1. The Tallis on Yom Kippur Night
One of the distinctive customs of Yom Kippur is that a tallis is worn at night, for Kol Nidrei. Ordinarily in Chabad a tallis is not worn at night, not even by the chazan. On Yom Kippur it is put on before sunset, so that the blessing can be said while it is still day and the mitzvah of tzitzis fulfilled; one who arrives after sunset puts it on without a blessing. The tallis is kept on through the evening service.
The reason given for wearing it at night is to resemble the angels: they are described as clothed in white and are not bound by day or night, and on this day we put on our white garments and tallis in their likeness.
2. Tehillim and Vidui Before Kol Nidrei
If there is time before Kol Nidrei begins, one says chapters of Tehillim, and also the confessions—Ashamnu and Al Cheit—so that one enters the day in a state of teshuvah, for anything that may have occurred since the confession at Mincha. The Rebbeim were particular about this.
Nine chapters of Tehillim are said before Kol Nidrei. They belong to the daily cycle of three chapters begun on Rosh Chodesh Elul, whose remaining chapters are completed over the course of Yom Kippur.
3. Kol Nidrei
At least three Sifrei Torah are taken out of the Ark. It is considered a great privilege to hold the first one during Kol Nidrei.
The two who hold the Sifrei Torah, together with the shliach tzibbur, constitute a beis din. They stand facing him; they do not go up onto or circle the bimah. The shliach tzibbur then says quietly the declaration al daas haMakom v’al daas hakahal, permitting all present—whatever their standing—to pray together as one. It should be audible to the two who form the beis din with him, but is not announced to the congregation.
“Or zarua latzaddik” is said aloud, and then Kol Nidrei is said three times by the shliach tzibbur, the congregation saying it along with him in an undertone. It is an annulment of vows, clearing what stands between a person and Hashem before the day begins.
4. Shehecheyanu
The shliach tzibbur says the blessing of Shehecheyanu aloud. Each person says it quietly to himself and finishes before him, so as to be able to answer Amen. Women who lit candles and already said Shehecheyanu then do not say it again.
5. Maariv
On Yom Kippur, Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L’Olam Va’ed is said aloud after the Shema, at night and during the day. Through the rest of the year it is said quietly, since it is the praise of the ministering angels; on Yom Kippur, when we are dressed in white like angels and abstain from food like them, it is said aloud.
After Maariv the entire Tehillim is said, as instituted for the night of Yom Kippur, followed by the nine chapters of the daily cycle.
6. When Yom Kippur Falls on Shabbos
When Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, Kabbalas Shabbos begins from Mizmor L’David, as on every Shabbos that coincides with a festival.
After the Amidah, Vayechulu and Magen Avos are said, concluding Mekadesh HaShabbos—Yom Kippur is not mentioned in that blessing, since the abridgment of the seven blessings was instituted for Shabbos alone (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 619:10).
Avinu Malkeinu is not said when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos—except after Ne’ilah, where it is said even on Shabbos (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 623:9). On a weekday Yom Kippur it is said at the tefillos of the day as usual.
7. Krias Shema al Hamitah, and One Who Must Eat
The bedtime Shema follows the practice of Shabbos and Yom Tov, except that Baruch Shem is said aloud. Tachanun is not said, nor Al Cheit.
One who must eat on Yom Kippur for reasons of health does not make Kiddush, and there is no requirement of lechem mishneh. In Birchas HaMazon he adds Ya’aleh V’Yavo; if it is Shabbos he says Retzeh as well (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 618:11).
8. Children and the Fast
A healthy child of nine complete years, or of ten complete years even if he is thin and weak, is trained by hours: if he is used to eating at the second hour, he is fed at the third, and so on, according to the child’s strength. The same applies to a girl (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 616:5).
From eleven complete years, boy or girl, they fast and complete the fast, from the words of the Scribes, as training in the mitzvos. A second opinion holds that a girl of eleven and a boy of twelve need not complete the fast at all, but are trained by hours. The essential ruling is like the first opinion; but for a youth who is thin and weak and not strong enough to bear the fast, one may rely on the second opinion and feed him (616:6). Given how much weaker constitutions generally are today, this leniency is relied upon where it is needed.
From bar mitzvah and bas mitzvah the obligation is from the Torah.
There is a mistaken practice of putting small children to bed on Yom Kippur night without feeding them. This is not correct: a child who needs food must be fed, and taught to say the blessings properly.
9. The Morning: Washing and the Blessings
The morning washing of the hands on Yom Kippur is only up to the knuckles, where the fingers meet the palm, rather than the whole hand, since washing is restricted to what is needed and not for pleasure. If there is a discharge on the eyes, one may wash it away for cleanliness.
Kohanim who wash their hands for the Priestly Blessing wash as their service requires.
The blessing She’asah li kol tzorchai is omitted, and is said the following morning, when shoes are put on again.
It is brought in the name of Rav Yehudah HaChassid that one who says Adon Olam with proper intent at the start of the day—his prayers are accepted, and no adversary can obstruct them.
10. The Torah Reading
Six men are called up to the first Sefer Torah, in Parshas Acharei Mos, which sets out the service of the day, until “And he did as the Lord commanded” (Vayikra 16:34). When Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, seven are called up. The maftir reads from a second Sefer Torah, in Pinchas, the offerings of the day, beginning “And on the tenth of the month” (Bamidbar 29:7) (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 621:1).
The haftarah is in Yeshayahu, “Solu solu panu darech,” because it sets out the subject of teshuvah and fasting. It is read in the tune reserved for the readings of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
If there is a bris on Yom Kippur, it takes place between the Torah reading and Musaf (621:3).
11. Yizkor
Yizkor is said after the Torah reading, before Musaf.
In Chabad the departed are named as the son or daughter of the mother’s name. It is also customary to mention the Rebbeim—for our own sake rather than theirs.
Those whose parents are both living leave the shul for Yizkor. In the first year after a parent’s passing, one does not say Yizkor.
12. Piyutim, Avinu Malkeinu and Seder HaAvodah
Certain piyutim in the repetition of the Shacharis Amidah—Haderes v’haemunah and L’Keil orech din—are said standing, as the Rebbeim did.
Avinu Malkeinu zechor rachamecha, the short form within the repetition, is said even when the full Avinu Malkeinu is not.
Seder HaAvodah in Musaf recounts the service of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur. The Rebbe would stand throughout it. At “v’chach hayah omer… chatasi…”—“and so he would say: I have sinned”—it is fitting to strike the heart as at one’s own confession, since we place ourselves within what is being described.
13. Korim
Full prostration is performed during Musaf, at Aleinu and in Seder HaAvodah.
One first goes down on the knees, then lowers onto the hands and brings the forehead to the floor, lifting the knees so that only the toes, the hands and the forehead rest on the ground. One rises by returning first onto the knees.
There must be a separation between the forehead and the floor. A wooden floor or a carpet suffices; on stone or earth one places a cloth or towel under the forehead.
14. Mincha
An interval is made between Musaf and Mincha—three quarters of an hour at the least.
Mincha includes the Torah reading from Acharei Mos and the haftarah, the book of Yonah. There is no Priestly Blessing at Mincha. Vidui is said in the Amidah.
15. Ne’ilah
The Ark is opened before Ashrei and remains open until after the tekiah.
In the Kaddish, l’eila u’l’eila mikol birchasa is said, as through the Ten Days of Teshuvah.
The wording changes from writing to sealing: chasmeinu in place of kasveinu, v’chasom in place of u’chsov, v’neichaseim in place of v’nikaseiv (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 623:5).
The verse hayom yifneh should be said before the sun has set (623:2).
The chazan says Elokeinu veilokei avoseinu barcheinu… at Ne’ilah even though the day is ending (623:8).
Avinu Malkeinu is said after Ne’ilah, even when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos (623:9).
At the close, the niggun known as Napoleon’s March is sung.
The tekiah is then blown. The practice is to blow after nightfall; the Alter Rebbe writes that it may be blown even at bein hashmashos once Ne’ilah has been concluded, since blowing is not a melachah (623:11). Its meaning is the departure of the Shechinah on high, as at Matan Torah, of which it is said “When the yovel sounds long” (Shemos 19:13) and “God has ascended with a teruah” (Tehillim 47:6); and it marks the day as a yom tov, to be made known and to be honored with a meal (623:12).
16. Maariv and the Close of the Day
Maariv is prayed after Ne’ilah; Ne’ilah does not exempt one from it (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 624:1). The one who leads Maariv after Yom Kippur need not be someone with both parents living.
The tallis and kittel are kept on for Maariv, and the hat is put on.
Havdalah is said in Chonen HaDaas, as on every Motzaei Shabbos and Yom Tov (624:1).
If one erred in the insertions—HaMelech HaKadosh, HaMelech HaMishpat, Zochreinu l’chaim, U’chsov l’chaim—the usual rules apply as to whether the Amidah is repeated.
It is the Lubavitch practice to wish one another “Gut Yom Tov” at the close of Yom Kippur, and it is announced in shul.
If the Yom Kippur candle went out during the day, it is relit afterward and left to burn out on its own.
17. Havdalah and Breaking the Fast
One waits a little after the emergence of the stars, adding from the weekday onto the holy at the day’s departure as at its entry (624:2). The fast is often spoken of as twenty-six hours, corresponding to the Name Havayah; in practice it runs about twenty-five.
Before Havdalah the hands are washed up to the wrist, not only to the knuckles as in the morning.
Havdalah is made over a cup of wine. The blessing over besamim is not said on Motzaei Yom Kippur—spices were instituted for Motzaei Shabbos, to restore the additional soul that has departed. Only when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos are besamim used, as on every Motzaei Shabbos (624:3).
The blessing over the flame is said even on a weekday Motzaei Yom Kippur, because fire is a new thing from which one derived no benefit on Yom Kippur, when kindling was forbidden (624:4). It must be said over a ner sheshavas—a flame that rested, such as a lamp that has been burning since Erev Yom Kippur—and not over a flame struck now from stone or wood, or one kindled from such a flame (624:5). If there is no such flame at home, one brings the flame from shul or lights from the candle that has burned through the day.
The bread eaten after the fast is dipped in honey and in salt.
Kiddush Levanah is said after Havdalah, wearing a gartel, and without the tallis and kittel—and it is fitting to wash one’s face and put on shoes first.
It is customary to speak about building the sukkah immediately after the fast, even if the building itself waits, so as to go straight from one mitzvah to the next. The Rebbe was observed to begin learning Mishnayos of Maseches Sukkah on returning home after Yom Kippur.
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