angels in the infield

tonight at sunset marks our entry into yom kippur. on every other day of the year we embrace the material world to elevate it to the spiritual.  on this day of self reflection and repentance, we release ourselves from the physical and, just like G-d's angels, we try to embrace the spiritual exclusively.  by refraining from food, beverage, marital relations, wearing leather shoes, and anointing ourselves with oils and lotions, we are preparing our bodies to allow ourselves to get closer to our own souls and closer to G-d through prayer.  without the physical distractions, our spiritual side has a chance to be heard louder than usual, giving us a greater ability to repent with even more sincerity. it is customary to pray in synagogue tonight as well as all day tomorrow until after nightfall when the sound of the shofar indicates the transition from yom kippur to the new day. go to www.myzmanim.com for the exact times of when yom kippur begins and ends in your city.  if you don't belong to a synagogue, it's not too late to find a place to pray! there are many services being held around the world that don't require annual memberships.  go to www.nomembershiprequired.com for services in over 50 cities in the united states. some locations do require a reservation (and some request a fee) so be sure to make your reservations as early in the day as possible.  have an easy and meaning fast and you should all be inscribed in the book of life for the new year!