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Tradition is that on Hoshana Rabbah (7th day of Sukkot) the judgment of G-d, passed on Yom Kippur, is sealed by a written verdict. During Sukkot the world is judged for water and for blessings of the fruit and crops.

It is tradition, since it is a day of judgment, to stay awake all night, studying Devarim, Tehillim, the Zohar and recite Tikkun. Some go during the night and immerse in the mikveh and to inject extra Kedusha (holiness) into the night.  One of the reasons for reading Tehillim is because of the impending finalization of the judgment. (When reciting the book of Tehillim one should say the Yehi Ratzon after each of the five books.)
The minhag of the Sefardim is to gather in family groups at home instead of in the synagogues. They read the Tikkun is turn one man after the other.

On Hoshana Rabbah eve, the women are busy baking long wheat loaves with braided ladders on top, such as are made and served the day before Yom Kippur and serves as a reminder during the pre-fast Yom Kippur meal that G-d decides who will ascend and descend the ladder of life. Similarly, for Hoshana Rabbah, the ladder is meant to help our prayers reach heaven. A lesser-known tradition is embellishing the round challah with birds or shaping the entire challah in this form, recalling the phrase of Yeshayahu 31:5 "As hovering birds, so will HaShem protect Yerushalayim."  Yet another theme is shaping the challah like a hand beseeching Heaven, or adding a motif of hands to the top of a round challah..  During this time dough is also rolled out which will be filled with meat for kreplech, a dish traditionally served during this time.

On Hoshana Rabbah morning, the attitude in the synagogue is a varied one.  It is still part of the semi-holiday period, yet the services are as rich as on a full holiday.  In addition the day is a mixture of Yom Kippur and Sukkot; there are the etrogim and willow branches of Sukkot, together with the candles, the white robes (kittels) and the chants of Yom Kippur.

A tradition (passed down from the Baal Shem Tov) was that as much as one exerts himself in the tefillot (prayers) of Hoshana Rabbah, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, it will help him in his kavanot (intention) in prayer during the rest of the year.

A very ancient custom that was observed even in the time of the First Temple, and the highest point in the ceremonial of Hoshana Rabbah, is the procession around the bimah.  During the first six days of Sukkot the procession winds around the bimah only once and there is but one Torah-scroll on the bimah.  On the seventh day, however, on Hoshana Rabbah, the procession makes seven circuits around the bimah, on which every Torah-scroll from the ark is held by members of the congregation.  It differs from the Simchat Torah procession in that it is earnest and serious.  The procession winds its way around and around, the men bearing the lulavim and etrogim in their hands and chanting their prayers earnestly and fervently.

After the procession the lulav and the etrog are laid aside and the willow branches are taken up, five of them bound with a leaf of the lulav.  At the close of the Hoshanot prayers, the worshipers beat their willow branches on the ground and chant a ritual passage.  According to the ritual law it is necessary to beat the branches only five times, but the mass of the congregation beats and beats, until all the leaves have been knocked off the twigs.  Anciently in the Temple, the Kohanim marched around the altar seven times and they would beat the earth with their willow branches.

Everyone performs this ceremony, including the women in their section of the synagogue, but none enjoy it as much as do the children.  They keep beating their branches long after the others are through and continue until their elders tell them to cease!  Many carry their bundle of branches home and save them for Pesach, to use in the yearly search for the leaven.

After the services a festive meal is served and eaten in the sukkah for the last time.  There is usually soup with kreplech served, exactly as the meal on the day before Yom Kippur.  But after the holiday services and the festive meal the day becomes again a part of the semi-holiday period and all go about their regular tasks.

This is the happy day in general for the children.  They carry around the long palm leaves of the lulav and braid themselves rings and bracelets from them.


Hoshana Rabbah on a Deeper Level

A person's life hangs in balance until Hoshana Rabbah, which is the final day that the judgment is sealed.  The circuits that one makes around the bimah allude to the running around that a person does in this world when he wastes time earning money for vanities.  It is all a continual circuit, as is a water wheel in the garden.  The buckets on one side lift the water up, while the buckets on the other side spill it out.  Similarly, some people are on the upswing where their buckets are full, but they can come to the other side of their cycle where they are turned upside down and their "buckets" are emptied.

Therefore, no person can be sure of his wealth, his goods, or his property.  If a box is tuned over, everything spills out.  Similarly, when the wheel reaches it apex and is on the downswing, all the water spills out.  From one moment to another, a person does not know what will be happening to him.

The seven circuits made on Hoshana Rabbah allude to the seven judgments which must be passed on a person when he leaves this world.

The seven circuits also have the power to protect a person from the seven great archangels who are in charge of the seventy nations, where each archangel is in charge of ten nations.  These archangels are constantly denouncing us.  However, each time we make a circuit we destroy the power of one of these archangels, and on Hoshana Rabbah we destroy the power of all seven.

The aravah which we take and beat on Hoshana rabbah, alludes to the person subjugating his heart on this day.  On this day, the account books of each person are given to those in charge, whether for life or for death.  A person should say to himself, "Just as the willow has neither taste nor fragrance I too have neither mitzvot or good deeds."  What a person must do is shake all worldly vanities form himself and not waste his time with them.

A person must also think about the fact that a willow's leaves look like human lips, and they dry out very quickly.  If a person's lips are accustomed to speaking maliciously or maligning or scoffing at his neighbor, they will dry up quickly and be cut off.  It is thus written, "G-d shall cut off all smooth lips, every tongue speaking big things" (Tehillim 12:4).  If a person subjugates his heart he will certainly be inscribed for life. (Sheyarei Kenesset HaGedolah; Chemdat Yamim)

-Bachya; MeAm Lo'ez 

The Torah speaks of the commandments of dwelling in a Sukkah and taking the Lulav (VaYikra 23:33-44).  The festival is known as Sukkot and is called this because during this festival we must live in a thatched hut known as a sukkah.

G-d commanded us to dwell in a sukkah to remind us of the Clouds of Glory that G-d sent to the Benei Yisrael when they left Egypt.  Six clouds surrounded them on all four sides, with one above and one below.  This was so that they would not suffer from the sun, wind, rain, or dew.  A seventh cloud went in front of them to straighten out the path.  The Benei Yisrael were enclosed by the clouds, as is a person in a ship.  A person in a ship can live there as he does in his house and it is of no concern to him when the ship moves.  The Benei Yisrael were just like that in the seven Clouds of Glory.

In commemoration of the Clouds of Glory, G-d commanded us to dwell in a sukkah.  This was so that we would remember the wonders and miracles that He did for our ancestors when they left Egypt.

G-d commanded us to make the sukkah in the month of Tishrei, in the fall.  This is the time when people usually come into their houses.  We do the opposite. We go out of our houses to the sukkah.  This makes it obvious that we are doing this to commemorate G-d's miracles.

There is also another allusion in this commandment.  At this time we have just completed Yom Kippur - the Day of Judgment.  G-d has forgiven our sins because we have repented.  When we leave our houses for the fields and live in sukkot, we show that, until now, we were hiding in our houses because we were full of sins; we were afraid of the denouncing forces created from our sins.  But now that we have atoned for them, we go out to the fields without any fear at all.

This is alluded to in the verse, "On the day Esav returned to his journey to Seir and Yaakov journeyed to Sukkot..." (Bereishit 33:16,17)  Esav alludes to the Evil One.  Seir denotes a goat in Hebrew and this alludes to the goat sent to Azazel.  After the Evil One, who is Esav, sees the goat sent to the desert, he no longer denounces the Benei Yisrael.  He leaves them and returns to his place in the desert.  When Yaakov - Yisrael - sees that Esav has left them, the Benei Yisrael go out to the Sukkah.  This shows that they no longer have any fear.

G-d therefore commanded us to dwell in a sukkah in the month of Tishrei.  This is a time when people bring their grain in from the field; their houses are filled with all sorts of goods.  It is precisely at this time that one must desert his house and go out to the field, to the sukkah.  This should teach him the lesson that he should not pay attention to worldly vanities and goods, but think only about Torah and good deeds.

The seven days allude to the seven judgments through which a person must pass.

The sukkah alludes to a person's dwelling in this world, which is a temporary place.

The seven days also allude to the human life-span, which is seventy years.

the person's true dwelling place is the Olam HaBah (World to Come). Therefore, a person should not pay attention to worldly vanities, but should immerse himself in the Torah and the commandments.


Laws of the Sukkah

It is a mitzvah to make the sukkah right after Yom Kippur.  When a person has the opportunity to do a mitzvah, he should not delay in performing it.

Furthermore, there is no person who is not completely purified on Yom Kippur.  One should begin this mitzvah immediately after Yom Kippur so as to be able to keep this great mitzvah with a pure, clean body.

Therefore, as soon as one completes his meal after Yom Kippur, he should begin making the sukkah.  If one is weak because of the fast and cannot make it completely, he should make half of it or part of it.  At the very least, he should begin making the preparations so that he can erect the sukkah the next day.

It is a mitzvah for a person to make his own sukkah and not to have someone else do it.

One should carefully choose the site for the sukkah to make sure that it is not a place where there is a bad odor nor too close to the latrine.  Some people are not careful regarding this and make the sukkah in a place which has a foul odor.

Many people do not realize that the sukkah is a very holy dwelling. It is the place where the Divine Presence rests.  It is also the place to which one invites the seven Holy Guests (Ushpizin): Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and David.

The covering of the sukkah is known as sechach.  The sechach must be made from something that grows out of the ground.  It must also be plucked from the ground and be something that cannot accept ritual defilement (tumah).

If one makes the sechach from animal hide, places them on top of the sukkah, he does not fulfill his obligation.  Animal hides do not grow from the ground.

If one stretches tree branches or vines over the sukkah while they are still growing, he similarly cannot fulfill his obligation.

If one takes wooden bowls or other wooden vessels and makes them into a roof for the sukkah, he also does not fulfill his obligation.  Since these are vessels, they cannot accept tumah.

It is also forbidden to make the sechach out of grass that will dry out and fall.

The sechach may not be made out of something that has a bad odor, since this may cause one to leave the sukkah.

The sechach must be thick enough so that the shadow it casts covers more area than the sunlight that is let through.  However, it should not be too thick.  The stars should be visible through it.

When we say that certain things may not be used for a sukkah, we are only speaking of the sechach, the roof of the sukkah.  The walls may be made out of absolutely anything.

It is a mitzvah that the sukkah should have four complete walls.  It should be enclosed on all four sides and have a regular door.  However, if one only makes two walls, with a third wall at least a handbreadth wide, the sukkah is valid.

One must be careful first to erect the walls and then place the sechach.  If one makes the roof first and then sets up the walls underneath it, the sukkah is invalid.

If one makes the walls out of reeds, he must be careful to put no more distance of three handbreaths (9-12 inches) between one reed and another.  If there is a greater distance than that between the reeds, it is not considered a wall.

One should not make the walls out of sheets or canvas.  Since they are not rigid, but move in the wind, they are not considered walls.  Even if one places the sukkah in a place where there is no wind, sheets are not considered walls.


Dwelling in a Sukkah

It is a commandment to dwell in a sukkah all seven days, both day and night.  We must eat, drink and sleep in the sukkah, living in it as we do our own homes all year.

It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside of the sukkah.  If one does now wish to eat at all, he need not do so.  However, if one wishes to eat a meal, he must do so in the sukkah.

This, however, applies only on days other than the first. On the first night, and also on the second night outside the Holy Land, one is obligated to eat bread in the sukkah.  On must eat a piece of bread at least the size of an olive.

It is therefore a custom to make a sukkah at the synagogue for those who cannot make their own sukkah.  Each person must eat an olive size piece of bread in the sukkah and thus fulfill his obligation.

Here we see the error of those who have the opportunity to make a sukkah, but depend on the sukkah made at the synagogue, merely eating an olive-sized piece of bread the first and second nights.  The rest of the week they eat in their homes.  As we have said, the congregational sukkah is only useful for eating the olive-sized piece of bread the first and second nights.  However, when the people eat the rest of their meals in the house, they are in violation of a commandment.  They are violating the positive commandment to live in a sukkah.

It is through the commandment of sukkah that G-d will overcome the nations of the world in the ultimate future.

The Torah says,

"Everyone included in Yisrael shall dwell in sukkot" (23:42).  This indicates that everyone who is a true Israelite lives in the sukkah and does not care about the heat or cold.

From all this we learn how great is the punishment for those who neglect the commandment of the sukkah.  This is an easy commandment to keep.  Therefore, if a person does not keep it, he obviously takes G-d's commandments lightly.

If a person cannot build a sukkah before the holiday because of some unexpected emergency, he can build the sukkah during the intermediate days (Chol HaMoed).

It is permissible to drink water or wine or to eat fruit outside the sukkah.  It is also permissible to have a snack outside the sukkah, one may even eat a piece of bread smaller than an egg.  However, it is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the sukkah.

When it rains, one need not remain in the sukkah.  He may go into his house and eat his meal.  However, this is only true if it is raining so hard that if as much rain dripped into his house he would leave his house and go out.  If it is only a light drizzle that does not bother a person, he is not exempt and he must remain in the sukkah.

This is only true during the week.  On the first night one must make Kiddush over wine and eat an olive-sized piece of bread in the sukkah even if it is raining hard.  One also must do this on the second night.

If it is raining very hard, one should recite Kiddush and eat an olive-sized piece of bread in the sukkah and complete his meal in his house.

However, if it is raining on the second night, one should not recite the blessing "Leshev ba-sukkah" (To dwell in a sukkah).  The only time that one recites a blessing in the sukkah is when he eats there.

On the first night, one recites Kiddush, then the sukkah blessing, and then the blessing Shehechyanu (Who has kept us alive).

On the second night, one recites Kiddush, then Shehechyanu, and finally, the blessing "to dwell in a sukkah."

During the rest of the week, one recites the blessing, "to dwell in a sukkah" before saying HaMotzi over bread. (Ashkenazi custom is to recite HaMotzi first, and then the sukkah blessing).

On a day when one says Kiddush, he recites the blessing "to dwell in a sukkah" after Kiddush.

A bridegroom and the members of his party are exempt from a sukkah all seven days of the festival.  Some authorities, however, maintain that they are obligated to eat these meals in a sukkah.

A circumcision feast must be held in the sukkah.

If a person is sick he is exempt from the sukkah.

It is forbidden to make any mundane use of the sukkah throughout the entire holiday. It is thus forbidden to take a reed from the wall and hang a garment on it or the like.  It is also forbidden to take a branch from the sechach and use it for anything.

If fruit is hung in the sukkah for beauty it is forbidden to use this fruit all Sukkot, even if the fruit falls down.  However, if one makes a condition before the festival and says, "I will eat this fruit whenever I want," the condition is valid and he may eat any fruit that falls.  However, such a condition is of no use regarding any integral part of the sukkah.  Even if one makes a condition, he may not make any use of any parts of the sukkah.

If a person is in the middle of a journey he is exempt from the sukkah.

A person should make every effort to keep the commandment of the sukkah according to its law. If a person does this, G-d says, "You have kept the commandment of the sukkah. I will also make a sukkah on the great Day of Judgment to protect you on this day."  Regarding this it is written, "He shall protect me in a sukkah on a day of evil" (Tehillim 27:5)


The Four Species

Sukkot is called the "ingathering festival" (chag ha-asif).  This is because it comes in the month during which a person gathers into his house all the produce he has in the field.  It is a time of great joy, when a person is happy because of the crops in his house which is full and brimming over with all good.

It is therefore impossible that a person not sin because of all the good that he has.  The Evil Inclination exists primarily in places where there is great joy, not in places where there is humility and contrition.

G-d therefore commanded us to take the four species during these days.  The four species allude to the four most important parts of man's body: the spine, the eyes, the heart and the mouth.

The lulav (palm frond) alludes to the human spine.  This teaches that at this time of joy a person should straighten his body and attach himself to the fear of G-d.

Th etrog (citron) alludes to the heart.  This is the seat of the emotions.  A person should not let his emotions go too far at a time of joy.

The hadas (myrtle) looks like eyes.  This teaches a man not to follow his eyes.  One must not look at starnge women or other forbidden things when he is in a state of joy or elation.

The aravah (willow) looks like the lips.  This teaches that even when a person feels joy he should watch his mouth not to speak too much, since this can cause malicious speech, frivolity, and profanity.

There is also another reason for this commandment.  If a person has sinned with one of these parts of the body, keeping this commandment should be an atonement for him.  This is a great act of love that G-d has done for man.

Moreover, if a person gazes at these four species, he will not sin with these parts of the body; and if he sins, these commandments are a remedy.

G-d therefore said, "You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree..." (VaYikra 23:40). G-d is saying, "I am giving this commandment to you for your benefit so that it will be a remedy for your sins."

The three myrtle branches allude to the three patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.  Just as the three patriarchs were united in their service to G-d and did not take their minds off their Creator for even a moment, we, too, who come from these holy roots, must be unified and bound to G-d's service.

This is alluded to in the word for the palm frond which is lulav.  This can be broken into two words, lo lev, which means "to Him is the heart."  This indicates that our hearts are only attached to Him.

We should also be bound together and unified just as the lulav is bound with the other species.  There should be no hatred among us.  It is because of hatred that the Temple was destroyed.  How can we expect the Temple to be rebuilt if we still have this evil trait.

The Torah says, "You shall take on the first day a beautiful fruit of the tree, fronds of dates, a branch from braided trees and willows of the brook" (23:40)

The Torah literally says, "You should take the beautiful fruit of a tree."  The Torah does not designate what kind of tree it is.  Our Sages, however, know by tradition that this is the etrog (citron).

One reason is that there is no fruit as beautiful as the etrog.

Furthermore, the Torah speaks of it literally as "fruit tree beautiful" (pri etz hadar).  If the Torah had meant that one should take a fruit of a tree and not the fruit of the ground it would have said, "a fruit from a beautiful tree." But the Torah literally says, "a fruit of a tree."  This teaches that the fruit must be like the tree and the tree must be like the fruit; the wood of the tree should have the same taste as the fruit.  Our Sages determined that no tree has wood resembling its fruit except for the etrog.

When the Torah speaks of the myrtle, it says that it should be a "branch of a braided tree."  This indicates that the leaves on the branch should look like braids.  Many trees have this appearance, but the Torah also says, "a branch which is a leafy tree."  This can be interpreted, "a branch which is a braided tree" and not " a branch from a braided tree."  This teaches that it is a branch with leaves that completely cover the wood.  No tree does this in the same manner as the myrtle does.

When the Torah speaks of "fronds of a date," it is obvious that the Torah is speaking of the date palm.  This is the lulav.

"Willow of the brook" is the simple willow.

The four species also allude to the four types of Jews. Some people study the Torah and accumulate good deeds. Some study the Torah without accumulating good deeds.  Others accumulate good deeds but do not study the Torah; still others are empty, neither studying the Torah nor accumulating good deeds.

The four species parallel these four types.

Those who both study the Torah and accumulate good deeds are like the etrog, which has both good taste and a pleasant fragrance.

Those who study Torah but do not accumulate good deeds are like the lulav, which produces fruit dates, that are good to eat, but have no fragrance.

The group that has good deeds but does not study Torah are like the myrtle, which as a fragrance but not taste.

Finally, there is a group that neither has good deeds nor studies Torah.  This is like the willow, which has neither taste nor fragrance.

G-d says that all four species must be bound together; they must be like one body, totally unified. The merit of one shall stand up for the others.

Therefore, regarding this commandment it is said, "You shall take for yourselves on the first day..." (23:40).  This teaches that just as the four species must be bound together, so all Yisrael must be bound together and unified in one group.

G-d furthermore says, "Through the commandment of 'You shall take for yourselves on the first day...' I will allow My Divine Presence to rest among you.  I am also called First, as it is written, 'I am First' (Yeshayahu 44:6)."  (The verse can thus be read, "You shall take for yourselves on the day of the First, the beautiful fruit of the tree..")

"Also, because of this commandment, I will take vengeance from 'Esav, who is called first, as it is written, 'The first came out red' (Bereishit 25:25).  I will build the Holy Temple, which is called first, as it is written 'The Throne of Glory on high from the first is the place our Sanctuary' (Yirmeyahu 17:12).

"I will send you the Mashiach, who is called first, as it is written, 'They are first to Tziyon and the news will be given to Yerushalayim' (Yeshayahu 41:27).'

Amein, may this be G-d's Will.

-MeAm Lo'ez, Vol. 12

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