Making room for kavanah before Yom Kippur

The hours before Yom Kippur tend to fill themselves. We prepare the meal, check the time, get ready for synagogue. And somewhere in between, we hope to find a moment to gather our thoughts.

Some years, we know exactly what we want to bring into the day. Other years, we’re still figuring it out when we open the machzor. There’s room for both.

This year, Yom Kippur begins before sunset on Sunday, 20 September, and ends after nightfall on Monday, 21 September. 

As we prepare, it’s worth leaving a little space for kavanah, too.

What we bring to the day

Kavanah is usually translated as “intention”: the attention and meaning we bring to prayer and Jewish practice.

Even with familiar words in front of us, our thoughts can be elsewhere. Sometimes one line brings us back. We read it again, a little more slowly, and realise it speaks to something we’ve been carrying. We can begin there. We don’t have to arrive with every thought in order.

Take care of what you can beforehand

Having your machzor ready, knowing when you need to leave and preparing food for after the fast can make those final hours feel less hurried.

Keep the preparations manageable. If setting the table in advance helps, do it. If the extra details are becoming another job, let them go. The point is to give yourself a little breathing room as the day approaches.

Leave a moment for yourself

Before heading out, or once the house is quiet, take a few minutes to sit.

Simply think about what has stayed with you from this year: something you’re grateful for, something you regret, a conversation you still need to have.

There’s no need to turn it into a list. Give one thought your attention and see where it takes you.

Think about what needs your attention

Some of the preparation for Yom Kippur happens between us and other people.

There may be an apology we owe or something we’ve left unsaid. Reaching out can feel uncomfortable, especially when we’ve put it off for a while.

We can make a start with honest words and a willingness to listen. The conversation may take longer than we hoped. Giving it time is part of the care we bring to it.

Let something stay with you

We spend a day reflecting, and then ordinary life picks up again.

One way to carry that reflection forward is to choose something small enough to practise: following through on a promise, making time for someone or being more thoughtful with our words.

We may need reminding. We may have to begin again. That, too, will be part of the year ahead.

Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur.

G’mar chatimah tovah,
Judaica Studio