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Yom Kippur, also known as Yom HaKippurim the Torah literally says in reference to,

" Only on the tenth of the seventh month..." (VaYikra 23:27)  

"Only" (אַךְ - ach in Hebrew) teaches that Yom Kippur only atones for those who repent and regret their sins, making every effort to rectify anything they have done.  People who do not repent their sins do not have them forgiven in spite of having lived to this date and beyond it.

The gematria for ach is 21. The Hebrew word for repentance is "teshuvah" which the gematria value of the letters in this word are 400, 300, 6, 2 and 5.  In the minor numerical value (mispar katan) these values are 4,2,6,2, and 5.  This adds up to 20.  If one adds a unit for the entire word, the sum is 21, the same as the word ach.  This teaches that Yom Kippur does not atone without repentance.

When a person repents, it is not enough for him to confess his sins and say, "I have erred, I have sinned, I have rebelled."  He must actually change his ways and stop sinning.

Moreover, simple repentance only helps for sins between man and G-d.  For sins between man and man, Yom Kippur does not help until one reconciles himself with his fellow.


Laws of Yom Kippur

It is a mitzvah to eat and drink a lot on the day before Yom Kippur which is alluded to in VaYikra 23:31:

"You shall afflict yourselves on the ninth of the month" 

The literal meaning of the verse is difficult to understand since we do not fast on the ninth of the month, but on the tenth of the month which is Yom Kippur.  The Torah explicitly said earlier,

"On the tenth day of the seventh month... you shall afflict yourselves" (23:27)

However, the Torah is teaching us that anyone who eats and drinks on the ninth of the month is counted as if he had fasted two days, the ninth and tenth.

G-d loved the Jewish nation so much that He commanded us to fast only one day each year for our own benefit.  He commanded us to eat and drink the day before so that we would have the strength to fast and not be harmed by it.

"This is very much like a king who had an only son.  The king ordered his son to fast, but before the fast he ordered his servants to give the son much food and drink so that he would be able to fast easily."

In addition to its being a mitzvah to eat and drink on the ninth day, it is forbidden to fast on that day.

One reason it is a mitzvah to eat and drink on the day before Yom Kippur is to show that we believe with perfect faith that G-d has set Yom Kippur as a day of atonement and forgiving.  Although we have angered G-d all year, and by rights He should be angry with us for our sins, we have faith that He will close HIs Eyes and forgive us when we repent on this day, and not repay us as we deserve.

There is another reason for eating and drinking the day before Yom Kippur.  Whenever a person keeps a commandment he must do so with joy.  The commandment should not be a burden of which one wants to rid himself.

The commandment to repent is one of the 248 positive commandments of the Torah.  Therefore, according to the law, we should keep it with joy.  However, repentance requires sadness, weeping, and remorse for one's sins.  It is impossible to do this with joy.  Therefore G-d commanded us to eat, drink and be merry on the day before Yom Kippur.  This completes the joy of that commandment.

That is why the eating on the day before Yom Kippur is considered a fast.  It is a preparation for the fast of Yom Kippur.  If one does not behave joyously, then the fast and repentance on Yom Kippur are a little value since they involve grief and suffering.

Eating and drinking have another symbolism.  In the Messianic Age, the Evil Urge (Evil Inclination) will be destroyed and people will no longer sin.  We will then have no need for Yom Kippur.  It will be a day of feasting and rejoicing.  We now do this on the day before Yom Kippur, alluding to our belief in the coming of the Mashiach.

The pre-fast meal (seudah ha-mafseket) should be eaten rather early.  One should then accept the fast upon himself somewhat before twilight (bein ha-shemashot).  This is because one must add some of the weekday to the sanctity of the holy day.

The time that is considered "twilight" is the amount of time it would take for someone to walk three-fourths of a (Hebrew) mile (mil), which is 1500 steps.  Twilight starts a little bit less than one-fourth of an hour before nightfall.

At one-fourth of an hour before nightfall is called Yom Kippur.  If one eats at this time, he may be violating a prohibition for which the penalty is being spiritually cut off.  There is a possibility that this time is considered part of the night.

Moreover, G-d commanded us to add a bit more time; to accept the fast upon ourselves somewhat before this one-fourth hour which is called "twilight.'  Therefore, around one-half hour before night it is considered Yom Kippur even though it is still broad daylight. (Orach Chayim 261)

One must also add a bit of the weekday onto the holy day at the end of Yom Kippur.  It is forbidden to break one's fast or to do any work until it is certain that it is nighttime, when one can see three small stars.  These stars must be in proximity to each other.  If they are far from one another, it is not a true sign of night, and if one violates Yom Kippur, there is a question that he may be violating a prohibition for which the penalty is being spiritually cut off (karet).

If one east the pre-fast meal very early, and there is still enough time, he may eat and drink later as long as he has not accepted the fast upon himself.


Things Forbidden on Yom Kippur

1. Work.  Any work that is forbidden on the Shabbat is also forbidden on Yom Kippur.  The only difference between the Shabbat and Yom Kippur is that is if one purposely does work on the Shabbat, there is a penalty of death by stoning, while if one purposely does work on Yom Kippur, the penalty is being spiritually cut off.  Antyhing that may not be handled on the Shabbat because it is muktzeh may not be handled on Yom Kippur.
2. Eating.  We are forbidden to eat on Yom Kippur. If one eats a piece of food the size of a date on Yom Kippur he incurs the penalty of being spiritually cut off.  This amount, however, is significant only with regard to a penalty.  It is actually forbidden to eat even the smallest amount of food.
3. Drinking. We are forbidden to drink any beverages, including water, on Yom Kippur.  If one drinks a mouthful, he incurs the penalty of karet.  As mentioned earlier, even the smallest amount is forbidden.  The measures only involve penalties.
4. Washing.  We are forbidden to wash on Yom Kippur, whether with hot water or cold water. It is even forbidden to dip one's finger in water.  If one's face, hands or feet or other parts of his body are dirty, he may wash the soiled places.  Thus if one has a nosebleed, one may wash off the blood.  In the morning, one may wash his hands and recite the blessing "Al Netilat Yadayim", ("on washing the hands") as every morning.  However, one must be careful only to wash until the ends of the fingers.  Similarly, if one urinates or defecates, he may wash his hands in the above mentioned manner.  
5. Anointing.  It is forbidden to anoint one's body with anything normally used for anointing.  This is forbidden even if one does not do so for enjoyment, but merely to remove a bad odor.  However, if one does so for healing or if he has scabs on his head, it is permissible.
6. Wearing shoes.  It is forbidden to wear a sandal or shoe made of leather.  It is only permissible to wear shoes made of cloth or other substances. If the shoe is made of wood but covered with leather, it is forbidden.  A woman who is within thirty days after childbirth may wear shoes since cold is dangerous to her health.  Similarly, if one is sick or has a sore or wound on his food, he may wear shoes.
7. Sexual intercourse.  It is forbidden to have sexual intercourse on Yom Kippur.  A man may not touch his wife, just as if she were menstrually impure.

- MeAm Lo'ez; Bachya

You are great and do wonders, You alone, O G-d...In Your hands are the depths of the land and the loftiest mountains too... In His hands are the souls of all living things, and the spirits of all men (Selichot)

May we be inscribed in the Book of Life, blessing, peace, good sustenance, favorable decrees, salvation, and consolation... (addendum to the daily Amidah for the Ten Days of Repentance) 

On Rosh HaShanah, the Gates of Heaven are opened to receive our petitions and prayers.  Ten days later, on Yom Kippur and during the final moments of the Neilah service, these gates will close as we pray that all be sealed in the Book of Life.  Rosh HaShanah is the beginning and Yom Kippur is the culmination of the special ten day season within which man is offered the opportunity of a spiritual recovery by strenuous personal effort.

The theme of the Days of Awe is the concept that G-d has three books that in one He writes down who for the next year will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will have a bad life.  These books are:

"The Perfectly Righteous which are immediately inscribed and sealed to life; the Completely Wicked who are also immediately inscribed and sealed to death; and the Intermediate who are in suspense since they will neither be punished nor acquitted until Yom Kippur.  If they repent, they are inscribed to life; if not, they are inscribed to death." (Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Our actions during the Yamim Noraim can altar G-d's decree.  The actions that can altar the decree is Teshuvah (Repentance), Tefillah (Prayer) and Tzedakah (Good Deeds, i.e. usually Charity).  These books are then sealed on Yom Kippur.

In Dani'el 7:10 we find mention of books openeed in the Heavenly Court:

"The court sat in judgment and the books were opened."

The Mishnah (Avot 2:1; 3:20) speaks of the record of man's actions in the Books of Heaven:

"The ledger is open and the hand writes."

Yeshayahu  (65:6) and Malachi (3:16) both allude to the divine recording of the deeds of the righteous and of the wicked.  The Book of Life is mentioned in Yeshayahu 4:3; Tehillim 69:29; Dani'el 12:1.

During the Day of Judgment (Rosh HaShanah) each of us pass in front of HaShem like a flock of sheep, the tenth day of this month is Yom Kippur, the day on which the decree penciled in on the Day of Judgement will be signed and sealed.  The ability of Yom Kippur to forgive our sins is dependent on our sincere teshuvah.  People who do not repent their sins do not have them forgiven in spite of having lived to this date and beyond it.

The first of the month (Rosh HaShanah) which is a Day of Judgment is applicable both to repentant sinners and those who do not repent.  However, Yom Kippur and its benefits apply only to those who have repented.


TESHUVAH

"Whenever you find the word "now" in the Torah, it refers to repentance" (Bereishit Rabbah 21)

The key to teshuvah (repentance) is prompt recognition and admission that we have done something wrong.  We must admit now, rather than later.  Too often we may tend to rationalize and explain away our behavior, insisting that we were right in what we did.  Only after all our rationalization are exhausted do we reluctantly concede that we were wrong.

The Rabbis teach us that it is unwise to defend a mistake.  If we promptly admit a mistake, it is so much easier to correct it.  After all, correcting mistakes is really what repentance is all about, and a major portion of spiritual growth is just that - correcting mistakes.

Although repentance is effective and desirable at all times, the Talmud says that the days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are especially propitious for repentance.  At the end of the year, a person is more apt to make an accounting of the bygone year, and see whether he is indeed where he had hoped to be at this time.  If he sees that he has not utilized the year well, he may be more determined in his resolve to improve in the year to come.  In addition, during these special days one is joined by many others in repentance, and the collective virtue is of great merit.

"I am He who removes your sins for My sake, and your transgressions I will not recall" (Yeshayahu 43:25)

"If You, O G-d, will mark the iniquities of man, then who can stand before You?  For with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared" (Shacharit; Tehillim 130:3,4)  

Fear of G-d...the true meaning of fear of G-d is that we should be aware that when we deviate from His will, we are injuring ourselves jut as if we were to ingest a poisonous substance.  Sin is destructive,a nd we should therefore fear it as we would fear anything that is very dangerous.  Although we may not be able to undo the physical harm that we do to ourselves, G-d assures us that if we repent, He will undo the spiritual harm that we have done to ourselves.

We dare not abuse this grace, this wonderful gift of forgiveness.

DIRECTING OURSELVES FOR THE COMING YEAR

The holiday of Rosh HaShanah is a microcosmic template possessing the inherent power to define the year ahead.  Our thoughts, speech, and actions on these two momentous days deeply impact how the coming year unfolds for each one of us, much like the drawing up of an architectural blueprint.

Here are four practical spiritual points to keep in mind during Rosh HaShanah, which will keep you focused and elevated on this important holiday:

1) THINK ONLY GOOD THOUGHTS.  Rosh HaShanah is called the "head" of the year, since it directs the course of events for the entire year to come  For this reason, it is important to take great care to think only good thoughts, since positive thinking will influence our year for the good.  According to Rabbi Nachman, we need to be wise enough to frame our thoughts positively and envision that G-d will be good to us.

2) SPEAK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.  What we talk about on Rosh HaShanah also deeply affects the upcoming year.  On the first day of Rosh HaShanah in particular, we should greatly minimize our speech.  In contrast to the second day of Rosh HaShanah, judgment on the first day is more severe, and our every word on this day can be used against us by the prosecution in the heavenly court.  There are those who even have the custom of "fasting" from speech completely.  The greater the person, the more meticulous they must be about speaking unnecessarily.

3) MINIMIZE YOUR SLEEP DURING THE DAY.  It is customary to refrain from napping during the day of Rosh HaShanah, and instead to recite Tehillim (Psalms), learn Torah or some other spiritually productive activity.  If you must nap or need some down time, strengthen yourself with joy.  According to the Talmud Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud), "If one sleeps at the year's beginning, his good fortune likewise sleeps."

4) DON'T GET ANGRY.  Be very careful to avoid anger on Rosh HaShanah, since G-d judges us in the same manner that we judge others.

VaYikra 23:24 "a remembrance with the blast of the Teruah"

On that day we are to recite verses which mention the blowing of the shofar and verses in which G-d is mentioned as remembering Yisrael.  We are to remind HaShem of Yitzchak who was prepared to give his life for Him and in whose place the ram which had got entangled by his horns was offered up instead (Bereishit 22:13)

Moshe revealed to our Sages that the Teruah's sound which the Torah speaks of is to be emitted by a shofar.  The linkage to the written Torah is established via the Teruah sound blown by a shofar which is mentioned in connection with the Yovel year (Rosh HaShanah 34).  The fact that this is the date of the Day of Judgment is alluded to by the word zichron, i.e. the day when G-d remembers all of man's deeds of the previous year.  On that day it is appropriate for us to listen to the sound of the teruah blown on the shofar.

A Midrashic approach (VaYikra Rabbah 29:7) understands the verse in terms of the patriarchs, suggesting that G-d is telling us that if we want to be found deserving when examined by G-d, our relationship to our Patriarchs is the key.  The Midrash explains that the shofar blasts of Rosh HaShanah, i.e. the blasts of the teruah, are an allusion to certain attributes.  Just as the attribute of fear pervading the celestial regions is surrounded by the attribute of Mercy, so our teruah sounds which are fear-inspiring are preceded and followed by the sounds known as tekiah, to parallel what occurs in heaven.  Were this not so the earth would collapse completely as soon as G-d would commence sitting in judgment of mankind.  If we would only blow the teruah sounds this would be heresy of the first order, i.e. as if we denied the presence of the attribute of Mercy.  Keeping this in mind we can understand that what is written here means that the Day of Judgment is the Day of the Teruah which is surrounded by the attribute of Mercy, called  here zichron.  Having understood this it follows that the meaning of the words zichron teruah is equivalent to shofar teruah and yom teruah (compare 25:9 and BaMidbar 29:1 respectively).

Rosh HaShanah is the great Day of Judgment.  On this day a person is balanced between life and death, depending on his deeds.  Therefore a person must offer prayers and repent with tears.  He must regret all his sins.

The sound of the shofar comes to awaken a person from his sleep.  It makes him realize that it is not an ordinary day.

We sound the shofar on this day, just as it is sounded when people go out to war.  It is sounded so that hte warriors will fight with all their strength to overcome their enemies.  Thus, when the Torah speaks of sounding the shofar, it does not use the word tekiah.  Rather, the Torah uses the word teruah.  The Targum translates this as yevavah, which indicates a cry or a weeping sound.  This teaches that a person must weep and cry out on this day because of the sins he committed all year.  He must repent so that G-d will have mercy on him and judge him on the scale of merit, and write him in the Book of Life.  On the basis of this one can understand the Talmud's discussion as to why the shofar is sounded twice.

There are the "sitting" soundings before Mussaf and the "standing" soundings which are said during Mussaf service.  The Talmud says that this is to confuse ha-satan.  The first time the shofar is sounded, ha-satan may think that it is the shofar of the Mashiach.  When the Mashiach comes the shofar will be sounded as it is written, 

"On that day the great shofar will be sounded" (Yeshayahu 27:13).  

When the Mashiach comes, ha-satan will lose all his power and death will no longer exist, as it is written,

"Death will be swallowed up forever... (Yeshayahu 25:8).

When the shofar is sounded the first time, ha-satan is not very confounded, since there is a question as to whether or not this is the shofar sounded for the Mashiach.  However, when he hears the shofar sound the second time he says, "This is certainly the shofar sounding for the Mashiach."  He becomes very confused and he can no longer denounce Israel.

The sounds of the shofar are the tekiah (a single, long note), the shevarim (three shorter notes) and the teruah (a staccato sound).

The tekiah comes to arouse the merit of Avraham, the shevarim comes to arouse the merit of Yitzchak, and the teruah comes to arouse the merit of Yaakov and David.  Then the final tekiah that closes the sounds comes to arouse the merit of Yaakov again.  He suffered great troubles and grief but never gave up serving G-d with a perfect heart.

From this we can understand the verse,

"Happy is the people who know to sound the teruah" (Tehillim 89:16)

On Rosh HaShanah G-d sits on a Throne of Judgment, but through our sounding of the shofar we cause Him to move to His Throne of Mercy.

This is eluded to in the verse, 

"G-d (Elokim) goes up in a staccato, G-d (YKVK) in the sound of the shofar" (Tehillim 47:6).  

The Name Elokim denotes the Attribute of Justice; this indicates that G-d is going up to sit on His Throne of Judgment.  But then the verse says, "G-d (YKVK) in the sound of the shofar."  The Tetragrammaton (YKVK) denotes the Attribute of Mercy.  This indicates that when G-d hears the sound of the shofar He sits on His Throne of Mercy.

"Happy is the people who know the teruah"...Am Yisrael are happy because they know how to sound the teruah.

Thank HaShem who chose His people Yisrael.

"Happy are the people who have this.  Happy are the people who have HaShem as their G-d" (Tehillim 144:15)

-Tzaddik Magazine; MeAm Lo'ez