In a class given at Pardes Jerusalem as part of the Community Education Program, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield looks at why we fast on Yom Kippur. Fasting is one of the most widely kept Mitzvot, but what exactly are the reasons for it.
Why Do We Fast on Yom Kippur?
Introduction
Zvi Hirschfield
Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield teaches Talmud, Halakha and Jewish Thought at Pardes. He is also deeply involved in Pardes’s programs for Jewish educators, with a focus on tefilah in educational settings, modern Jewish thought, and Israel education. Zvi holds a B.A. in History from Columbia University, pursued graduate studies at Harvard University in Medieval and Modern Jewish Thought, studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion, and received rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
Before joining Pardes, Zvi served as Director of Judaica at the JCC of Cleveland and taught at the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. He also works as a curriculum writer and staff trainer for the Nesiya Institute. Zvi lives in Israel with his wife, Dina, and their four children.