The Neilah service is recited once a year. It’s full name, Neilat She’arim, means the closing of the gates, as Rav describes in the Talmud, the time when the heavenly gates are closing.
While we would be correct to say that at the end of the 24 hours that the congregational energy and spirit would ebb, anyone who has experienced Neilah finds the exact opposite. This service is the most awe inspiring of the day. We continue to ask the questions, “What are we? What is our life?” It is at this time that our liturgy changes. For the last ten days, we have prayed kotveinu bsefer lchayim, we should be written in the book of life. At Neilah, we pray chatmeinu, we should be sealed.
We conclude with putting the tallit over our heads and blessing the community in birkat kohanim, the priestly blessing that prays for shalom, peace.
Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen writes in Prayer and Penitence, “Throughout Yom Kippur, we have sought God and pursued God through liturgical highways and byways, and their spiritual rhythms and cadences. We have fallen on our knees, made many confessions, and beaten our breasts till they ached in order to prompt God to clasp us to Godself. As the night draws in, and Neilah transports us into the celestial heights, we feel that we have succeeded in catching up with our Beloved and in celebrating a joyous and rapturous reunion.”
When we walk out of Sinai Temple tomorrow evening, we pray that our experience will have left a mark on our Jewish souls, that will transform ourselves, and ultimately our community, as well as and the Jewish people. So that we may confront our challenges and embrace our achievements in the year ahead. May we see peace for the land and all the people of Israel.
G’mar Chatima Tova
