What We Carry Into Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is sometimes described as a day of letting go—of sins, grudges, mistakes, and regrets. But before we can let go, we must first recognize what we are carrying.

We carry our words. The ones we wish we hadn’t spoken, and the ones we regret never saying. The conversations with loved ones that ended too soon, or too sharply. The silence that may have left someone feeling alone.

We carry our actions. The good we’ve done, but also the good we left undone. Opportunities to show kindness, or to stand up for someone else, that passed us by.

We carry our worries. About family, health, work, the world. Sometimes these weigh heavier than we realize, leaving little room for joy or gratitude.

And we carry our blessings. It’s easy to forget this part. Along with our burdens, we also bring to Yom Kippur the love we’ve given and received, the moments of courage, the friendships, the small daily acts of care. These, too, shape who we are.

Yom Kippur does not ask us to erase ourselves, but to hold our lives up to the light. To name honestly what we are carrying, and then decide: what is worth keeping, and what can we finally put down?

The prayers of the day, especially the Vidui—the communal confession—are not meant to shame us. They are meant to unburden us. When we say “we have sinned,” we do so together. Not to point fingers, but to recognize that all of us carry something. And all of us are capable of renewal.

As we enter Yom Kippur, may we take stock of what fills our hands and our hearts. May we let go of what weighs us down. And may we leave the day lighter, ready to begin again.