915. Mincha on Erev Yom Kippur

131:7 The practice is for the head of every household to make a light in his house for Yom Kippur. This is because Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets on Yom Kippur and the Torah is referred to as light. One also kindles another light to make atonement for the souls of departed parents. The practice is to light one light that will last until after the fast, then to recite havdalah over it. The other candle was lit in shul. These lights should not be made of wax from idolators.  Some consider it a bad sign if one's light should happen to go out on Yom Kippur; if this happens, there is no need to be concerned but one should still try to avoid this. The light for the shul was given to the shammash (the attendant), who would put it in a place of his choosing; the one supplying the light would not know the location of his light. One should bring the candle to shul when going for mincha, to put it in place with the intention to light it later, before twilight. This is because when one goes to shul later for maariv, there will not be sufficient time.

131:8 The practice is to wear Shabbos clothes when going to shul for mincha on erev Yom Kippur. At mincha, after Shemoneh Esrei, Vidui (confession) is recited. Before reciting "My G-d, guard my tongue..." at the end of Shemoneh Esrei, one says the "Yihiyu l'ratzon" and continues with "Our G-d and G-d of our fathers, may our prayer come before You..." through "...and not through afflictions and serious illness." After this, we say "My G-d, guard my tongue..." followed by "Yihiyu l'ratzon" a second time. If one is in still saying Vidui when the shaliach tzibbur starts the repetition of Shemoneh Esrei, he may respond Amen and answer kedusha and Modim since he has already recited the verse "Yihiyu l'ratzon." (One may not interrupt after Shemoneh Esrei before reciting the verse of "Yihiyu l'ratzon," not even for kaddish or kedusha - OC 122:1. See Rema there for more information and varying opinions.)