High Holidays

The High Holidays refers to the ten-day period in Judaism which begins with Rosh Hashanah followed by the ten days of repentance, ending with Yom Kippur, the day of repentance. The English term "High Holidays" is not an accurate translation; the actual name for this period is the Yamim Noraim. (Hebrew, "Days of Awe").

Rosh Hashanah (ראש השנה ro’sh hash-shānāh, beginning of the year) is the Jewish spiritual New Year. The Mishnah, the core work of the Jewish oral law, sets this day aside as the new year for calculating calendar years and sabbatical and jubilee years.

Rabbinic literature describes this day as a day of judgement. God is sometimes referred to as the "Ancient of Days." Some decriptions depict God as sitting upon a throne, while books containing the deeds of all humanity are opened before Him.

The ten days of repentance include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the days in between, during which time religious Jews meditate on the subject of the holidays.

Yom Kippur (יום כפור yom kippūr, day of atonement) is the Jewish festival of the Day of Atonement. The Bible calls the day Yom Hakippurim (Hebrew, "Day of the Atonements").

In the Hebrew calendar, Erev Yom Kippur begins at nightfall on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Tishri (which falls in September/October), and continues into the next day until nightfall.

See also

• Jewish holidays