Liturgy sur Ta'anit 4:12
Machzor Yom Kippur Ashkenaz
The concluding Service of Yom Kippur forms the climax of Jewish devotion on this holiest day of the year. The literal meaning of the word Neilah is “the closing of the gates.” In ancient times, there was a daily prayer in the Temple just before the closing of the gates in the evening. Outside the Temple there was a similar closing prayer on public fast-days. At the urging of Rav, who had a decisive influence on the Yom Kippur liturgy, this special prayer was instituted in the form of a new Amidah. In later times the word neilah was taken to mean “closing of the Heavenly Gates.” Thus we have the prayer, “Open for us the gate at the time of closing the gate, for the day has declined.” The key-note of the Neilah Service is the prayer אַתָּה נוֹתֵן יַד, “You are willing to meet even [those who deliberately transgressed Your Law]. You give them the call and the opportunity to return to You, and You are ready at all times to receive those who return. Let no one, therefore say, “it is too late.”
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