On Yom Kippur, we strip away layers: no food, no work, no adornment. What is left is simply us. The TorahRefers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, also called the Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch or the Hebrew equivalent, Humash. This is also called the Written Torah. The term may also refer to teachings that expound on Jewish tradition. Read more says: “For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to purify you; from all your sins you shall be pure before God” (Leviticus 16:30). Yom Kippur is a day when we stand before the Divine and show up, baring our year and our choices, hoping to see that day as a turning point. In the end, that’s all that matters.

Today, experiment with dropping one layer of pretense. Say what you actually feel. Set down one mask. Let yourself be present, even if only for a moment.

Kavanah: Stand uncovered before yourself and call that enough.

Explore the full Elul intentions here.