When Does the Yom Kippur Fast Start?

Fasting on Yom Kippur, considered the holiest day of the Jewish year, is a mitzvah (a commandment or law) in the Torah. The solemn holiday is when observant Jews seek forgiveness from God and anyone whom they may have wronged in the past year.

Beyond prayer, observing a 25-hour fast is central to Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. Here’s what to know about the custom.

Jews abstain from both food and drink, including water, for the duration of Yom Kippur. The holiday—and the fast—occur on the 10th of Tishrei, according to the Jewish calendar. On the Gregorian calendar, the Yom Kippur fast starts at sunset on September 20, 2026, and ends at nightfall on September 21, 2026. The timing across the two days reflects the fact that the Jewish calendar’s days begin at sunset not midnight.

The fast is broken with the sounding of the shofar, a ritual instrument typically made from a ram’s horn, and a festive meal with friends and family.

The length of the Yom Kippur fast is rooted in ancient tradition as outlined in the Torah. Leviticus 16:29 states, “In the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict yourselves,” and Leviticus 23:29 states, “For any person who will not be afflicted on that very day, shall be cut off from its people.” At the time, rabbis understood affliction to mean fasting.

The 25-hour fast helped ancient Jews account for discrepancies in when sundown occurred. Instead of modern computations, they relied on visual observation and word of mouth to determine important celestial events that dictated religious customs. Today, there is still some leeway in determining when “nightfall” is. Fasting for 25 hours on Yom Kippur ensures Jews fulfill their religious obligation.

Fasting is part of the Yom Kippur ritual of atoning and asking forgiveness. According to Jewish tradition, God seals people’s fate for the coming year on Yom Kippur, which occurs 10 days after the Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah. The practice is also considered a way to start the year with a clean slate. Fasting is said to help everyone observe the holiday in a personal way.

Aside from fasting, people are also encouraged to abstain from luxury and certain pleasures. These generally include bathing or showering, applying lotions or oils, wearing leather shoes and having intimate relations. People also are encouraged to avoid wearing gold, as it’s seen as a reminder of the sin of worshipping the golden calf when the Jews thought Moses wasn’t returning from Mount Sinai.

No, not all Jews fast for Yom Kippur. While most adults do fast on the holiday, children typically start the practice when they reach bar or bat mitzvah age. Fasting is not a requirement for young children or people whose health would be put at risk by fasting. Pregnant or breastfeeding people fast at their discretion, and Jews who need food or water to take daily medication may do so.