ו יום כפור

פתח לנו שער בעת נעילת שער

Open Up the Gates at the time of Closing of the Gates

Dear Friends,

At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, during Neila, we pray that the Almighty open gates in heaven for us. What gates? The Talmud in Berachos teaches that after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash the Gates of Prayer were locked. However, explains the Talmud, the Gates of Tears were left unlocked. And so, we ask Hashem to open the Gates of Tears. And for our prayers to be accepted we must shed tears.

Since October 7 the Jewish People have been crying. Millions of tears have been shed for the holy souls who were murdered, for those who have fallen in battle, for the hostages, for the wounded, for those who have been subjected to antisemitism, and for our brethren in Israel.

We have a responsibility to do all that we can to ensure that our prayers are accepted.  When we join together in meaningful, inspirational prayer, we transform our individual prayers into a far more potent force – the tefilla of a צבור. Prayers which surely enter the Gates of Tears.

I have compiled a list and playlist of the niggunim which I will בע"ה sing during our Yom Kippur תפילות. I encourage you to listen to the playlist in advance of Yom Kippur. The music is both inspiring and moving. Then on Yom Kippur we can  join together as a צבור in prayer.

גמר חתימה טובה ובשורות טובות,

Judd Lifschitz

P.S. Thank you to Mitch Taragin for both the idea and for helping to produce the song sheet and playlist.