Honouring Yom Kippur
These halachos of Honouring Yom Kippur and Candle Lighting are based on the Mishna Berura, reflecting Ashkenazi practice
- Honouring Yom Kippur: Chazal learned from the passuk in Yeshaya (53:18) ‘לקדוש ה’ מכובד’ ‘and the holy of Hashem ‘honoured’’ that there is a mitzva of kavod – giving honour to – Yom Kippur, which we fulfil by wearing clean, smart clothing and lighting candles, per the passuk (Yeshaya 24:15) ‘באורים כבדו ה’ ‘ – with lights give honour to Hashem.
- Lights in shul: The custom is to ensure that the shuls are well lit, based on the above (SA 610:4)
- Tablecloths: The custom is to set the shul up with tablecloths and one should similarly do so at home, out of honour for the day (SA 610:4).
- Jewellery: Women should not wear extra jewelry that they may wear on a Shabbos or Yom Tov, out of awe of Yom Kippur being a day of judgement, though they may wear the jewelry they wear on a regular weekday (MB 610:16, PT 5).
Wearing a Kittel
- White clothing, kittel: Some have the custom to wear white clothing, to imitate the Malachim (angels) and the custom is for married men to wear a white kittel. A kittel is also worn as this is part of the burial shrouds placed on one who has passed away, such that wearing it leads to a sense of humility.
- There are different practices whether a newlywed in his first year of marriage or one who is aveilus (the twelve month mourning period for parents or thirty days for other relatives) wear a kittel (R 610:4, MB 18, PT 3).
- Kittel in the bathroom: men may keep their kittel on if merely going to the bathroom to urinate; if defecating they should remove it beforehand (MB 610:18, PT 3).
Hadlakas Neros – Candle lighting – for Yom Kippur
- We light candles before Yom Kippur comes in as we do for Shabbos and other Yomim Tovim. The bracha made after lighting the candles is ‘Baruch…Lehadlik ner shel Yom HaKippurim’. If Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, one concludes ‘shel Shabbos veshel Yom HaKippurim’ (SA,R 610:1-2, MB 7, SH 2)
- Shehecheyanu: Some women say the bracha of Shehecheyanu when lighting candles; those who do so should ensure not to say Shehecheyanu again when it is said in Shul after Kol Nidrei (SHT 619:7)
Additional Lights
- In the bedroom: A married couple should ensure there is a light source in the bedroom, as a reminder that marital intimacy is forbidden on Yom Kippur. This is not necessary if the wife is Niddah (R 610:1, MB 5).
- Ner HaChaim: There is a custom for married men to light a candle known as the ‘Ner Hachaim’ (candle of life) or ‘Gesunter Licht’ (candle of health) which has enough fuel to last for the entirety of Yom Kippur. Some light it at home, whilst others do so in shul. (R 610:4, MB 11, 14, PT 2).
- Ner Neshama: the custom is also to light a candle that lasts for the duration of Yom Kippur if one’s father and/or mother have passed away; one candle is sufficient even if one has lost both parents (R 610:4, R 12).
- A candle for havdala: For havdala on Motzei Yom Kippur, one may not say the bracha of ‘Borei MeOrei Ha’esh’ on a new flame and one should only say it over a flame which was lit for the purpose of providing light, not just to give honour to the day. Therefore, the ideal practice is to light an extra candle (aside from the ‘ner hachaim’ and/or ‘ner neshama’ which one lights) which will last until after Yom Kippur specifically for the purpose of it giving light so one can use it for Havdala (SA 624:4, MB 13, PT 6).
- If any of the above candles go out, one may not ask a non-Jew to rekindle them over Yom Kippur (R 610:4).
