Wednesday evening begins the two
days of Rosh Chodesh for the month of Kislev.
The day before Rosh Chodesh is Yom Kippur Katan. What is Yom Kippur Katan and how can we make the most of it?
The day before each Rosh Chodesh
(beginning of the month) is referred to as 'Yom Kippur Katan," the
"Little Yom Kippur." R' Gedalya Schorr, in explaining why this is the
case, first discusses the purpose of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, simply stated, is
a day for one to take an accounting of what he or she has accomplished or
failed to do. It is time for people to inspire themselves, to arouse within
their heart and soul a desire to accomplish more, to strive for greatness.
There
are two approaches that can be taken when it comes to self-motivation. One
approach is to focus on that which we are lacking. "Why can't I control my
anger, why can't I control my evil inclination, etc.?" By accenting our
faults, we realize how far we have fallen, and how great the need is to get
back on the right track. Another approach is to focus on our aspirations and goals.
Our Sages wrote that everyone is required to ask themselves "When will my
deeds reach the (level of the) deeds of my forefathers?" A person must
realize that he has it within himself to achieve greatness, and that greatness
is indeed within reach. Read More
Rosh Chodesh
reminds us of what man could and should have been. It is a time of atonement because its message
of renewal summons Israel to renew itself, to return to its roots and shed the
blandishments of the material world.
Because of this, the nation’s spiritual leaders ordained that the day
before Rosh Chodesh should be a day of repentance and atonement – a miniature
Yom Kippur. In earlier times, when Jews
were closer to God, one Yom Kippur a year was enough, perhaps, but as the years
went by and the exile chipped away at our spiritual awareness, the genius of
our religious leaders asserted itself and they prefaced the monthly day of
renewal with a day of reflection, prayer, and repentance. This is Yom Kippur Katan, a day when we can help
bring the moon back to its original state by becoming worthy of Redemption and
God’s Presence. (Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Arstscroll Yom Kippur Katan
Service)
Tehilla Diamond writes about participating in her
first Yom Kippur Katan service in Bnei Brak in a blog post entitled Yom Kippur Katan, No Small Endeavor.
For a more in depth look at Yom Kippur Katan.
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