Ah, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and also the day of exhaustion (without fail, it is always a hard day around here, every single year). Between fasting, extremely long temple services, strong religious overtones about guilt/sin, and lots of folks in close quarters, nerves get frayed very, very easily.

At my house, a squabble is to be expected, but this year, it was a knock-down, drag out fight. What started as a simple disagreement between two people morphed into a group debate about repentence, namely can someone be “forced” to repent?

Opinions seemed to run the gamut: One lady said everyone should apologize, sorry or not. Another person said he wouldn’t apologize, under any circumstances, ever (don’t ask…). Yet another said: “Repentance is a waste of time because you can’t undo the original crime.”

Personally, I believe that repentance is generally a good thing. We are all human and we all make mistakes. When I do something wrong, I admit it freely, and try not to repeat the behavior. But that is my choice. Not everyone shares my feelings and if someone isn’t sorry, insisting they issue a fake apology, whether it’s to a human being or the Lord above, is truly useless. Scripture is very clear that one must atone of their own free will, same as a victim must freely accept an apology. If someone is shamed or goaded into repenting, that’s not authentic.

In an ideal world, nobody would ever hurt another’s feelings, injure their person, or steal their property. There would be no adultery, no murder, no blasphemy, no sin at all. Of course, that world doesn’t exist! So long as we continue to sin—and every person on earth is a sinner—we will need to repent. We are not required to be perfect, but we should be mindful of our own shortcomings and how they can negatively effect us and others.

How do you feel about repentance?

Judaism 101 has an excellent article full of tips to make Yom Kippur fasting easier. Staying hydrated, avoiding salt beforehand, and taking a nap during the holiday are all things I try to do and it really helps!

Guatemalan police have raided the Lev Tahor community after allegations of child abuse, underage marriages, and many other illegalities surfaced. This group, which claims to follow its own brand of strict Orthodoxy, has been on the run from Canadian authorities and seems to be continuing their destructive patterns in other countries.

Founded in the 1980’s by an Israeli, Lev Tahor holds extremist views, shuns technology, and is Anti-Zionist. Female members must wear head-to-toe black robes that cover every inch of their bodies (sound similar to another group of religious fanatics? The Israeli press thinks so and have nicknamed them the “Jewish Taliban”).

I, like most members of the Jewish community, condemn Lev Tahor’s actions and do not consider them legitimate. Quite simply, this is a cult, not a religion. It’s true that Judaism can be practiced in a variety of ways, some of which may seem odd or unappealing to the mainstream. While there’s nothing wrong with that, if local and state laws are broken so their “faith” can be practiced, that is definitely not okay. That is a crime and it should be called just that.

What bothers me most about this whole sordid saga is that the behavior of a few crazies may cause trouble for the rest of Guatemala’s 1,200 legitimate Jews. With such a small population to begin with, the last thing they need is negative attention and unfair comparisons that could lead to more prejudice.

Such a terrible situation for everyone involved and I pray that the abused children and women can get the help they deserve.

Need help prepping for Rosh Hashanah? Aish has some fabulous resources. Their comprehensive guide details everything you ever wanted to know about the holiday—tips for the festive meal (including symbolic foods), prayers, customs, Shofar, Tashlich, etc.

I also love this handy infographic.

Great refresher course for us old timers and very helpful for those who are unfamiliar with the Jewish New Year celebration.