Once I spent a Yom Kippur in a Yeshiva in Israel. At the time of Ne’ilah (the Closing of Yom Kippur Service), the Talmidim (students) of the Yeshiva were so exhilarated they started dancing.

I didn’t understand why.

Someone explained that Yom Kippur is the day of the Atonement. It is a day that G-d looks at the record of a person and if the person feels badly – about the transgressions of the past and the Mitzvahs overlooked, he will have a clean slate. All of the transgressions of the past year against Him are forgiven.

I understood. The Talmidim realized that they can now start life clean and pure after this holy day of atonement.

The fasting of Yom Kippur is not only so that one can concentrate on repentance – but it enables us for one day to resemble an angel. Angels don’t eat. We don’t eat. Angels are light. We wear white. Angels are close to Hash-m. We are also close. Angels don’t have an “evil” inclination. On Kippur, we have no “evil” inclination.

The last several Yom Kippurs, I thought about that and it helped make the fast easier and Kippur more of a pleasure.

Some feel lighter afterwards because the fast helped them lose weight. I feel a little lighter because the burden of the transgression has been lifted off my back.

An opportunity to start anew.