Yom Kippur Trivia

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Where in the Torah do we find a mitzva to fast for two days in a row?!
2. Should one dip the bread in honey or in salt on erev Yom Kippur?
3. In Mishnayos Masechet Yuma (that discuss the laws of Yom Kippur), Rebbi Akiva is quoted saying his famous phrase: אַשְרֵיכֶם יִּשְרָאֵל (“Am Yisroel — you are so fortunate!”) Which praise of Am Yisroel was Rebbi Akiva referring to?

You probably know that the mitzva of הכנסת אורחים (inviting guests) is a great mitzva, but did you know that there is a special ענין to have guests on erev Yom Kippur?! The following is brought down in the Matteh Ephrayim:

ויש להזמין על שולחנו עניים הגונים, שהוא סגולה להיות שולחנו כפרה. ומכל שכן שיש לעשות כן בסעודת המפסקת. [מטה אפרים תרד-תרה, יח]

One should invite appropriate poor people to his table on erev Yom Kippur, because it’s a segula that his table should serve for an atonement for the host. And all the more so, one should do so for the Seuda Hamafsekes. [Matteh Ephrayim 604-605, 18]