Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year is quickly approaching. (Starts eve of September 17th and ends sundown on the 18th.) It is a day to reflect on the past year and offer repentance to G-d for any wrongdoings.
I have always questioned a once a year repentance. I don’t feel comfortable waiting until Yom Kippur rolls around, to say “I’m sorry” if I’ve been guilty of any wrongdoings against G-d or another human being. I also question the Judeo/ Christian belief that G-d (or in Christianity… his son) can absolve me of any or all my sins.
I believe strongly in the let’s be held accountable for our daily actions philosophy and if that includes a daily dose “I’m sorry I ruffled your feathers” or some other form of apology, that’s what works for me!
For me, Yom Kippur is a good time to pray for the world….For the starving and suffering, victims of war, abuse and all the calamities we hear about every day. It’s a good time to reflect on how blessed I am to have a roof over my head, food in my belly and loved ones to share my life with.
And with all that said…Amen.
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Hi Debi, I guess so many people need a reminder to repent, that this day no doubt serves a good purpose. I’m not Jewish, but the communal and collective aspect of this day always had an impact on me. Maybe because we do so little of that anymore. But I agree with you that on an individual basis, acknowledgement and repentence should be a continuous process.
Thanks for writing. I always appreciate your comments!
I am curious about something… Why ‘G-d’ and not God….I didn’t know we could not spell out that word now. I guess it is like Xing Christ out of Christmas. WE might offend someone.
I am with you though. I also believe repentance is a daily way in life. At the end of the year I wouldn’t be able to remember all I have done wrong, besides I do not want those things weighing on my shoulders accumulating ‘interest’ all year long. I would think there are those out there who would say…”I can do the same sin over and over again all year and only have to go to God once.” I think true repentance is a process in which you stop doing the wrongs in your life, for the rest of your life. I also think death bed confessions are an insult to God. But hey who am I to say.
Jews interpret the law given by Moses as a prohibition against transcribing the name of God, because they feel that if God is recorded onto a piece of paper, there is the possibility that the name will be disrespected or destroyed in some way. The general concern with writing G-d in its true form is that it might be erased, defaced by being crossed out or scribbled upon, torn, thrown in the trash, or ravaged in some other way. Writing G-d instead of God communicates the writer’s idea effectively, but since G-d is incomplete, there is no risk of defacement. Due to the advent of technology, namely computers, which were obviously not around when this law was written, The Jewish community under careful deliberation has decided that it is acceptable to write the name of G-d on a computer as long as it is not printed to a permanent form. Rabbis have decided that deleting the name G-d on a computer, though not encouraged, is not in violation of the commandment not to write the name of G-d. http://www.wisegeek.com
thanks…I understand now. I will always want to learn new things about other faiths.
Thanks for the explanation. I didn’t understand why God was not spelled out in full.
Hi Debi, I agree that it’s good to make amends as we go along day to day. To ask for forgiveness and to forgive. And to repent by trying to make amends for damage we’ve done to others, not by punishing ourselves but by doing kind deeds.
I also think it would be good for the nation as a whole to have a day of reflection and reassessment. I say that because not all of our mistakes are individual. We’ve made some whoppers (in my opinion) as a nation. If we have Thanksgiving, why not also a National Day of Reflection? But I doubt that a majority of people could get behind that sort of day…which, in a way, MLK Day should be, come to think of it. It seems very hard for us to admit possible errors.
You bring up some good points. Always great to hear from you!
One of the steps of Alc. Anon is to take a daily inventory and stay abreast of our wrongdoings — and it is soo good to look at my daily glitches and not accumulate stuff. I love the idea of Yom Kippur — and am with you and Martha Maria about an international day of reflection and prayer!!! Can you imagine the power of all of that energy — on that one, singular, day – going out into the ethers?? It could become a natural phenomenon and you said it so perfectly. Amen.
Thanks for the information re the use of the word God. The laws of religion that were birthed by the Jews over 3000 years ago, still apply — but it doesn’t seem to hurt to have a little ‘wiggle’ room. Hope that’s not too apocryphal!! Thanks.
Thanks for sharing!
Debi…
Nice piece. Thanks.
I love this post…At a women’s Bible study a few weeks back, I made the comment that it is a gift of who we are to be present enough in life to learn about ourselves and our choises in every moment…so we should be correcting, repenting as we go…right?
You have a great attitude! I also try very hard to be respectful of others on a daily basis and include the word “thank-you’ as often as I can in my vocabulary. They are 2 very powerful words that can make such a difference in someone’s life!