9781422276563

introduction

Lent, Yom Kippur & Days of Repentance

R egardless of who we are,we all makemistakes. Sometimes thesemistakes can gather in our minds and make it difficult for us to progress in our lives. We yearn for a chance to start over, to right our wrongs, and to create a better future by improving upon our pasts. Though it is impossible to be perfect, we can significantly improve ourselves through a combination of will, effort, and humility. Several religious holidays around the world are devoted to this very task. These holidays are called days of repentance or days of atonement . Atonement is the act of acknowledging one’s sins and asking them to be forgiven. On days of atonement, people are given a chance to earn God’s forgiveness.This is done through a process of repentance, or the act of expressing sorrow for one’s sins, and penance, a form of suffering one puts upon him- or herself to make up for previous misdeeds. Three major atonement observances are Lent, Yom Kippur, and Vassa (primarily known as Rains Retreat). Muslims in southern Asia, particularly those in India and Pakistan, observe Shab-i Barat, a day of atonement that shares with Yom Kippur the idea that as the faithful pray, Allah (God) determines their destinies for the coming year. Ramadan, observed by Muslims everywhere, focuses on renewal and rededication to spiritual purpose. (For details on this holiday see the volume called Ramadan .) Other days of atonement not discussed in this volume but integral to select nations and regions include the Dipri festival held by the Abidji tribe in the Ivory Coast; the Igbi festival held in the Dagestan region in Russia; the Loi Krathong Festival held in Thailand; and the Thaipusam (Thai Poosam) festival celebrated in India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa, and elsewhere. These observances are a sampling of the diverse ways that people aspire to be better. In this volume the discussion focuses on the atonement holidays of principal importance to communities worldwide and across time.

Lent, Yom Kippur & Days of Repentance

8 n