name. Please act for the sake of Your right hand [Your desire to give]. Please
act for the sake of Your holiness. Please act for the sake of Your Torah - that
Your beloved ones can have strength. May Your right hand save and answer
me. May these words of my lips and the outpourings of my heart be desired
before You, Adonai my rock and redeemer.

Bow and take three steps backwards. Bow left and say ‘He who makes..’; Bow right and say ‘May He make..’;
Bow forward and say ‘And upon all…’

He who makes peace in the heavens, may He make peace upon us and upon
all Israel, and let us say: Amen.

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‫לשנה הבאה בירושלים‬ ‫‪108‬‬ ‫תפילת נעילה‬

‫נעילה‬

‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ְת ֵ ֽמנּו ְּב ֵ ֽס ֶפר ַחִּיים טֹו ִבים‪:‬‬
‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ְת ֵ ֽמנּו ְּב ֵ ֽס ֶפר ְּג ֻאָּלה ִויׁשּו ָעה‪:‬‬
‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ְת ֵ ֽמנּו ְּב ֵ ֽס ֶפר ַּפְר ָנ ָסה ְו ַכ ְלָּכ ָלה‪:‬‬

‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ְת ֵ ֽמנּו ְּב ֵ ֽס ֶפר ְז ֻכּיֹות‪:‬‬
‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ְת ֵ ֽמנּו ְּב ֵ ֽס ֶפר ְס ִלי ָחה ּו ְמ ִחי ָלה‪:‬‬
‫ָא ִֽבינּו ַמ ְל ֵּ ֽכנּו ָח ֵּ ֽננּו ַו ֲע ֵ ֽננּו ִּכי ֵאין ָּֽבנּו ַמ ֲעִׂשים‬

‫ֲעֵׂשה ִע ָּֽמנּו ְצ ָד ָקה ָו ֶ ֽח ֶסד ְוהֹוִׁשי ֵ ֽענּו‪:‬‬

‫ְׁש ַמע ִיְׂשָר ֵאל ְי ֹהָוה ֱאֹל ֵ ֽהינּו ְי ֹהָוה ֶא ָחד‪:‬‬
‫ָּברּוְך ֵׁשם ְּכבֹוד ַמ ְלכּותֹו ְלעֹו ָלם ָו ֶעד‪:‬‬

‫ְיהָֹוה הּוא ָה ֱאֹל ִהים‪:‬‬
‫ְלָׁש ָנה ַהָּב ָאה ִּבירּוָׁש ַל ִים‪:‬‬

Neilah Service 109 Yom Kippur Conclusion

Yom Kippur Conclusion

Our Father, our King, seal us in the book of good life!
Our Father, our King, seal us in the book of redemption and salvation!
Our Father, our King, seal us in the book of livelihood and sustenance!

Our Father, our King, seal us in the book of merits!
Our Father, our King, seal us in the book of forgiveness and pardon!
Our Father, our King, Be kind to us and answer us, though are acts are
unworthy; act with us in charity and loving-kindness, and save us!

Listen, Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.
Blessed is the name of His honoured kingdom forever.

Hashem is [the only] God.

Next year in Jerusalem!

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110

In-depth pieces

111

Tell me and I
forget, teach

me and I
remember,
involve me and

I learn.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

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112 112

Rabbi Ari Kayser

Mahatma Gandhi said that "Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong". Martin Luther
King Jr. proclaimed "Let no man pull you low enough to hate him". Leo Tolstoy declared
"Let us forgive each other - only then will we live in peace".
We take the loftiest moments of the year to first establish that our words can be
trusted, then we embrace the fact that we didn’t always get it right, and declare that
although we may not have all the answers we are determined to own our actions, let
go of resentment, and recreate ourselves anew.

"Forgiveness is not easy. It is an act of letting go, a
practice in humility, and a meditation of trust in the
fact that all will be ok even if we choose to let it go.

Forgiveness is an act of courage. It is a mindset of
freedom. Freeing ourselves from the chains of being

affected by the thoughts or actions of others."

113 KOL NIDR113 EI:

in depth Responding to Infinity's Call

Kol Nidrei, the haunting and moving melodious introduction
to Yom Kippur, is a bizarre prayer urging us to annul our vows
and seems an incongruous choice to begin proceedings with.
It also seems entirely unconnected to the theme of the day –
forgiveness. Why do we begin the holiest day of the year with
such an intriguingly abstract prayer?

Making a vow is no simple matter. It is like "Playing God". How so? If someone were to
say, “Apples are forbidden to me in the same manner that other objects are forbidden”
- the Torah law states that apples indeed become as forbidden to them as pork. In
other words, a vow enables us to possess the power to alter reality itself and, in effect,
create another prohibition.
We all know the power of words, how they can make or break a person. The Jewish
mystics called humankind "the speaker" and identified speech as a uniquely human
trait. We begin Yom Kippur, the most significant day of the year, by declaring that our
words are sacred. We cannot even begin to talk to God about repentance, atonement
or forgiveness, before establishing that our word is one that can be trusted.
On the holiest day of the year we ask for forgiveness, but why is forgiveness a holy
endeavour?
There is a little-known poetic prayer recited every night before going to sleep. The
prayer is a statement of wholehearted forgiveness to anyone who has wronged us
during the day. Forgiveness is not easy. It is an act of letting go, a practice in humility,
and a meditation of trust in the fact that all will be ok even if we choose to let it go.
Forgiveness is an act of courage. It is a mindset of freedom. Freeing ourselves from the
chains of being affected by the thoughts or actions of others. It is a declaration that
there is meaning to what transpires, even if the outcome 1was not as we had hoped
for. Forgiveness is holy because it makes me the master of my own inner world.
Imagine being able to hit the reset button on all ofthe day's frustrations, disappointments,
and let-downs. Imagine opening up our hearts to acceptance and love and compassion
for others, instead of resentment, hate and despair. Contemplating forgiveness each
night, after briefly reviewing the day’s significant moments, can truly change the way
we feel about people, and the way we allow people to affect us.

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114 114

Rabbi Gideon Goldwater

A perceptive reader will notice that in this “mantra” there are two unusually large
letters. The letter “‫ ”ע‬of ‫ שמע‬and the letter “‫ ”ד‬of ‫ אחד‬are written large, spelling the
word ‫ עד‬- 'witness'. On a basic level, the reason offered for this anomaly is that in this
statement lies the Jewish people's visual “testimony” to the Unity of God. However,
when one considers the faculty of sight required for witnessing one realises very
quickly an apparent contradiction to the simple imperative of “Shema - hearing”.
Seeing and hearing are two opposites. Whilst hearing requires time, process and
understanding, seeing needs none of that. One can see an entire scene in an instant.
No prerequisite language skills. Seeing is more than believing, seeing is knowing.
The level of knowledge attained when witnessing something far supersedes that of
hearing.

"Memory is required to hold onto one sound bite,
to connect it to the next one. Meaning is required to

translate this collection of sounds into something
comprehensible."

So which is it; “Hear Israel” or “See Israel”?
Can it be both?
The answer lies in the beginning. This is a
mantra because it is meant to encapsulate
our days, and indeed our lives. It is the
framing of everything we experience. From
when we awake in the morning, to when we
go to sleep at night. From when we are very
young to when we utter our last words. We
move through life hearing the syllables, and
piecing together the pieces. If we are just
able to “hear” properly then we can put the
pieces together and be able to “see” the
big picture. In this way we are able to see
meaning, purpose and Unity behind all the
“little things”. All of life and everything that
happens in it is bookended by this structure
of processing; connect the dots and testify
to the real picture. Hear until you can see!

115 SHEMA: 115

in depth Hearing Is Believing?

There are a number of mysteries that float to the surface when one
takes a minute to analyse what many have dubbed “the mantra
of Judaism”; the Shema. It is one of the first verses we sing to our
children from when they are born, and it is the prayer that when
possible exits the lips of one on their deathbed. Shema is recited
upon arising in the morning, and concludes our daily prayers
before we retire to bed. It is by definition all encompassing.

But why? What is hidden in these simple words “Hear Israel, that the Lord is God, the
Lord is One” that is so powerful?
It is tempting to suggest that the relevance of this monotheistic statement of affirmation
grew in popularity in contrast to the polytheistic culture it was born into. When the
world believes in conflicting, multiple sources of power, we had to constantly reinstate
our commitment to God’s unity on a daily basis. However, if this is true, then the
logical conclusion to this line of thinking should dictate that its relevance has faded.
What once was a powerful statement of what made a Jew, Jewish, has now become an
irrelevant commemoration of a cultural battle that has long been won.
It has to be more than that.
The secret to the Shema lies couched in an appreciation of some of the deepest
fundamentals of Jewish consciousness. The ubiquitous concept that the human being
is moulded in the divine image is one that has layers of depth to it. On the surface level
it produces an obligation to identify Godliness both in ourselves and those around us.
It is the source of dignity and human rights. But beyond this there is a metaphysical
interpretation that understands that this divine imagery can utilise human physiology
to appreciate spiritual truths. An appreciation of biology sheds light onto theology!
How so? The faculty of hearing or listening works in a wonderful way, capitalising two
key ingredients; memory and meaning. Memory is required to hold onto one sound
bite and to connect it to the next one. Meaning is required to translate this collection
of sounds into something comprehensible. One must hear one syllable followed by
another, and then use the ability to comprehend the language spoken to piece it
all together and make sense of what they are hearing. The Hebrew word “Shema”
is also used biblically to mean “gather together” which is a direct reflection of the
process of hearing. There is a type of knowledge that is gained through listening and
understanding. This is the process of “Shema”- gathering together the pieces, the
sounds, to develop understanding.

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116 116

Rabbi Daniel Rowe

Rosh Hashana forces us to ask the deepest questions of all. It forces us to address
the purpose of life and the meaning of life. It rips away the superficial nonsense
that we often spend too much time with. If we could only have a month to live
what we would want to do with our lives? The way we prioritised our time and
decisions would change beyond recognition.

"Addressing all that will form the rest of the prayers. But we
have to realise that those questions must be asked. We have
to let them pierce to our very core, shatter any delusions that
our lives our secure, and use the questions to help us redirect

and refocus ourselves to live the types of lives we can be
proud of in the year ahead."

Repentance, Prayer and Charity...
Judaism does not believe in fate. Even a Divine decree can be averted; there is
always hope.
Teshuva is typically translated as ‘repentance’ but actually derives from the
Hebrew word ‘shuv’ - literally ‘to return’. When we do wrong we not only hurt
others, but we actually let anger, passion, pride, or any other defect take us away
from who we really are. To ‘return’ to who we really are allows us to say that the
wrong act was not us; it was, so to speak, a stranger. As such it is not we who are
deserving of the decree, but a person who we no longer recognise.
Prayer is where we put God at the center. Like ‘teshuvah’, it involves stepping out
of our self-centeredness and refocusing on God’s Will.
Charity likewise takes us out of self-centeredness. But it also does more than that:
it allows us to be the vehicle for God to give to those who need.
These three areas involve three different relationships. To return to who we really
are involves a relationship with ourselves; to pray involves our relationship with
God; charity involves our relationship with others. Together the three areas help
us to step outside of our selfish drives, and to find a deep inner voice that is God-
centered, caring about the rest of the world.

117 UNETANE117 H TOKEF:

in depth The Fragile Scales of Justice

Unetaneh tokef has become one of the highlights of the day, adopted
by communities the world over. Whilst its precise origin is unknown,
its widespread insertion into almost every Machzor was inspired by the
story of Rabbi Amnon of Mainz in the 11th century.
Reminiscent of many attempts to tempt or compel Jews to abandon their faith,
the Bishop of Mainz tried to convince Rabbi Amnon to convert to Christianity.
To divert the pressure, Rabbi Amnon requested three days to think about it.
Upon realising that he had implied that his commitment to Judaism was even
potentially doubtful, Rabbi Amnon spent the three days fasting and praying,
ultimately refusing to return to the bishop. When he was finally brought before
the bishop, he pleaded guilty for his failure to attend, and offered in punishment
that his tongue be cut off for wrongly insinuating that he was seriously considering
the offer to convert. Enraged,the Bishop instead ordered that his hands and feet
be severed, limb by limb, for failing to heed his request.
A few days later it was Rosh Hashanah, and Rabbi Amnon, dying from his wounds,
requested that he be carried to the Synagogue, and asked permission to read
out a prayer he had composed. Unetaneh Tokef was that prayer. He died with its
words on his lips.
Who will live and who will die?

Rosh Hashana commemorates the
creation of man. Every year we relive
that creation. The year ahead does not
yet exist, and that means our life in the
year ahead does not yet exist.
Rosh Hashana asks the ultimate
question: should we live at all? It is
the question we hear our Creator ask
us. To hear that question ought to
awaken us to the fragility of life. Life is
not long, and it can end at any time. If
we would like another year of life we
need to hear the voice of our Creator
asking us: Why do you want another
year? What do you plan to do with it?

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Rabbi Eli Birnbaum

selecting which elements or ‘parts’ of that person we wish to carry onward, and which
we wish to leave behind.
This is why people who suffer a bereavement feel an intense longing for actual, tangible
memorabilia or triggers that will help them to recall their loved ones as fully and as
accurately as possible. The prospect of losing a piece of a memory can be frightening
and overwhelming. And so, we assemble an army of photographs, keepsakes and
heirlooms to fight off the creeping mists of time.
I experienced this myself just a few months ago. As my dear mother of blessed memory
slipped away, I found myself intensely longing for and seeking out any and all pictures
I had of her with me. I found and subsequently pored for hours over the baby book
she had made, chronicling my first years of life as I took my first steps into her world,
and she into mine. I traced her careful, delicate handwriting, wiling – no, urging – the
letters to somehow pierce through the fog of my teenage and adult years and throw
open reservoirs of memory so that I could experience her love anew before she left me
forever. It worked. I could hear my mother’s voice calling to me from the photos – and
that chapter of my life flooded back from the forgotten past into the fleeting present
to fix itself in my future.
Yizkor. It poses an entirely different challenge. A challenge I must confess to being
quite afraid of: What will the act of remembering look like when there are no props
to hand? When, standing in synagogue, I won’t be able to revert to photos, voice-
notes or film clips? Part of me dreads this – to go through the process of remembering
without those items holding my hand, guiding me through, avoiding the inevitability
of Kandel’s ‘selection’. Perhaps this is why mourners in their first year of bereavement
do not recite Yizkor. Perhaps it is too much.
But when all is said and done, there is one prop. One enduring piece of tangible
memory that can and must trigger that avalanche of comfort I so desperately crave.
Me.
As I stand there on Yom Kippur and recite Yizkor, I will first turn outward, searching for
clues, props and triggers to anchor me in the moment. It will be the natural, instinctive
thing to do. But it needn't be done. Instead, I must turn inward, reflecting on the
ways in which I can live her legacy, selecting the towering lessons of her life and
transforming them - at a molecular level - to become very real, very tangible parts of
the present. And through this, to transform my memory of her into a celebration and a
hope - that I and my family be inscribed in the Book of Life; a book whose chapters are
largely written in my rough, messy handwriting. But here and there, at key junctures or
crossroads, a different handwriting appears. It is careful and delicate. It is hers.

119 YIZKOR: 119

in depth Days of Future Past

Remember. Sometimes it feels like the word itself conjures up all of
Jewish history in its gloriously fragile entirety. We’ve been through
a lot together, and apart. Our shared memory is the canvas on
which civilisation painted its victories and defeats, its conflicts and
compromises, its triumph and despair. We have lived through it all.
We have died through it all. And we gather on Yom Kippur to remind
humanity. To remind ourselves: The canvas still isn’t full.

God knows, we come a long way. But there is still a distance to journey. And that
journey will in turn segue into the next glorious splash of paint on our shared canvas.
And generations hence will in turn gather in their synagogues, recalling us; our
victories, our defeats, our conflicts, our compromises, our triumphs and despairs.
Remember. The High Holiday season is saturated in it. Little known fact about Rosh
Hashana: In all of Scripture, the name appears precisely zero times. The Torah bestows
quite a different identity on the Jewish New Year: ‘Yom Teruah’ is its Biblical name, ‘A
Day of Shofar Blowing’. You can see why, as time passed, we spruced that name up
a bit and made it more commercially viable. After all, ‘Happy Shofar-blowing Day’
emblazoned across the top of a greeting card hardly has a ring to it.
Our sages had further plans for the New Year’s identity. Throughout the day’s liturgy,
they called it ‘Yom Hazikaron’, commonly translated as ‘Day of Remembrance’ or –
slightly more accurately – ‘Day of Memory’.

Remember. Yizkor.
I recently read a fascinating fact
about the act of remembering.
Neuroscientist and Nobel prize
winner Eric Kandel, whose family fled
Austria shortly after the Anschluss,
used his research to demonstrate
how the molecular structure of the
brain physically changes as short-
term memories become long-term
ones, and then change again as we
subject our long-term memories to
the process that occurs every time
we consciously recall them. In other
words, the act of remembering – in
the long-run – is far closer to an act of

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