Ne'ila

Ne'ila (Hebrew: נְעִילָה, lit. 'locking'), the concluding service, is a special Jewish prayer service that is held only on Yom Kippur.^[1] It is the time when final prayers of repentance are recited at the closing of Yom Kippur. Neilah marks the fifth Amidah of Yom Kippur, the only such occasion in the Hebrew calendar in which there are so many services.

Contents

In the Ashkenazic and Hassidic rites, Ne'ila begins with Ashrei and Uva L'Tzion, both of which are postponed from Mincha, when they are normally recited on Shabbat and Festivals. In most other rites, Ashrei and Uva L'Tzion are recited as normal at Mincha, and Ashrei alone is repeated at the beginning of Ne'ila. This is followed by Amidah with Selichot and an abbreviated Vidui; in the Ashkenazic rite, it concludes with Avinu Malkeinu. In Sephardic practice, it begins with the hymn El Nora Alila. At the end of the service, the shofar is blown, and in the Eastern Ashkenazic rite L'Shana Haba'ah is recited (sometimes sung).

In the Eastern Ashkenazic rite, the ark (Aron Kodesh or Hechal) remains open during the leader's repetition of the Ne'ila Amidah, and it is traditional to stand throughout the service. In the Western Ashkenazic rite, like in all of the prayers of Yom Kippur, the ark is open for the entire repetition of the Amidah except it is closed for Kedushah and Birkat Kohanim; most do not stand when it is open. While throughout the High Holy Days, Jews pray to be "written" in the Book of Life, during Ne'ila in all such prayers the word 'write' (Hebrew katav כתב) is replaced by 'seal' (Hebrew ḥatam חתם).^[2]

References

1. According to Talmudic law, Ne'ilah is recited on all public fast days, see Taanit 26a. Nevertheless, the universal practice since the times of the Geonim has been to recite it only on Yom Kippur.
2. "Neilah Judaism". Britannica.com.