In Jewish tradition , God writes the of each person for the coming year into a `` book '' on Rosh Hashanah . God waits until Yom Kippur to `` seal '' the fate . According to Jewish tradition , God inscribes each person 's fate for the coming year into a book , the Book of Life , on Rosh Hashanah , and waits until Yom Kippur to `` seal '' the verdict .