Erev Yom Kippur
Kapparos
1. The preferred time for kapparos is on Erev Yom Kippur. Those who use chickens may do so during the Aseres Y’mei Teshuva. A male uses a rooster, and a female uses a hen.
2. Ma’aser money may not be used for kapparos.
3. The money or chicken should be given to the poor. The equivalent of the cost of the chicken may be given instead of the chicken itself.
4. The money used need not necessarily been given to the poor. The equal sum may be distributed instead.
Mikvah
5. It's a mitzvah to go the mikvah on Erev Yom Kippur. One should remove any 'chatziza' (barrier interposing between their body and water) by showering and brushing their teeth etc.
6. Some have the custom to dip three times.
7. The ideal time to go to mikvah is between chatzos and davening mincha. If that is not possible, one may go from alos hashachar.
A yeshivah bachur who is unable to toivel before davening mincha with his yeshivah, can do so after mincha.
8. Some women have the custom to go to the mikvah on Erev Yom Kippur.
Eating on Erev Yom Kippur
9. Men and women have the mitzva to eat on Erev Yom Kippur,including those who are sick and therefore will be eating on Yom Kippur.
10. On Erev Yom Kippur men should refrain from eating eggs or garlic (some say only if heated) and hot dairy products.
Some refrain from these foods the entire day, whilst others are lenient until chatzos.
Coffee with milk is permitted.
11. It is a mitzvah to eat fish on Erev Yom Kippur during the day, before the seudas hamafsekes.
12. Some eat kreplach (meat in a pastry), on Erev Yom Kippur.
Seudas Hamafsekes
13. The last seudah before Yom Kippur is called the seudas hamafsekes.
14. It is preferable to eat bread during this meal. Some dip this bread in honey.
15. Light, easily digested foods should be eaten, to prevent one from feeling fully satiated and coming to daven with ga’avah.
16. One may eat chicken, but not meat.
17. One should refrain from eating hot fish during this meal. Some permit cold fish.
18. During this meal, men should refrain from eating eggs, garlic, cheese, milk (some allow cold milk), and one should refrain from drinking old, good wine.
19. Integrated milk, such as in coffee, is permitted.
20. One should refrain from eating sesame seeds during this meal.
21. We daven mincha early, dressed in Shabbos clothing to allow enough time for the seudas hamafsekes. 22. Before bentching, one who intends on eating, drinking or doing melacha after the seudas hamafsekes should verbally or in thought make a specific condition that they are not yet being mekabel the fast and not being mekabel refraining from melachah.
Adding to Yom Kippur
23. It is an obligation from the Torah to accept upon one’s self Yom Kippur before shkiah.
Candle Lighting
24. It is customary to light candles on Erev Yom Kippur. When lighting, the bracha of lehadlik ner shel yom hakipurim is said.
25. The bracha of shehecheyanu is said at Kol Nidrei, unless one has a minhag to say it when lighting candles.
One who says shehecheyanu when lighting candles should not repeat it during Kol Nidrei, but may say omein to the Shaliach Tzibbur when he says it.
26. The candles should be lit in a room which will be used Yom Kippur night. (This may be a different room than where one usually lights Shabbos candles, as there is no seuda on Yom Kippur).
27. A married man should light a candle in addition to the Yom Kippur candles. This candle is called ner habori or the ner hachaim.
28. An additional, 25-hour candle, should be lit. This candle is called the ner sheshovas and should be used for havdala.
29. The ner habriah or the ner sheshovas should be lit in a married person's bedroom. if there is some light in the room, the candle is not necessary.
30. Someone who has lost a parent should light a ner neshama in their merit. One candle is enough for someone orphaned of both parents, or for a couple who have both lost parents.
Blessing Children
31. Many have the custom to bentch their children on Erev Yom Kippur, before going to shul.
Donning a Tallis
31. One should wear a tallis on Yom Kippur night. It is preferable to don the tallis before shkia so the bracha can be said.
Wearing a Kittel
32. On Yom Kippur a white kittel should be worn.
33. There are different minhagim regarding whether a person in their first year of marriage wears a kittel.
34. A kittel should not be worn in the bathroom. Some are lenient if one is just urinating.
Clothing and Jewelry
35. One shouldn't wear fancy, expensive clothing on Yom Kippur.
36. Women should wear regular weekday jewelry but nothing too festive as it detracts from the fear of judgment.
Prohibition of Melacha
37. Any melacha which is forbidden on Shabbos is likewise forbidden on Yom Kippur. (The punishment of one who purposely does a melacha on Yom Kippur changes from skila to kareis.)
Prohibition of Washing
38. It is forbidden to wash even a finger on Yom Kippur, in hot or cold water.
39. When doing netilas yadayim upon waking up one should wash their fingers until the knuckles, washing in the regular way; 6 to 8 times. 40. Washing any part of the face is forbidden. To remove dirt, including removing dirt from the eyes upon waking up in the morning, one may do so with the tip of a wet finger.
41. Washing out the mouth is forbidden, even if one is in great discomfort. Washing out the dirt after vomiting is permitted.
42. One who goes to the bathroom and cleans themself, should wash their hands until the knuckles in addition to any place of dirt.
If one does not clean themselves after the bathroom: During the day, they should wash their hands (because they are davening). At night, it's a machlokesbecause it's not before the davening, so it is preferable to clean one’s self.
43. Even though usually one washes their hands before davening, on Yom Kippurwe do not.
44. Washing for refuahis allowed. Therefore, one who has such a bad headache that prevents functioning, or would cause them to lie down (a 'choleh she'ein bo sakanah), may wash if it will alleviate the pain.
45. Before and after checking a patient, a doctor may wash his hands as he usually would (including with soap).
46. Kohanim going to duchunshould wash their full hands.
47. An ill person or child who eats bread should wash their full hands.
Rubbing in Lotion
48. On Yom Kippur it is forbidden to rub in lotion on even a small part of the body, even if it's not for enjoyment or is just for taking off dirt.
49. It's forbidden to put on perfume or deodorant on Yom Kippur, but one may put on erev Yom Kippur.
50. Rubbing in lotion for refuah is permitted. Therefore, a choleh she'ein bo sakana may do so using liquid lotion, as one may do on Shabbos.
Leather Shoes
51. It's forbidden to wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur. All other materials are permitted.
Some are stringent to wear shoes in which they can feel the strength of the ground through them. Some go so far as to not wear shoes at all (only socks).
52. One should teach the children from very young (2 to 3 years) not to wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur. (Unless they need to go out and they only have leather shoes.)
Bowing to the Floor during Mussaf
53. When bowing to the floor during mussaf, there should be something separating between the person and the floor.
54. One who uses writing paper for this purpose should have in mind before Yom Kippur that he'll be using these papers for this purpose (so they will not be muktza).
Sickness
Who is exempt from fasting
55. A choleh sh'yesh bo sakanah– someone to whom the fast would be damaging, or worsen their condition, should not fast. (In many cases, just drinking shiurim is sufficient).
56. A choleh sh'ein bo sakanah– someone to whom the fast is not a danger to them, should fast.
Pregnant women
57. If the pregnancy is a normal low risk pregnancy and the woman feels good, she should fast as regular. She should make sure to prepare herself before the fast by drinking 3- 4 litres of liquid in the 24 hours before Yom Kippur. During the fast she should try to rest as much as possible, and to stay in an air-conditioned room.
58. A woman who is having contractions should drink shiurim. If this is not enough, she should drink like normal.
59. A woman (or anyone else) who feels very weak and so dizzy that it's difficult to stand should drink shiurim.
60. Nausea in pregnancy is not dangerous to the baby. However, one who throws up a lot must drink shiurim to prevent getting dehydrated.
61. A woman with a hemoglobin level of less than 9 should not fast, but rather eat and drink shiurim.
62. A woman who is having a complicated or high-risk pregnancy should speak to a Rav regarding her specific details.
Nursing mothers
63. Those nursing should fast on Yom Kippur. They should prepare well before Yom Kippur by drinking a lot of grape juice in the 2 days before the fast. Those who can should pump milk before the fast in order to preserve their fluids on Yom Kippur (helping them fast). When the fast is over it is advisable that they should drink a lot of grape juice for the milk to return.
64. A woman should be sure to prepare enough pumped milk to last their baby through Yom Kippur.
65. A woman with a baby who doesn't drink from a bottle, or runs out of pumped milk, and the only food source for the baby is nursing, should drink shiurim of a drink with energy such as grape juice if she does not have enough milk otherwise, every 4 minutes so as not to put the baby in danger.
If this is not enough, she should drink as usual. (Usually drinking is enough, with no need to eat.)
Women After Birth
66. A woman who has given birth within 3 days before Yom Kippur (according to the Shulchan Aruch, from 8 Tishrei, and the Mishna Brura holds also 7 Tishrei from moment of birth. For example, if baby was born at 3pm, she should fast with shiurim from 3pm), should not fast. If she wants to fast, she should just eat shiurim.
67. A woman who has given birth from 4 Tishrei onwards (according to Shulchan Aruch, and according to the Mishna Brura 3Tishrei from moment of birth) should eat and drink shiurim.
If she thinks she can fast and her doctor says she can, then she must fast. If she isn't sure, she should eat and drink shiurim.
68. A woman who gave birth before 3 Tishrei should fast like all other women.
Taking Medication
69. A choleh sh'yesh bo sakanah, should take medication as normal.
A choleh sh'ein bo sakanah (someone who would go lie down, or can't function without medicine), even if there is no danger, may take non-flavored medicine. If they can't swallow them without water, there is a lenient opinion to embitter the water and to take the medicines with bitter water.
70. One who has pain which is not severe enough to come under the category of choleh sh'ein bo sakanah, is forbidden to take medicine on Yom Kippur, even without water. (Like on Shabbos.)
Eating and Drinking Shiurim
71. The Torah prohibits eating or drinking even the tiniest bit on Yom Kippur.
72. One who eats more than the amount of כותבת הגסה (see no.77 and 78) would get the more extreme punishment of kareis (if done on purpose), or chatos (if done by mistake). Therefore, someone who is unable to fast should try to eat less than this amount if possible.
73. One who is eating or drinking shiurim should wait 9 minutes (the stringent time for 'zeman shel achilas pras') between each shiur.
74. One who is unable to wait 9 minutes between shiurim may shorten the time to 4 minutes, and if necessary, to 2 minutes.
75. If it takes someone more than 9 minutes to eat a shiur, they need not wait 9 minutes until the next shiur. However, they should still wait a bit to ensure they will never eat more than a shiur in 9 minutes.
76. The measurement of shiurim is based on size, not weight. (Therefore, it is better not to eat bread/ challah as shiurim because they lack density. Crackers would be a better example).
77. The shiur size of solid foods is 30cm3- the size of a small matchbox (including the box).
78. The shiur size of liquids is 40cc.
79. Even though measuring is usually forbidden on Yom Kippur or Shabbos, one may measure out shiurim on Yom Kippur since it's for refuah or a mitzvah.
Kiddush, Netilas Yadayim and Bracha Acharona
80. Someone who is eating on Yom Kippur (a child or sick person) does not make Kiddush or lechem mishnah.
81. One who is washing for bread on Yom Kippur should wash their full hands as usual.
82. One who washes should say yaaleh veyavo in bentching. One who forgets to say it, should not repeat the bentching (due to an argument amongst the poskim as to whether ya'aleh ve'yavohis said).
83. One who eating shiurim of bread should wash without saying the bracha of netilas yedayim.
84. Since the size of a solid shiur is considered by some a kezayis, if one would usually say a bracha acharona on this size, they should say also here.
According to all opinions, the liquid size shiur is not enough for a bracha acharona.
The Bracha on the Tallis at Mincha
85. A bracha is not said upon donning the tallis at mincha, even if there is a hefsek of a few hours, even if one sleeps.
Motsei Yom Kippur
86. Since the hands are not fully washed upon waking up on Yom Kippur morning, on motsei Yom Kippur, some wash their hands as they would do in the morning for netilas yadayim.
87. Some hold that as soon as one says baruch hamavdil on motsei Yom Kippur, it is permissible to drink water.
88. When making havdala on the wine we say hagofen, then the bracha me'orei ha'eish (see no. 89), and then the bracha of hamavdil.
89. The bracha of me'orei ha'eish should only be said on the ner sheshovas- the candle lit before Yom Kippur. (Although we usually use at least two wicks for havdalla, here many people only use the one wick of the ner sheshovas.)
One who does not have this candle should not say this bracha. If possible, some say to go a neighbor who has this candle.
90. The ner habori or ner neshama can'tbe used for havdallah unless one had in mind before Yom Kippur that they will be using it for havdallah, and, it should be used together with another wick (it is not clear whether one condition is enough).
91. The Rem"a writes that motsei Yom Kippur is a kind of Yom Tov, so we should eat and rejoice. The Sha'arei Tzion adds that on motzei Yom Kippu92. It is a mitzvah to start building the succah on motsei Yom Kippur. It's enough to do a tiny bit, if one finishes the next day (if possible).
93. On the day after Yom Kippur we daven earlier than usual. (The Mishnah Brura writes that one should get up early this day to show that we don't just humble ourselves at the time we come to beg for mercy over our judgement.)
94. One should make sure not to build the sukkah after chatzos on erev Shabbos. One has who to rely on to be busy with this until mincha ketanah.
The same applies to making sukkah decorations, unless it's something quick and temporary r we should wish each other a 'good yom tov'.