HaRav Yishai Natan –

Kiddush Levanah

The Rama writes that Kiddush Levanah should be said after Yom Kippur, because Kiddush Levanah should be said when a person is happy. After Yom Kippur, a person is happy that his sins have been forgiven.

However, the Mishnah Berurah brings opinions that it is better to say Kiddush Levanah before Yom Kippur, so that a person can enter Yom Kippur with another mitzvah. Or LeTzion (4:6:10) also says that it is better to say it before Yom Kippur. Hacham Ovadia (Hazon Ovadia pg. 393) writes that a person may follow his minhag.

There is another practical reason to say it beforehand. If a person waits until after Yom Kippur, there may only be a few nights left, and the moon may not be visible because of the weather.

Being More Careful During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

The Shulhan Aruch writes that during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, a person should be more careful with certain halachot. One example is pat akum, bread or baked goods made by a non-Jew. This includes mezonot items such as cookies. Even someone who relies on a heter to eat these products during the year should try to be more mahmir during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah.

This does not mean that a person is being fake. Rather, we are showing that there is a higher level that we want to reach. Even if we are not on that level throughout the year, during these days we try to come closer to it.

Selihot on Erev Yom Kippur

The Ashkenazi custom is to say shorter Selihot on Erev Yom Kippur. The Sephardic custom is to say additional Selihot. Practically, many simply follow their regular Selihot.

Hatarat Nedarim

Hatarat Nedarim on Erev Yom Kippur is not brought in the Shulhan Aruch or Mishnah Berurah. However, many Sephardim have the minhag to perform Hatarat Nedarim again on Erev Yom Kippur.

Eating on Erev Yom Kippur

There is a mitzvah min haTorah to eat on Erev Yom Kippur. The Gemara teaches that one who eats on the ninth of Tishrei is considered as if he fasted on both the ninth and the tenth. Therefore, eating throughout the day is itself a mitzvah. A person should eat more than he normally would and should have kavanah that he is fulfilling the mitzvah.

The Minhat Hinuch indicates that only by eating a shiur of a kotevet he fulfills the mitzva, which is the amount for which a person would become liable for eating on Yom Kippur. Others hold that even eating a small amount fulfills the mitzvah. According to this opinion, every time a person eats something small during the day, he can have kavanah to fulfill the mitzvah.

Working on Erev Yom Kippur

Although doing melachah on Erev Yom Kippur is permitted, Yalkut Yosef writes that one who does melachah does not see a siman berachah from it.

The importance of eating on Erev Yom Kippur is so great that it is even brought down that a person should shorten his regular learning schedule when necessary in order to have enough time to eat.

Kapparot

The Shulhan Aruch strongly objects to the custom of kapparot. The Rama, however, defends the custom and writes that it should be followed.

Sephardim also perform kapparot, even though Maran objected to the practice. This is because the Arizal supported kapparot, and we follow the Arizal even against Maran. Therefore, the Kaf HaHaim, Hacham Ovadia, Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, and others support and encourage the custom of kapparot.

The ideal time for kapparot is on Erev Yom Kippur. The Mishnah Berurah brings that it should preferably be done during ashmoret, early in the morning. When using chickens, many people perform kapparot earlier because of the difficulty of arranging it on Erev Yom Kippur. Those who use money can easily perform it on Erev Yom Kippur itself.

Going to the Cemetery

The Rama discusses going to the beit hakevarot. However, the Ya’avetz writes that one should not go to the cemetery on Erev Yom Kippur, since Erev Yom Kippur has the status of a Yom Tov. Therefore, this is different from the custom of visiting graves before Rosh Hashanah.

Mikveh on Erev Yom Kippur

Regarding Rosh Hashanah, going to the mikveh is brought by the Rama but not by the Mehaber. On Erev Yom Kippur, however, Maran himself brings the minhag to go to the mikveh.

The Rama writes to immerse once because of tumat keri. The Mishnah Berurah brings opinions to immerse three times, since the immersion is also connected to teshuvah and becoming like a new creation.

There are many other customs. Some immerse 39 times, corresponding to the 39 lashes of malkut, while others immerse 151 times, the gematria of mikveh.

Malkut

The Shulhan Aruch brings the custom of receiving lashes on Erev Yom Kippur. The Arizal writes that today, we do not administer actual lashes, since we do not have the proper beit din and semuchim needed for real lashes.

The Rama therefore writes that a person should receive a small symbolic form of malkot as a reminder. The purpose is to awaken a person to teshuvah.

Some have the custom to combine vidui and symbolic malkot with going to the mikveh. However, one must be careful about saying or thinking holy words in an inappropriate place.

Asking for Mehilah

The Shulhan Aruch brings the mitzvah and custom of asking others for mehilah before Yom Kippur. Or LeTzion writes that asking one’s parents for forgiveness is especially important. Failing to do so can be considered disrespectful to one’s parents. It is also proper for spouses to ask each other for forgiveness.

A person should not simply ask for mehilah as a formality. If he knows that someone is still hurt, he should sincerely try to make peace and make sure that the person truly forgives him.

Erev Yom Kippur is actually an ideal time to ask for forgiveness. The person who was hurt is also more likely to forgive, because he himself wants forgiveness from Shamayim.

Minhah and Vidui

We pray Minhah early on Erev Yom Kippur so that we can say vidui before the seudah hamafseket. We do not want to wait until nighttime to say vidui, since something bad has veshalom could happen after the meal.

Tosefet Yom Kippur

There is a mitzvah de’oraita to add onto the holiness of Yom Kippur. Therefore, a person must stop eating and accept Yom Kippur a few minutes before shekiah.

Some say that the proper amount is approximately two to five minutes before shekiah. A person should therefore make sure that he finishes eating beforehand. Some also have the custom to verbally say that they are accepting the kedushah of Yom Kippur.

If a person finishes the seudah hamafseket early, he may still eat afterward as long as he did not verbally accept the fast upon himself.

Candle Lighting

The proper berachah for lighting candles is Lehadlik ner shel Yom HaKippurim.

If a woman accidentally said Lehadlik ner shel Yom Tov, she is still yotzeh, since Yom Kippur is a Yom Tov. However, if she accidentally said Lehadlik ner shel Shabbat, she would need to correct the berachah.

Regarding Sheheheyanu, if a woman is going to Bet Knesset, it is better for her to hear Sheheheyanu there rather than say it while lighting.

If she will not be going to Bet Knesset, a Sephardic woman should first make the berachah on the candles and light them. She should then say Sheheheyanu. This avoids possible problems. Hacham Ovadia and Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul both rule this way.

Jewelry on Yom Kippur

The Mishnah Berurah writes that women should not wear the extra jewelry that they normally wear especially for Shabbat and Yom Tov. Regular jewelry that a woman wears during the week, such as a wedding ring, may be worn.

Rabbi Akiva Eiger discusses avoiding gold clothing because gold reminds us of the Het HaEgel. However, this discussion is about clothing, not ordinary gold jewelry. Therefore, a gold ring or watch that a person normally wears is permitted.

Melachah on Yom Kippur

The laws of melachah on Yom Kippur are the same as on Shabbat. Anything that is forbidden as melachah on Shabbat is also forbidden on Yom Kippur.

The difference is in the severity of the punishment. Certain intentional violations of Shabbat carry sekilah, while intentional violation of Yom Kippur carries karet.

The Five Inuyim

There are five major inuyim on Yom Kippur:

Eating and drinking
Rehitzah — washing
Sichah — applying oils or creams
Wearing leather shoes
Tashmish hamitah

Taking Pills

A person who needs medication may generally swallow a pill without water. This can even apply to a caffeine pill for someone who regularly drinks coffee and would otherwise develop a serious headache. Swallowing a pill is not considered normal eating because the person is taking it as medicine, not as food.

There can also be a question of refuah, which is generally restricted on Shabbat and Yom Kippur. However, someone who would otherwise become a holeh she’ein bo sakanah may take necessary medication.

If a person cannot swallow the pill without water, Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul writes that a small amount of water can be made extremely bitter and unfit for normal drinking, and the pill can be swallowed with that.

Washing

A person may wash his hands in the morning up until the large knuckles where the fingers connect to the palm. The same applies after using the bathroom.

If there is actual dirt on the hand, the dirty area may be washed even beyond the knuckles. The prohibition is against washing for pleasure, not removing actual dirt.

A person generally may not wash his face or eyes in the morning. However, if there is dirt around his eyes, he may use enough water to remove it.

Brushing Teeth and Mouthwash

There are two concerns with brushing one’s teeth on Yom Kippur: swallowing water and rehitzah inside the mouth.

If a person’s mouth feels dirty and uncomfortable, there is more room to permit cleaning it because the purpose is to remove dirt rather than for pleasure. A person should keep his head facing downward and be extremely careful not to swallow any water.

Mouthwash may have an additional advantage because it is not something that a person normally drinks. However, breath-freshening strips are more problematic and should be avoided.

Deodorant, Oils, and Creams

Sichah, applying oils or creams for pleasure, is prohibited on Yom Kippur.

Although there is more room to permit deodorant on Tishah BeAv when it is being used to remove a bad smell rather than for pleasure, Yom Kippur is stricter. Therefore, deodorant should be applied before Yom Kippur rather than during the fast.

Leather Shoes

Leather shoes may not be worn on Yom Kippur. The leather should not be on the bottom, top, or sides of the shoe.

Regarding the morning berachah of She’asah Li Kol Tzorki, there is a mahloket. Sephardic customs vary, and a person should follow his minhag.

Even children who are not fasting should generally be trained not to wear leather shoes once they reach the appropriate age. Since wearing non-leather shoes such as Crocs is usually not difficult, this inui can be taught even to younger children of 6 years old and higher.

Tashmish HaMitah

Tashmish hamitah is prohibited on Yom Kippur. In addition, a husband and wife follow the distancing laws that apply when a wife is a niddah, even when she is not actually a niddah. This includes avoiding physical contact.

Children Fasting

The Shulhan Aruch discusses training children to fast for several hours. A child around nine or ten years old who normally eats breakfast at 9:00 may delay eating until 10:00 or 11:00.

The Shulhan Aruch also discusses eleven year old children fasting completely. However, the Mishnah Berurah writes that nowadays the custom is generally not to have children fast because children are considered weaker.

A Sick Person Eating Shiurim

A seriously ill person whose health would be endangered by fasting must eat or drink as necessary. When medically appropriate, he may be able to eat and drink in shiurim.

A commonly used amount for food is approximately 30 grams at a time. Although the actual halachic limit may be higher, 30 grams provides a safety margin.

One practical method is to measure the proper volume before Yom Kippur. Fill a small cup with water until it reaches the measured amount and mark the level. The water can then be emptied, and food can be packed into the cup up to that line.

The food is then eaten at intervals. A commonly used stricter interval for kedei achilat peras is nine minutes.

If 30 grams every nine minutes is medically insufficient, the amount or time interval may need to be adjusted. This should be determined based on the person’s medical needs and proper halachic guidance.

Drinking Shiurim

Food and liquid are measured separately. Therefore, a person may eat the permitted shiur of food and also drink the permitted shiur of liquid.

The amount for drinking is melo lugmav, the amount that fills one cheek. This differs from person to person and should ideally be measured before Yom Kippur.

A rough estimate for an average-sized person is around 40 grams of liquid, while a smaller person may have a smaller shiur. It is better to measure the person’s individual melo lugmav beforehand.

IV on Yom Kippur

Receiving nutrition or hydration through an IV is not considered eating or drinking. When an IV is medically appropriate and needed, it should be inserted before Yom Kippur, since inserting it on Yom Kippur can raise separate Shabbat-type melachah issues. The bag can then be hooked up on Yom Kippur.

One Hundred Berachot

It is difficult to reach 100 berachot on Yom Kippur. We are not eating, and the Amidah contains fewer berachot than the weekday Shemoneh Esrei.

A common Sephardic practice is therefore to have besamim available in the Bet Knesset. A person can smell them and make additional berachot throughout the day whenever there has been a proper heseh hadaat.

Sleeping on Yom Kippur

Unlike Rosh Hashanah, there is no special concern about sleeping during the day on Yom Kippur. A person may take a nap if necessary.

Ending Yom Kippur

Just as we add time before Yom Kippur begins, there is also a concept of adding some time after Yom Kippur before ending the fast.

Hacham Ovadia writes that, when possible, it is best to wait 72 minutes after shekiah, together with an additional small amount for tosefet.

Havdalah

Havdalah after Yom Kippur is made over a cup of wine and a candle, but without besamim.

The candle should be a ner sheshavat, a flame that was lit before Yom Kippur and remained burning throughout Yom Kippur. A new flame should not be used for the berachah.

A yahrtzeit candle that was lit before Yom Kippur may be used, or another candle may be lit from that existing flame. Unlike regular Havdalah, the candle does not need to have multiple wicks.

If no flame remained burning from before Yom Kippur, the berachah on the fire is omitted.

The reason is that on Motzaei Shabbat, the berachah on fire relates to the creation of fire by Adam HaRishon. After Yom Kippur, however, the flame demonstrates that using fire was prohibited throughout Yom Kippur. Therefore, we specifically use a flame that rested throughout the day.

Women and Havdalah

A woman should not eat after Yom Kippur until she hears Havdalah. If her husband will not be home for some time and she needs to eat, she may make Havdalah herself.

For Sephardim, a woman may make Havdalah herself with out any concern.