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The Meaning And Purpose Of Yom Kippur
What is the purpose of Yom Kippur? What does Yom Kippur truly mean? After all, Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement but we also define it as one of the Days of Awe – but what does forgiveness of our sins have to do with awe? How are we supposed to understand the spiritual meaning of Yom Kippur?
In Parshat Acharei Mot, it explains that Yom Kippur is the one day of the year we can directly connect with God, recreating the experiences of Sinai and the tabernacle. In this video, Rabbi Fohrman explains how it is through this contact with God that we are purified of our sins and we emerge reborn and pure on Yom Kippur.
Through this perspective, we start to see that the main purpose of Yom Kippur is to let God envelop us with His presence, and that forgiveness is a byproduct or secondary purpose. There is no magic wand or holy day that automatically wipes away our sins, but we can find forgiveness on Yom Kippur through a closeness with God and our efforts to let go of our sins.
Join Rabbi Fohrman as he challenges our understanding of what Yom Kippur truly means.
When you're finished here, discover other great Yom Kippur videos at Aleph Beta, including ‘How To Do Teshuvah”, “The Story Of Jonah”. and “How To Get Closer To God.”
Animated Video• 9 mins 29 secs
Rabbi David Fohrman
Free PreviewThe Meaning And Purpose Of Yom Kippur
What is the purpose of Yom Kippur? What does Yom Kippur truly mean? After all, Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement but we also define it as one of the Days of Awe – but what does forgiveness of our sins have to do with awe? How are we supposed to understand the spiritual meaning of Yom Kippur?
In Parshat Acharei Mot, it explains that Yom Kippur is the one day of the year we can directly connect with God, recreating the experiences of Sinai and the tabernacle. In this video, Rabbi Fohrman explains how it is through this contact with God that we are purified of our sins and we emerge reborn and pure on Yom Kippur.
Through this perspective, we start to see that the main purpose of Yom Kippur is to let God envelop us with His presence, and that forgiveness is a byproduct or secondary purpose. There is no magic wand or holy day that automatically wipes away our sins, but we can find forgiveness on Yom Kippur through a closeness with God and our efforts to let go of our sins.
Join Rabbi Fohrman as he challenges our understanding of what Yom Kippur truly means.
When you're finished here, discover other great Yom Kippur videos at Aleph Beta, including ‘How To Do Teshuvah”, “The Story Of Jonah”. and “How To Get Closer To God.”
Animated Video• 9 mins 29 secs
Rabbi David Fohrman
Videos for the Yom Kippur
Teshuvah: Is There a Wrong Way to Repent?
Rabbi David Fohrman - 3 episodes - 25 min video
Teshuvah (repentance), is an emotional and deeply personal process. Yet, Judaism has numerous laws for exactly how we’re supposed to repent, including a specific process of confession. How does this make sense? Can there really be a “right” and “wrong” way to repent?
The Day of Atonement
Rabbi David Fohrman - 15 min video
What comes to mind when you think of Yom Kippur rituals? Yom Kippur is all about seeking atonement, but nowadays, we accomplish that through prayer and sitting in synagogue all day. But back when the Temple still stood, Yom Kippur customs involved goats and lotteries and sacrifices and sprinkling blood and incense and clouds. How do those weird Yom Kippur rituals atone for our sins? It sounds magical… and irrational. What meaning hides behind these ancient traditions that we can apply to our holy Day of Atonement today?In this video, we explore these strange Yom Kippur customs to understand how we can atone for our sins. Through this inspection, we deepen our understanding of what the Day of Atonement really means.
Unetaneh Tokef: Text, Interpretation & Meaning
Rabbi David Fohrman - 71 min video
At the center of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayer services is the passage "Unetaneh Tokef," literally, “let us speak of the awesomeness.” The powerful and dramatic prayer borrows imagery from the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel. A closer look at this biblical story sheds light on God's relationship with His people, a relationship of justice and mercy. Join Rabbi Fohrman as he helps us understand the prayer of "Unetaneh Tokef" in a deeper way.Discover other great videos for the High Holidays at Aleph Beta, including ‘How To Do Teshuva”, “What Is The Meaning and Purpose of Yom Kippur” and The 13 Attributes of God.”
Selichot: Demystified
Rabbi David Fohrman - 158 min video
Ever find Selichot inaccessible? Join Rabbi Fohrman and the Aleph Beta Scholars for this pre-Selichot discussion and enter Selichot truly prepared to connect.This video is a recording of a live event, held September 12, 2020.
2025 Webinar: When Teshuvah Goes Off Script
Rabbi David Fohrman - 2 episodes - 72 min video
Teshuvah is complicated. Whether it's trying to repair relationships that have gone sour, or whether it's trying to express true remorse to God for our past mistakes, not everything is black and white. In this recorded Q&A webinar, Rabbi Fohrman offers nuanced perspectives on some of this season's most difficult questions.
Yamim Noraim: Meaning & Significance
Rabbi David Fohrman - 78 min video
In this lecture, Rabbi Fohrman discusses the Days of Awe (“Yamim Noraim”), days during which many of us associate with guilt and fear. But is “awe” the same thing as “fear”? Can we give ourselves permission to break free of the painful emotions that often accompany these days, and experience this inspiring time of year in a brand new, uplifting way?Discover other great videos for the High Holidays at Aleph Beta, including “Understanding Unetaneh Tokef”, “How To Get Closer To God” and The 13 Attributes of God.”
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