Watch the Clock—Miss the Moment
When you ask most people what Yom Kippur is about, they’ll likely say it’s the day Jews ask for forgiveness for their sins. Although that might be the main element of the day, it completely misses a unique opportunity because if people view Yom Kippur merely as a 25-hour fasting marathon with a checklist of mistakes to clear, they will find themselves glancing anxiously at their watches, counting down the hours until they can finally eat. But Yom Kippur is not just about forgiveness, it’s about experience — entering a sacred space in time, stepping into something bigger than ourselves, and allowing the day’s atmosphere to transform us.
Think about it. Why do people spend hundreds of dollars on a ticket to a concert or a playoff game, when they could easily watch the same thing in the comfort of their homes for free? There’s something about being present for the surge of energy from the stands and the sense of belonging to a moment you’ll never forget.
Judaism understands this better than anyone. The Torah is not merely a book of ideas, it’s an instruction book of meaningful experiences. We eat matzah on Passover not just to learn about slavery and freedom, but to taste it. We sit in a Sukkah, vulnerable and exposed to the elements not just to hear about trust in G-d, but to feel it. On Yom Kippur, we’re not just counting mistakes; we’re invited to feel the energy of a day and even experience holiness.
Back when the Beit HaMikdash — the great spiritual center of our people in Jerusalem — still stood, Yom Kippur was the most powerful day of the year. The highlight wasn’t simply the prayers or the fasting — it was the awe-inspiring service of the Kohen Gadol, the supreme spiritual leader of the nation. Imagine the scene: Hundreds of thousands of Jews gathered in Jerusalem, experiencing the scene of the Kohen Gadol entering a place so special that no one else could enter all year. He was the agent for the entire Jewish nation; when he successfully completed the service, his face shone with joy, and the people themselves erupted in celebration. That moment wasn’t just about knowing the Almighty had forgiven them, it was about experiencing the palpable presence of G-d among them; this emotional and spiritual high stayed with them for life.
Today we no longer have the Beit HaMikdash in Jerusalem, so we can no longer watch the Kohen Gadol walk into the Holy of Holies, but we do have the next best thing: the experience of being together in shul on Yom Kippur. Look around you, every seat is full.
People you may not see the rest of the year are standing next to you, some swaying, others whispering prayers or crying, and then there are some who choose to be present in silence. There’s something in the air — a mix of vulnerability, yearning, and hope. The melodies, the whiteness of the Torah covers, the haunting words of Kol Nidrei. These aren’t just rituals, they are an atmosphere, a collective heartbeat that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
Yes, we ask for forgiveness and reflect on our lives but there is also something deeper happening—we are experiencing holiness together. How often does that happen? And that’s why it’s a tragedy if we spend Yom Kippur glancing at our watches, calculating when the fast will end and losing the moment by thinking about bagels and coffee. If you focus only on what you’re missing, you’ll miss the gift right in front of you.
Instead, try this: be present. Close your eyes and allow the uplifting and sometimes haunting melodies to bring you to a special place. Look around the shul and sometimes you will witness fathers with sons and grandsons, mothers with daughters and granddaughters all united in the same prayers. Feel the quiet at Ne’ilah, when the Ark is open and the shul is united in one last, powerful prayer before the shofar sounds.
That is the Avodah — the service — of our day. That is our “Kohen Gadol moment.” It’s not only about the words in the machzor (special High Holiday prayerbook) — it’s about allowing the experience to touch you, even if you don’t understand every line.
There’s a teaching about a mitzvah called Hakhel in this week’s Parsha. Once every seven years all of Israel gathered in Jerusalem to hear the Torah read. Men came to learn, women to be inspired, and even children came. The commentators explain that sometimes, just being present at a holy experience leaves an indelible imprint. Yom Kippur is our personal Hakhel. You don’t need to master it, you just need to show up and be willing to be emotionally present, open your heart, and allow the moment to touch you.
This Yom Kippur, don’t let the day slip by in hunger and distraction. Don’t spend it wishing it away, Instead, lean into the experience and be part of the moment, the songs, the silence, the unity. Yom Kippur isn’t just about being forgiven. It’s about feeling forgiven and stepping into a sacred experience that can change the way you see yourself, your people, and
your G-d.
When you allow yourself to be present for it, Yom Kippur can become not merely a fast you endured, but an uplifting experience you’ll carry long after the final shofar has sounded.
Good Shabbos