The Yom Kippur Mah-Nishtanah
On Passover we ask the Four Questions but every year as Yom Kippur rolls around many people ask, ma nishtanah ha shanah hazeh—How will this year be different from all others. In the synagogue, will I constantly be looking at my watch, feeling bored, hungry, and waiting for it to end? If you think that’s how it will be you are probably right but why not make this year different? Let’s consider the possibility of making this year’s Yom Kippur significant by making a paradigm shift.
At first glance, Yom Kippur seems to be a day of confessionals; “For the sin we have sinned before you…” is said so many times as we enumerate our various wrongdoings. Fasting and confessionals make the day seem sad but as we look more deeply into it, we see that it’s not the case.
The first thing we do after completing Kol Nidrei is to recite Sheh-chi-anu, the blessing reserved for joyous occasions. It’s our way of thanking and acknowledging G-d “who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time.” In addition, we wear white because we view ourselves like angels on this holy day. But does it make sense to spend the entire day fasting and saying how much we have sinned, and at the same time consider ourselves angels?
Yom Kippur stands for something basic to Judaism; we are confident that we can be great. Any wrongdoing can be assessed because we realize, I can do better than that. It’s not just a matter of confession. It means that I look to the past and pick up the pieces because I know I can do better; it’s looking to the future.
England’s former Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks addresses the potential of Yom Kippur in the introduction to his commentary and translation of the Koren Machzor.
For those who fully open themselves to it, Yom Kippur is a life-transforming experience. It tells us that G-d, who created the universe in love and forgiveness, reaches out to us in love and forgiveness, asking us to love and forgive others. He never asked us not to make mistakes, all He asks is that we acknowledge our mistakes, learn from them, grow through them, and make amends where we can. No religion has held such a high view of human possibility.
The G-d who created us in His image gave us freedom. We are not tainted by original sin, destined to fail, caught in the grip of an evil only Divine grace can defeat. To the contrary, we have within us the power to choose life. Together we have the power to change the world.
The reason we can confess and repent is because we can do better and therefore are expected to do so. Jew’s have confidence in the ability to be great because we know that a human can free himself from seemingly natural limitations and imperfections. Even though we have character flaws, we’re not stuck with them; we can do better. We can learn to grow, not get angry, not be so selfish and be in full control of ourselves and not give into our animalistic side. We are confident in what G-d has put into the human being and His confidence in us. Yes, Yom Kippur is the day we confess and are accountable for past wrongdoings because we know we can change behaviors that are destructive to ourselves and others.
Why do we dress in white? It’s recognition that the human being is a spiritual creature sharing certain qualities with angels, but we are actually better because we have the ability to choose, which means we can change. The exciting realization that we have the ability to overcome our shortcomings and limitations is what Yom Kippur is all about. There would be no point in going through the challenging program of the day it didn’t have the ability make a difference in our lives.
Deep down—very deep down for some people—every one of us knows “I can do better” and ultimately, we know we’ve got to constantly progress because we were put on this earth to make a difference.
We are meant to thrive, not just survive. Each of us has this inspiring message in their soul. And even though it might be blocked, the reality is that we can turn make a difference. How else can we explain the internal drive in Jews that has led so many of them to be leaders and followers of movements that claimed to make the world into a better place. Communism, socialism, psychology, sociology, applied sciences are just a few of the ways Jews have given their lives and have made a mark in the history of the world.
This year, celebrate Yom Kippur and focus on who you can become; work out a plan for getting there and present it to G-d. This message must be conveyed to every Jew.
Ma nishtanah ha shanah hazeh—How will this year different from all others? Only you can answer that question.
May this Yom Kippur be an inspiring experience that reframes your view of Judaism and yourself.
(based in part on an address given in 2014 by Rav Yizchak Berkowitz at the Jerusalem Kollel)