Neilah

Neilah is a term used in Jewish tradition with two closely related meanings. It literally means “closing” or “locking” in Hebrew. The primary senses are: 1) the closing service of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, held late in the day in the synagogue; and 2) a tractate of the Talmud associated with that service and its laws.

In the liturgical sense, Neilah refers to the final prayer service on Yom Kippur. It takes place in the late afternoon or near sunset and is considered the culmination of the day’s prayers. The service emphasizes repentance and supplication, often featuring intense confession (vidui) and additional supplications as the fast approaches its end. In many communities, the mood is solemn and urgent, reflecting the sense that the day’s opportunities for atonement are drawing to a close. The service commonly ends with the concluding words of the Mussaf and is followed by the final shofar blast in many traditions, signaling the end of the fast.

In rabbinic literature, Neilah is the name of a Talmudic tractate that discusses laws and narratives connected to the closing hours of the Yom Kippur temple service and the symbolic gates that close at the end of the day. The tractate compiles halakhic and sometimes aggadic material about the timing, procedures, and significance of the Neilah service, as well as related questions about prayer, repentance, and the sealing of the Book of Life for the coming year.

See also: Yom Kippur, Jewish liturgy, Talmud, Neilah tractate.