# What to say on a Yom Kippur card **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566 "2003-10-04T17:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/1 "2003-10-04T17:16:40Z")
Do I say “Happy Yom Kippur”? Would that be correct on a day of atonement? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/2 "2003-10-04T17:29:32Z")
I would just buy one that’s already got a message printed on it and then sign it. ---
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/3 "2003-10-04T18:34:28Z")
“Have a meaningful fast” is what I usually say. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/4 "2003-10-04T18:50:04Z")
“May you be seen as worthy in the eyes of G\_d.” ---
**Author:** ![oldhippy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dec6dc/32.png) [@oldhippy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldhippy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/5 "2003-10-04T18:53:03Z")
Your… Happy Yom Kippur is fine…however since it is also called “the day of atonement”… you may find it interesting to note: that atonement means more than “to atone for your sins”. Atonement actually breaks down to: “At-one-ment” meaning "may you become one with your self…one with others…one with G-d… one with the universe…[a lot of Jews prefer not to spell out the name of G-d.] So…it is the one day each year **you use exclusively** ,for “getting one with G-d!”[ ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/6 "2003-10-04T19:01:27Z")
Thank you. May I ask why Jewish people prefer to spell it like that? I’m afraid I don’t know much about the customs [laws?]. I’m sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/7 "2003-10-04T19:13:19Z")
The usual greeting I’ve heard is “Have an easy fast”. ---
**Author:** ![oldhippy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dec6dc/32.png) [@oldhippy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldhippy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/8 "2003-10-04T19:41:22Z")
There are several reasons for not spelling out G-d… but as the power of G-d is unlimited, you don’t want to do anything to call upon, limit or restrict G-d…or use his name in vain…also meaning using or spelling out his name in the"mundane". You may also note there are many different names for G-d…and many feel that to write out G-d’s name is to call upon him, wether you ment to or not! So…The spelling: G-d is out of respect…for the power…the glory…and the “don’t call upon me, unless you really mean it!” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/9 "2003-10-04T19:42:33Z")
Two, four, six, eight! Atonement is really great! GO YOM! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/10 "2003-10-04T19:43:10Z")
Welcome aboard(s), **oldhippy**! Thank you for the very accurate (and very funny) post. ---
**Author:** ![oldhippy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dec6dc/32.png) [@oldhippy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldhippy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/11 "2003-10-04T19:50:07Z")
Thank you Zenster for the welcome a-board! ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/12 "2003-10-04T21:22:18Z")
I bet GOD spells YOUR name with all the letters intact. ;j ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/13 "2003-10-04T21:43:47Z")
Actually to get back to the OP: It is said that, on _Rosh Hashana_ (the Jewish new year), the virtuous people are written in the Book of Life for the coming year. The clearly un-virtuous are written in the Book of Death. Some are left dangling. You have the next 10 days - known as the _Ten Days of Return_ - to return and repent from your evil ways, culminating on the Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur itself. If you were not already in the Book of Life, you may try to swing the balance and get in during this time. Actually, you must acquit yourself with God and with Man - you must ask forgiveness of any person you may have wronged during the Days of Return, and on Yom Kippur itself, your prayers are taken as a request of forgiveness from God for any transgressions you have made against Him. At the end of Yom Kippur, the Books of Life and Death are completed and closed (“signed”), based on your acquittal of yourself with both God and Man. So - to finish a long-winded explanation - the customary words of Jews to one another the world over are: “May you be written and signed in the Book of Life”, or, more familiarly, “Good Signing”. I am very far from being a religious person myself, but the whole concept of the Days of Return - especially the part about having to receive forgiveness from you fellow Men - has a certain aesthetic appeal to my mind. And I’ve probably botched up this explanation really badly. Where is **Zev** when we need him? (To be fair - it’s still Shabbat on the East Coast right now, so he’ll probably be coming online in the next few hours). On a lighter note, a good friend of mine started a new job between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur after being out of work for nearly a year. I told her - “Well, you’re already signed up well enough!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/14 "2003-10-05T01:57:44Z")
Cards are not exchanged on Yom Kippur. :rolleyes: ;j :wally ---
**Author:** ![Margeuerite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Margeuerite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Margeuerite)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/15 "2003-10-05T04:38:41Z")
You could write, “G’mar chasima tova v’tzom kal” (“may you be inscribed for a good year [in the book of life], and have an easy fast.”) If a shorter phrase would be more appropriate, try “G’mar chasima tova” or simply “chasima tova.” A lot of cards I’ve seen just say “Have an easy fast.” Wishing you all a gut gebensht yor, Maggie ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-say-on-a-yom-kippur-card/205566/16 "2003-10-05T06:40:11Z")
**DaveRaver** I’m not exchanging cards. I’ve send one. I don’t expect one back. :wally Thanks again, all. **Maggie** And the same to you. Have a peacefull one.