Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur


     Yom Kippur is the most important holidays for the Jewish.  It is a time

for people to seek forgiveness from others.  Yom Kippur is important because it

comes just before the Jewish new year so that people can have a fresh start for

the new year.  Yom Kippur also gives people a chance to look back on the past

year and plan for the upcoming year.


     Yom Kippur dates back to biblical times when animals were used to

transfer sins to.  The first animal that was used was a goat, but soon roosters

for males and hens for females were used.  The sins were transferred from people

to the animals by tying a rope to the fowl's legs and then spinning around the

head of the person who was transferring their sins.  While the fowl was being

spun the person who was transferring their sins would begin chanting.  When the

ceremony was finished the animal would be sent away into the dessert.  Yom

Kippur is practiced very differently today.  Instead of transferring their sins

to animals people donate money to charities and throw stones into ponds.


     On the night before Yom Kippur, people prepare for the following day's

fast by eating an enourmous meal.  Following the meal candles are lit and the

Shehecheyanu is recited to bless the candles.  The following day is spent at the

synogauge where services are conducted all day long.  The most important part of

the services is when the rabbi asks everyone to take time to seek forgiveness of

anyone whom they may have hurt in some way in the past year.  People must seek

forgiveness because the Jewish feel that forgiveness is not something that may

be given, it is something that must be sought after.  Not wanting to start the

new year with any grudges, the entire congregation gets up and begins seeking

forgiveness.


     At sundown the fast is over.  The congregation leaves the synagouge and

goes home.  When they get home the break the fast by eating a huge meal.  This

meal marks the end of Yom Kippur.


Timeline of The Hebrews


922 B.C.     Isreal breaks up after the death of Solomon.  Splits into a

northern and southern kingdom with Shechm the capital of the northern half and

Jerusalem as the capital of the southern half.


876 B.C.  King Omri makes Samariai new capital.


842 B.C.  Queen Jezebel imposes the cult of Baal.  The people revolt and the

Aramaeans take advantage of this oppertunity and captures some land from Isreal.


786 B.C.-746 B.C.  Renaissance of Isreal under Jerobam II.


783 B.C.-742 B.C. Renaissance of Judah under Uzziah.


750 B.C.  The prophets Amos and Hosea speak out against the exploitation of the

poor by the rich.


738 B.C.  The Assyrians force Isreal to pay a large tribute.


721 B.C.  The Assyrians manage to capture Isreal and deport the Jews.  Judah

becomes a vassal state of Assyria.


715 B.C.  Hezekiah becomes King of Judah and rids the religion of Assyrian

influence.


687 B.C.  Assyrians attack Jereusalem.


640 B.C.-609 B.C.  King Josiah of Judah wins back some land from the Assyrians.


597 B.C.  The Babylonians capture Jerusalem and deport King Jehoiadin causing

the end of the Kingdom of Judah.


587 B.C.-539 B.C.  The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and cause the collapse of

the Kingdom of Judah.  587 marks the begining of the Babylonian exile which

ended through the Edict of Liberation of Cyrus the Persian


538 B.C.-400 B.C.  The Jews return to the Holy Land.  Joshua and Zerubbabel are

the religious heads of Judea.  Haggai adn Zechariah are the prophets in Judea.


332 B.C.  Alexander the Great conquers Jerusalem.


167 B.C.-164 B.C.  The Jews are persecuted and the cult of Zeus is established

in their temples.


104 B.C.-37 B.C.  Hasmoneans rule Judea.


63 B.C.  Pompey captures Jerusalem stretching the Roman power to the Holy Land.


26 A.D.-36 A.D.  Pontius Pilate is the govenor of Judea.


66 A.D.-73 A.D.  The Jews revolt for the first time against Rome.


70 A.D.  Romans destroy the temple.


132 A.D.-135 A.D.  The second Jewish revolt against Rome.  Also known as Bar

Kokhba.
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