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83-693: The first Alignment was a 1965 alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda . The two parties continued to exist independently, but submitted joint electoral lists. Often called the Labor Alignment, the alliance lasted three years until a merger with Rafi in 1968 created the unitary Israeli Labor Party. The following year the Labor Party formed an alliance with Mapam , readopting the Alignment name. The two constituent parties remained separate, but with combined electoral campaigns and candidate lists. The second version of

166-623: A drop in the party's support to 32% (and 40 seats), though still well ahead of the second-placed Herut (13%). Ben Gurion returned as Prime Minister, and formed a coalition with the National Religious Front (which later changed its name to the National Religious Party ), Mapam , Ahdut HaAvoda , and the three Israeli Arab parties, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development. Later

249-622: A grammatical plural form, refers to a singular abstract concept. Beginning in the classical period, the singular form kippur began to be used in piyyut , for example in Unetanneh Tokef , alongside the standard plural form kippurim . Use of kippur spread in the medieval period, with Yom Kippur ( יום כיפור ) becoming the holiday's name in Yiddish and Kippur ( כיפור ) in Ladino . In modern Hebrew, Yom Kippur or simply Kippur

332-477: A major part in the party's downfall. On 6 October 1973, as Israelis were observing Yom Kippur , a surprise attack was launched by Egypt and Syria , resulting in the Yom Kippur War . Although Israel later recovered the ground initially lost, the war was generally considered to be a failure, and the government faced significant criticism. The Agranat Commission was set up to examine the circumstances that led to

415-546: A new government with Ratz , the Independent Liberals, Progress and Development and the Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers , another Israeli Arab party associated with the Alignment. The National Religious Party joined the coalition soon after, though their arrival precipitated the departure of secularist Ratz. The party's internal divisions were also beginning to show. Mapam broke away, as did Progress and Development and

498-419: A person and his fellow until he has appeased his fellow." Thus, it is common practice on Erev Yom Kippur to request forgiveness from other individuals for misdeeds one has done to them. The Talmud records no less than 14 stories attesting to the importance of the day for repairing relationships with one's spouses, parents, children, coworkers, the poor, and other individuals. The day before a major Jewish holiday

581-534: A time. Fasting, along with the other restrictions, begins at sundown , and ends after nightfall the following day. One should add a few minutes to the beginning and end of the day, called tosefet Yom Kippur , lit. 'addition to Yom Kippur'. Yom Kippur is one of the only occasions when fasting is permitted on Shabbat . A number of different interpretations of these restrictions have been suggested. In one approach, fasting replaces animal sacrifices. Fasting causes one's fat and blood to be diminished, just as

664-487: A wide range of progressive reforms were carried out, as characterised by the establishment of a welfare state, providing minimum income, security, and free (or almost free) access to housing subsidies and health and social services. The party was founded on 5 January 1930 by the merger of the Hapoel Hatzair founded by A. D. Gordon and the original Ahdut HaAvoda (founded in 1919 from the right, more moderate, wing of

747-477: Is also a tradition in which they are interpreted positively, as indications of closeness of God. Various sources compare the observances of Yom Kippur – fasting, barefootness (not wearing leather shoes), standing (in prayer), particular manners of prayer, even the peace that exists between Jews on this day – with the behavior of angels, suggesting that on Yom Kippur Jews become like angels in heaven, purified and close to God and not limited by physicality. Yom Kippur

830-680: Is considered especially desirable during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and particularly on Yom Kippur itself. Thus, the Yom Kippur prayers contain extended confessions which list varieties of errors and sins, and to which one can add their own missteps, along with requests for forgiveness from God. According to the Talmud, "Yom Kippur atones for sins done against God ( bein adam leMakom ), but does not atone for sins done against other human beings ( bein adam lechavero ) until

913-569: Is in God". According to Rabbi Akiva , this verse alludes to a ritual purification bath (also pronounced mikveh ), and thus on Yom Kippur God metaphorically becomes a mikveh in which Israel immerses and purifies itself. This idea is symbolized by immersion in an actual mikveh. In the Yom Kippur Temple service , the High Priest would immerse upon putting on and taking off his white Yom Kippur garments;

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996-617: Is often devoted towards preparing for that holiday (as with burning chametz before Passover or obtaining the Four Species before Sukkot ); for Yom Kippur, the appropriate preparation is to seek forgiveness from one's fellow man. Nevertheless, one should not ask forgiveness if this will cause further harm (for example, by bringing up an insult the victim was unaware of). According to halakha , one must eat on Erev Yom Kippur. A variety of reasons have been suggested for this requirement, among them: Kreplach are traditionally served at

1079-575: Is performed by some on Erev Yom Kippur as a means to enhance atonement. Prior to this day's morning prayer service ( Shacharit ), selichot prayers are recited, as they have been for the entire High Holiday period. In the afternoon prayer ( Mincha ), the long confession is recited, just as it is on Yom Kippur itself. This confession is recited before the last Erev Yom Kippur meal (the "Separation Meal" - in Hebrew se'udah hamafseket or aruha hamafseket ), in case one becomes intoxicated at this meal and

1162-473: Is the common name, while Yom HaKippurim ( יום הכיפורים ) is used in formal writing. In older English texts, the translation "Day of Atonement" is often used. The Torah calls the day Yom HaKippurim ( יוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים ‎ ), and decrees fasting ("affliction of the soul") and a strict prohibition of work on the tenth day of the seventh month, later known as Tishrei . The laws of Yom Kippur are commanded by God to Moses in three passages in

1245-505: Is unable to confess properly afterwards, or else because a person might choke to death at that meal and die without confessing (seemingly an unlikely possibility, but one which reminds a person of their mortality). Nevertheless, some recommend repeating the Vidui immediately before Kol Nidrei if time allows. The Torah commands Jews to "afflict themselves" ( ve'initem et nafshoteichem ) on Yom Kippur. While these verses do not explicitly mention

1328-411: Is waived in the case of dangerous medical conditions ( pikuach nefesh ), and in such a case one is actually required to break the fast. Just as it is a mitzvah to fast on Yom Kippur, it may also be a mitzvah to eat or drink on Yom Kippur to safeguard a person's health. In such situations, though, it is preferable (if the medical situation allows for it) to consume only small amounts of food or drink at

1411-464: The 1981 elections as it gained 36.6% of the vote, an improvement of 12%, and 47 seats. However, Likud took 48, allowing Begin to form the government with the help of small right-wing and religious parties. Ratz briefly merged into the Alignment, but broke away again. Nevertheless, by the end of the Knesset session the party had more seats than its rival as two Likud MKs had defected to join it. The Alignment

1494-464: The Democratic List of Nazareth , the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs , Agriculture and Development , Progress and Work , Cooperation and Brotherhood , Progress and Development and Cooperation and Development . It supported the policy of subjecting Arab citizens to martial law, which included confining them to the towns of their residence, and allowing them to exit only with a permit granted by

1577-713: The HaMa'arakh LeAhdut Poalei Eretz Yisrael ( Hebrew : המערך לאחדות פועלי ארץ ישראל , lit. Alignment for the Unity of the Workers of the Land of Israel ), was an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda formed to contest the 1965 Knesset election . Its formation was in response to the merger of the two major right-wing parties in Israel, Herut and the Liberal Party , to form Gahal , and to try to preserve

1660-572: The Independent Liberals , Progress and Development and Cooperation and Brotherhood until 1970 when Gahal resigned after the government had decided in principle to adopt the Rogers Plan , though ultimately they decided against it. During the Knesset session, the party gained one seat as Meir Avizohar defected from the National List. The seventh Knesset also covered the event that played

1743-538: The Independent Socialist Faction , and Ben-Porat remained an independent MK. In 1976 the Alignment government was hit by the Yadlin affair regarding illegitimate financial transactions by senior members of the party, notably Asher Yadlin and Avraham Ofer . The following year Rabin fell victim to a double scandal, when it was revealed his wife, Leah had a foreign currency bank account, illegal in Israel at

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1826-549: The Israeli Labor Party and ceased to exist as individual entities. Until 1963, the party had no formal rules to govern the selection of its leader. From the party's establishment, David Ben-Gurion was long the unchallenged leader of the party. Even in his brief 1954–1955 retirement (during which Moshe Sharett served as the official party leader), Ben-Gurion was still largely considered the de facto party boss. After Ben-Gurion retired again in 1963, informal consultations by

1909-549: The Mishnah describes Yom Kippur as a day on which men and women would once meet each other in the vineyards in order to arrange marriages. While this story is surprising given the generally somber nature of the day, it is based on the Biblical episode where the oath against marrying Benjaminites was circumvented by allowing them to take women from the vineyards as wives, and thus indicates the day's theme of abandoning grudges in order for

1992-443: The National Religious Party , Agudat Israel , and Dash . Even after Dash disintegrated, Begin still held a majority. Although the disastrous Yom Kippur War was a factor in the party's heavy defeat, allegations of corruption and nepotism (highlighted by the various scandals) and anger at the party's perceived bias towards Ashkenazi Jews over Mizrahi Jews also played major roles in the election result. Further embarrassment for

2075-528: The Sephardim and Oriental Communities and the Democratic List of Nazareth (an Israeli Arab party associated with Mapai). A notable piece of legislation enacted during Mapai's first term in office was an educational law in 1949 which introduced compulsory schooling for all children between the ages of 5 and 14. Mapai's years in office also witnessed the passage of the National Insurance Act of 1953 and

2158-616: The Zionist socialist Poale Zion led by David Ben-Gurion ). In the early 1920s, the Labor Zionist movement had founded the Histadrut Union, which dominated the Hebrew settlement economy and infrastructure, later making Mapai the dominant political faction in Zionist politics. It was also responsible for the founding of Hashomer and Haganah , the first two armed Jewish groups which secured

2241-484: The Agranat Commission published its findings on 1 April 1974, Meir resigned, despite the report clearing her and her Defence Minister , Moshe Dayan , of all responsibility. Yitzhak Rabin took over the Labor Party, beating Shimon Peres in a leadership contest. This battle led to a long-term falling out between the two, after Rabin described Peres as an "indefatigable intriguer" in his autobiography. Rabin formed

2324-413: The Alignment lasted for more than two decades. At its formation in 1969, the second Alignment had 63 of 120 Knesset seats, the only time a parliamentary group in Israel has ever held a parliamentary majority. Although its majority was lost in the 1969 election , the 56 seats won by the Alignment remains the highest seat total won in an Israeli election. The first incarnation of the Alignment, fully named

2407-514: The Alignment was brought about as Begin offered Moshe Dayan the position of Foreign Minister despite his party not being in the coalition. Dayan accepted the offer, and was expelled from the party. After sitting as an independent MK, he founded Telem . However, the Alignment still had an important role to play, as it helped pass the Camp David Accords and the Egypt–Israel peace treaty in

2490-497: The Alignment was kicked out of the coalition for the last two years of the Knesset's term. The party also lost one MK, Efraim Gur , who left and set up Unity for Peace and Immigration before joining Likud. The affair later became known in Israel as " the dirty trick ". On 7 October 1991 the Independent Liberals formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party. As the Independent Liberals were the sole remaining Alignment members,

2573-502: The Alignment; Progress and Development and Cooperation and Brotherhood . On 23 January 1968, Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda merged with Rafi to form the Israeli Labor Party , with the Alignment ceasing to exist. Rafi leader David Ben-Gurion refused to join the Labor Party, and left Rafi before the merger. He formed a new party, the National List . The Labor Party entered into an alliance with Mapam on 28 January 1969. The Alignment name

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2656-528: The Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers, who had both come under the Alignment umbrella during Rabin's tenure. Although Mapam returned to the fold shortly afterward, the two Arab parties permanently broke their ties with Alignment. Instead, they created the United Arab List . Two other MKs, Aryeh Eliav and Mordechai Ben-Porat , also left the party. Eliav went on to form Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement and then

2739-562: The Bible, after the golden calf sin, Moses descended from Mount Sinai and broke the Tablets of Stone , which contained the Ten Commandments and symbolized the covenant with God. After God agreed to forgive the people's sin, Moses was told to return to Mount Sinai for a second 40-day period, in order to receive a second set of tablets. According to rabbinic tradition, the date Moses descended with

2822-570: The Days of Awe, a Jew reflects on the year, goals, and past actions, how his or her behavior has possibly hurt others and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings. Repentance in Judaism (Hebrew: Teshuva ), traditionally, consists of regretting having committed the sin, resolving not to commit that sin in the future, and confessing that sin before God. While repentance for one's sins can and should be done at any time, it

2905-577: The Israeli authorities. Due to its role in emerging victorious and independent from the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the party won large support in Israel's first elections in 1949 , receiving 36% of the vote (well ahead of second-placed Mapam 's 15%) and winning 46 of the 120 seats. Ben-Gurion became Prime Minister and formed a coalition with the United Religious Front , the Progressive Party ,

2988-459: The Israeli idea of defensive borders. Peres led the party into the 1977 elections , which proved to be a historical turning point in Israeli political history: For the first time the left-wing were defeated. The Alignment won only 24.6% of the vote, a decrease of over a third, and picked up just 32 seats. In contrast, Menachem Begin 's Likud won 43 seats. Begin was able to form a right-wing coalition with Shlomtzion (which quickly merged into Likud),

3071-586: The Jewish people sinned in later eras, prophets would repeatedly quote the Thirteen Attributes to God as a reminder of God's commitment to mercy and forgiveness. This is continued to the present day, as recitation of the Thirteen Attributes remains an important part of the Yom Kippur prayers (in Maariv and Neilah ). While many of the observances of Yom Kippur (such as fasting and long prayers) can be difficult, there

3154-464: The Jewish people to be reunited. On the day preceding Yom Kippur, known as Erev Yom Kippur (lit. 'eve [of] day [of] atonement'), a number of activities are customarily performed in preparation for Yom Kippur. These activities generally relate to the themes of the holiday, but are forbidden or impractical to do on Yom Kippur itself. According to the Talmud , "Yom Kippur does not atone for sins between

3237-436: The Knesset. This was necessary as many Likud MKs had broken away to form opposition parties ( One Israel , Rafi – National List , Tehiya and Yosef Tamir as an independent) and several others (including Ariel Sharon and Yitzhak Shamir ) abstained from voting on it. Despite losing Dayan, the party picked up two more seats as former Dash MKs Meir Amit and David Golomb defected from Shinui . The party recovered well in

3320-611: The Lord you shall be purified. There are two forms of impurity in Judaism (see Tumah and taharah ): ritual impurity (e.g. when one touches a corpse) and moral impurity (when one commits a serious sin). While the Yom Kippur Temple service did purify the Temple if it had become ritually impure, the emphasis of the day is on the Jewish people's purification from moral impurity. Leviticus 16:30 mentions purification twice. According to Netziv ,

3403-563: The Progressive Party was also added. In contrast to the previous one, the 1959 election saw a surge in support, as the party recorded its best electoral performance, taking 38% of the vote and 47 seats. Ben-Gurion again invited the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, the Progressive Party and the three Israeli Arab parties, Progress and Development, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Agriculture and Development to form

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3486-487: The Social Welfare Service Law of 1958, which authorised a broad range of social welfare programmes, including special allowances for large families, workers' compensation provisions, maternity insurance, and old age and survivors' pensions. In the second elections in 1951 Mapai increased its vote share to 37% (and 47 seats) despite the country's economic problems . Ben-Gurion again formed the government with

3569-512: The Torah, the Yom Kippur Temple service was commanded in wake of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu on the eighth day of the Tabernacle inauguration. Not only was this eighth day the occasion of the Yom Kippur command, but the eighth day was also similar in its nature to Yom Kippur, both in biblical texts (e.g. the sacrifices offered on each day) and in rabbinic interpretation. The purpose of the eighth day

3652-616: The Torah: Yom Kippur is mentioned briefly in another context: on Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year the shofar was to be blown. According to some, this is the source for the current custom of blowing the shofar at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. When the Temple in Jerusalem stood, Yom Kippur was the occasion of an elaborate sacrificial service, as commanded by Leviticus 16 . The rabbis summarized

3735-624: The alliance ceased to exist. Mapai Mapai ( Hebrew : מַפָּא"י , an abbrevation for מִפְלֶגֶת פּוֹעֲלֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל ‎, Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael , lit.   ' Workers' Party of the Land of Israel ' ) was a Labor Zionist and democratic socialist political party in Israel , and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the modern-day Israeli Labor Party in January 1968. During Mapai's time in office,

3818-498: The coalition. The inquiry into the Lavon Affair which brought down the government in 1961 probably contributed to the party's relatively poor performance in the elections in the same year , as it picked up only 35% of the vote and 42 seats. Although Ben-Gurion formed a strong coalition with the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Agudat Yisrael Workers, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, two events during

3901-617: The coming year into the Book of Life , and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. This process is described dramatically in the poem Unetanneh Tokef , which is recited on Rosh Hashanah in the Ashkenazic and Italian rites and on Yom Kippur in the Eastern Ashkenazic and Italian rites: A great shofar will be blown, and a small still voice will be heard. The angels will make haste, and be seized with fear and trembling, and will say: "Behold,

3984-487: The covenant between God and Israel. Along with Tu B'Av , Yom Kippur was historically considered one of the two happiest days of the Jewish year, for on this day Jews receive forgiveness for their sins, and on this date the covenant with God was reestablished. In Leviticus 16:30 , the Torah summarizes the purpose of Yom Kippur as follows: For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to purify you; from all your sins before

4067-462: The day of judgment!"... On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on the Yom Kippur fast it is sealed, how many will pass and how many will be created, who will live and who will die, who in his time and who not in his time... But repentance, prayer, and charity remove the evil of the decree... For You do not desire a person's death, but rather that he repent and live. Until the day of his death You wait for him; if he repents, You accept him immediately. During

4150-420: The encounter with God and the atonement may appear to be unrelated, in fact they are mutually dependent. On one hand, the priest is only worthy to approach God when in a state of purity, with the sins of the people being forgiven. On the other hand, only by approaching God with an intimate, personal request can God be persuaded to abandon justice for mercy, permitting the purification to take place. According to

4233-523: The end of the Knesset session, Mapai had only 34 seats to Gahal's 27. The party's response to the unprecedented strength of the opposition was to seek support from other parties with similar ideologies. The result was an alliance with Ahdut HaAvoda to form the Labor Alignment before the 1965 election . The new party received 37% of the vote and won 45 seats, and comfortably beat Gahal (26 seats). On 23 January 1968 Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi merged into

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4316-418: The expulsion man must work for food "by the sweat of [his] brow"; thus food and drink are refrained from on Yom Kippur, as well as washing, and the use of cosmetics to remove sweat or its odor. In Eden death was unknown and procreation unnecessary; similarly on Yom Kippur marital relations are avoided. According to Maimonides , the purpose of fasting (and the restriction on work) is to remove distractions from

4399-547: The fat and blood of a sacrifice were burned on the altar. Thus, the fast is a form of sacrifice which can atone for sin like the Temple sacrifices once did. Other approaches suggest that the prohibitions represent not suffering, but rather special holiness. For example, on Yom Kippur, Jews are said to become like angels. Just as angels do not need to eat, drink, or wear shoes, so too Jews do not engage on these activities on Yom Kippur. By detaching themselves from physical needs, Jews become purified and resemble angels. Similarly,

4482-408: The fifth Knesset led to Mapai's reducing dominance. Firstly, Ben-Gurion resigned as head of the party citing personal reasons, though in reality he was upset at a perceived lack of support from colleagues. He set up a new party, Rafi , taking with him seven other Mapai members. Secondly, the two major right-wing opposition parties, Herut and the Liberal Party had merged into Gahal . This meant by

4565-434: The first mention is a promise that God will purify Israel on this day, while the second is a command, calling on Israel to purify themselves through repentance. Thus, on this day Jews do their utmost to repent. But if, by the end of the day, they have reached the limits of their ability and are still morally flawed, God extends them forgiveness and purification anyway. Jeremiah 17:13 states that "Israel's hope ( mikveh )

4648-482: The form of affliction, the phrase "afflicting oneself" frequently appears elsewhere in connection with fasting or lack of food, and public fast days for repentance were a common practice in Biblical times. According to the Jewish oral tradition , the Yom Kippur "affliction" consists of the following five prohibitions: In traditional custom, the fast is required of males over age 13 and females over age 12. However, fasting

4731-457: The government. The country's success in the Six-Day War helped the party's popularity, and led to its comprehensive victory in the 1969 elections . Although it lost its majority, the 46.2% of the vote and 56 seats was (and remains) the best electoral performance in Israeli political history. Meir continued with a national unity government including Gahal, the National Religious Party (Mafdal),

4814-440: The handles of the bolt" ( Song of Songs 5:5 ) – "I rose up to open to my beloved" – this refers to Yotzer [the morning prayer ]; "My hands dripped with myrrh" – this refers to Mussaf ; "my fingers with flowing myrrh" – this refers to Mincha ; "upon the handles of the bolt" – this refers to Neilah . Using a similar metaphor, the Mishnah describes Yom Kippur as a wedding date, as on this date Moses returned having reestablished

4897-635: The laws of this service in Mishnah tractate Yoma , and they appear in contemporary traditional Jewish prayer books for Yom Kippur, and are studied as part of a traditional Jewish Yom Kippur worship service. The Mussaf prayer on Yom Kippur includes a section known as the Avodah , where a poem is recited describing this Temple service. Yom Kippur is one of the two High Holy Days , or Days of Awe (Hebrew yamim noraim ), alongside Rosh Hashanah (which falls nine days previously). According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah God inscribes each person's fate for

4980-481: The left's hegemony in Israeli politics. In the election the Alignment won 36.7% of the vote and 45 of the 120 Knesset seats, enough to comfortably beat Gahal, which had only won 26, though not as many as Mapai had won in the 1951 and 1959 legislative elections . The Alignment's leader, Levi Eshkol formed a coalition government with the National Religious Party , Mapam , the Independent Liberals , Poalei Agudat Yisrael and two Israeli Arab parties associated with

5063-405: The other person has been appeased." Therefore, it is considered imperative to repair the harm that one has done to others before or during Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is described in the prayers as "a day of creating love and brotherhood, a day of abandoning jealousy and strife". It is said that "if one does not remove hatred [from their heart] on Yom Kippur, their prayers are not heard". According to

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5146-480: The party's leading figures resulted in an informal consensus to appoint Levi Eshkol as leader, and this choice was ratified by the party's Central Committee. Soon after becoming party leader, Eshkol successfully pushed the party to amend its constitution to state that the party's candidate for the office of prime minister (its leader) would be selected by the party's Central Committee. Thus, when Ben-Gurion unsuccessfully attempted to retake party leadership in 1965, there

5229-569: The people and property of the new and emerging Jewish communities. By the early 1930s, Ben-Gurion had taken over the party, and had become de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine (known as the Yishuv ). It was a member of the Labour and Socialist International between 1930 and 1940. The party was Jewish-only until the late 1960s, with a succession of satellite parties for Israeli Arabs , including

5312-424: The people's sins were forgiven and purification achieved in that year. Yom Kippur is considered a day of Jewish unity. In Kol Nidre , in which vows are released, vows of excommunication against sinning Jews were similarly lifted and these "transgressors" were allowed to pray alongside other Jews. According to the Talmud, "Any fast in which Jewish sinners do not also participate is not a valid fast". Similarly,

5395-414: The power-sharing agreement with Shamir. The party also lost one MK to Ratz ( Yossi Sarid ), one to Shinui ( Yitzhak Artzi ) and one to the newly formed Arab Democratic Party ( Abdulwahab Darawshe ) but replaced them when the three-man Yachad merged into the Alignment. The result of the 1988 elections was also ambiguous, with Likud winning 40 seats and the Alignment 39. Another power-sharing arrangement

5478-410: The practical purpose of this cord was to distinguish the scapegoat from the goat which was to be slaughtered, it also symbolized the sin which the scapegoat was carrying away. Isaiah 1:18 promises that if the Jewish people repents, "if [their] sins are like crimson, they shall become white as snow." According to tradition, in some years the scapegoat's cord would miraculously turn white to indicate that

5561-402: The pre-fast meal. Also, it is common to ask for and receive lekach on Erev Yom Kippur. Many Orthodox men immerse themselves in a mikveh on this day. Opinions differ on whether this is a technical act to remove ritual impurity , or else a symbolic one to symbolize one's cleansing from sin on Yom Kippur. The kapparot ritual, in which either money or a chicken is given to charity,

5644-640: The prohibitions allude to the experience of Moses on Mount Sinai, who did not eat or drink while receiving the Torah and while receiving forgiveness for the people's sins. Similarly, the prohibitions have been interpreted as a return to the purity of the biblical Garden of Eden. Upon leaving Eden shoes became necessary for the first time ("thorns and thistles will grow in your way...the snake will raise its head (to bite you) and you will give your heel (to crush it)" ); thus on Yom Kippur Jews do not wear (leather) shoes. While in Eden food and drink were easily obtained, but after

5727-405: The rabbis counted no fewer than five immersions over the course of the day's service. Among modern-day Jews, too, there is a custom of immersion before Yom Kippur (though not on Yom Kippur itself, as bathing is forbidden in normal circumstances). When the scapegoat was selected on Yom Kippur to symbolically carry the people's sins to the desert, a crimson cord was tied around its horns. While

5810-477: The related holiday of Rosh Hashanah , Yom Kippur is one of the two components of the High Holy Days of Judaism. It is also the last of the Ten Days of Repentance . The formal Hebrew name of the holiday is Yom HaKippurim , 'day [of] the atonements'. This name is used in the Bible, Mishnah , and Shulchan Aruch . The word kippurim 'atonement' is one of many Biblical Hebrew words which, while using

5893-565: The second set of tablets was Yom Kippur. On this day Moses announced to the people that they had been forgiven; as a result the Torah fixed this date as a permanent holiday of forgiveness. The new covenant, which God announced by proclaiming the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy to Moses, is textually similar to the covenant of the Ten Commandments except that God's nature is described as merciful and forgiving, rather than zealous. When

5976-553: The small left-wing parties, Hadash and the Progressive List for Peace were not viewed as potential coalition partners due to their radical left-wing views). However, the Likud found itself in the same situation ( Kach being impossible to work with). The result was a grand coalition of the Alignment, Likud, the National Religious Party, Agudat Israel , Shas , Morasha , Shinui and Ometz (which later merged into Likud). With 97 seats, it

6059-436: The support of Mizrachi , Hapoel HaMizrachi , Agudat Yisrael , Poalei Agudat Yisrael and the three Israeli Arab parties associated with Mapai, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs , Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development . However, he shocked the nation by resigning on 6 December 1953 in order to settle in the small Negev kibbutz of Sde Boker , and was replaced by Moshe Sharett . The 1955 elections saw

6142-538: The time; the episode becoming known as the Dollar Account affair . He also took responsibility for an apparent breach of the Sabbath on an Israeli Air Force base. Rabin resigned over the former incident, and Peres took over as prime minister just a short time before the next elections. Shortly before the election, the Alignment party suffered another major blow when Rabin announced that US President Jimmy Carter supported

6225-487: The war. Before the Commission could publish its results, an election was held. Anger at the government was not significantly noticeable, as the Alignment still won 39.6% of the vote and 51 seats. More significantly, the new major right-wing party, Likud , won 39 seats, and was now breathing down the Alignment's neck. Meir formed a coalition with the National Religious Party and the Independent Liberals. However, ten days after

6308-656: The year in Judaism . It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei , corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and repentance . The day's main observances consist of full fasting and asceticism , both accompanied by extended prayer services (usually at synagogue ) and sin confessions . Many Jewish denominations, such as Reconstructionist Judaism (vs. Reform , Conservative , Orthodox , etc.), focus less on sins and more on one's goals and accomplishments and setting yearly intentions. Alongside

6391-406: Was a formal leadership election held by a vote of the party's Central Committee. Yom Kippur Yom Kippur ( / ˌ j ɒ m k ɪ ˈ p ʊər , ˌ j ɔː m ˈ k ɪ p ər , ˌ j oʊ m -/ YOM kip- OOR , YAWM KIP -ər, YOHM - ; Hebrew : יוֹם כִּפּוּר ‎ Yōm Kippūr [ˈjom kiˈpuʁ] , lit.   ' Day of Atonement ' ) is the holiest day of

6474-411: Was also boosted when the Independent Liberals joined the alliance in 1984, though they held no seats of their own at the time. With Peres still at the head of the party, the 1984 elections resulted in stalemate. Although the Alignment won 44 seats to Likud's 41, it could not muster enough support from suitable smaller parties to form a government (the next largest party had only five seats, and two of

6557-674: Was also unique as a time of closeness to God in the Yom Kippur Temple service . Yom Kippur was the only occasion on which the High Priest of Israel was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies , the innermost chamber of the Temple in Jerusalem , where God's presence was said to dwell. On Yom Kippur the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies several times, first to create a cloud of incense smoke in which (the Bible promises) God would reveal Himself without being seen, and later to offer sacrifices of atonement. While

6640-459: Was made, and the coalition again had 97 members, consisting of Likud, the Alignment, the National Religious Party, Shas, Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah . However, in 1990 Peres made a bid for sole power through the creation of a narrow 61-seat coalition with the Ultra-orthodox parties Shas, Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah and the left-wing Mapam, Ratz and Shinui. Ultimately the bid failed, and

6723-408: Was still well-known, and was re-used for the new alliance. At the time, the Labor Party held 55 seats, and Mapam eight, giving the new Alignment a majority of 63 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. When Levi Eshkol died on 26 February 1969, he was succeeded by Golda Meir , Israel's first, and so far only, female Prime Minister , making Israel one of the first countries in the world to have a woman heading

6806-407: Was the largest coalition in Israeli political history aside from national unity governments. Peres and new Likud leader Yitzhak Shamir agreed to share power, with Peres Prime Minister for the first two years of the Knesset term and Shamir for the last two. When Shamir took over, Shinui left the coalition. The Alignment ended the session with six less MKs, as Mapam broke away from the party, unhappy at

6889-573: Was the revelation of God's presence to the people; similarly, the Yom Kippur service was a unique opportunity for the people's representative to obtain closeness with God. A midrash compares the Yom Kippur prayers to a verse from the Song of Songs , describing a woman who rises from bed at night to begin a romantic encounter with her lover. With each Yom Kippur prayer, it is implied, Jews approach closer to God: "I rose up to open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh , my fingers with flowing myrrh, upon

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