Yom Kippur – a Pearl

YOM KIPPUR.  How to plug in and make it meaningful this year?

I researched around, and asked questions to my Rabbi, my son, and my mentor… “Can you explain Yom Kippur in a nutshell to me?”

This is what I’ve learned.

Yom Kippur,  the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is a time we repent; we ask G-d to forgive us and seal us in the “book of life” for the coming year. In Hebrew, the word for repentance is teshuvah.

The interesting thing about teshuvah is that it means to repent AND also to RETURN..

RETURN TO WHAT?

On Yom Kippur, TESHUVAH  means
WE RETURN TO WHO WE REALLY ARE.   
The deepest part of our soul.

In this place, we are pure, free of sin and one with Hashem. Actually, this deepest part of our soul IS Hashem inside of us.

When we RETURN, we automatically do ‘“the right things”, because we are one with the source of goodness, wisdom and strength.

Ok, well enough… that’s Part one.

Part two is the hard part…  just how do we do this?

THE PEARL
My son Kobi gave me this pearl…

On this Holy Day, when we become willing to open our minds, hearts and souls to Hashem,,,

The return simply happens.     

We  don’t have to pressure ourselves to have a great epiphany; it is beyond our human means. This incapacity to do it ourselves is actually freeing. 

THE RUB   
But I WANT that profound experience! That divine feeling of, “Yes! I am connected with G-d”… 
I want that spiritual high!!  If while I am praying, my mind keeps wandering to… am I praying deeply enough ? am I returning correctly? am I doing this right?… 

Where’s the big “RETURN”  to my true self in that?

THE EGO.
Aaaah! While discussing this with Kobi I realized… that’s just my ego doing its job! The human inclination to hit the mark, to succeed, to get it right and be victorious!

I may not “feel high” or experience what seems like a mystical connection. Yet when I bring my willingness and the desire for Hashem to prayer, I can simply trust that the DEEP PROFOUND RETURN and REUNION with Hashem is happening. My ego may bug me pushing for “more intensity”.  I can just sit up a little straighter and remind myself that the “high” is happening right here, right now, even bigger than our capacity to know.

TRUST
This is my PEARL for Yom Kippur 5782, year 2021.
Freedom from believing that pesky ego voice which says push harder, feel more, plug in better. Like with a rambunctious two year old, I can redirect that passion chasing spiritual achievement and instead point to “shiny objects”. In this case the shines are the beautiful subtle pearls of…

TRUST HASHEM,   
TRUST OUR RETURN…       
to the deepest part of our souls, our truest selves,
and KNOW
WE ARE ONE.

Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad.

I wish each of you an easy fast and a beautiful wonderful healthy year filled with blessings and your heart’s desires. 

G’mar chatima tova”.  May you be sealed for a good year in the book of life. 💞

Love, Vivi ©   

**If you do not have a place to go for Yom Kippur, here is a link for almost every location. There are thousands of services outdoors or in, across the U.S. and around the world

HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES DIRECTORY LINK (from Chabad.org)

Did you enjoy this? I’d love you to join us! SUBSCRIBE HERE to join our mailing list. 💞

Photos from Canva.com