דרשה לשבת שובה תשפ"ד

(1) If a person transgresses any of the mitzvot of the Torah, whether a positive command or a negative command - whether willingly or inadvertently - when he repents, and returns from his sin, he must confess before God, blessed be He, as [Numbers 5:6-7] states: "If a man or a woman commit any of the sins of man... they must confess the sin that they committed."This refers to a verbal confession. This confession is a positive command.How does one confess: He states: "I implore You, God, I sinned, I transgressed, I committed iniquity before You by doing the following. Behold, I regret and am embarrassed for my deeds. I promise never to repeat this act again."These are the essential elements of the confessional prayer. Whoever confesses profusely and elaborates on these matters is worthy of praise.Those who bring sin offerings or guilt offerings must also [confess their sins] when they bring their sacrifices for their inadvertent or willful transgressions. Their sacrifices will not atone for their sins until they repent and make a verbal confession as [Leviticus 5:5] states: "He shall confess the sin he has committed upon it."Similarly, those obligated to be executed or lashed by the court do not attain atonement through their death or lashing unless they repent and confess. Similarly, someone who injures a colleague or damages his property, does not attain atonement, even though he pays him what he owes until he confesses and makes a commitment never to do such a thing again as implied by the phrase [Numbers, loc. cit..], "any of the sins of man."

(3) Anyone who verbalizes his confession without resolving in his heart to abandon [sin] can be compared to [a person] who immerses himself [in a mikvah] while [holding the carcass of] a lizard in his hand. His immersion will not be of avail until he casts away the carcass."

(14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

§ The Sages taught in the Tosefta: With regard to transgressions that one confessed on this Yom Kippur, he should not confess them on another Yom Kippur, since he has already been forgiven.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: If one confesses in subsequent years, all the more so is he praiseworthy, as he remembers his earlier sins and is thereby humbled, as it is stated: “For I know my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me” (Psalms 51:5).

(21) And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 86b, though our version of the Talmud has the opinions inverted), “Transgressions that one confessed on this Yom Kippur, he should repeat and confess on another Yom Kippur, as it is stated (Psalms 51:5), ‘and my sin is ever before me.’ Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says, ‘He should not confess them on another Yom Kippur.’” But in the Midrash (Midrash Tehillim 32; Shemot Rabbah 53:2), they warned a great deal not to repeat and confess them on another Yom Kippur. And they warned about this from (two) [three] angles: The first is that he shows himself to be from those with little trust and as if he does not trust the greatness of God’s forgiveness, may He be blessed - that He lifts off the iniquity and passes over the transgression. And they mentioned about this, “Let lying lips be stilled” (Psalms 31:19). And the second is because if he only mentions the earlier iniquities, he will appear like one whose only worry is about the earlier ones. And has he not sinned afterwards? And if so, he appears as one who does not search and examine his ways; and this is a very bad sickness. For those that supervise their souls always see matters of iniquity in it or its ailments; or that it is falling short in attaining levels of fear [of God]; or that it is falling short in [divine] service and involvement in Torah [study] - as there are great punishments for these. And also since transgressions of the tongue are common. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Batra 164b), “[There are] three things from which a person is not spared each day: Sinful thoughts, the dust of evil speech and [that they are not focusing their hearts] in prayer [many times].” And the third is because it appears as if he is boasting through his confession [that is] only upon the earlier ones, as he did not sin afterwards. And in the Midrash, they said, “Is it because you do not have from the new, that you are confessing about the earlier ones?” And they explained in the Midrash that, that which it is written “and my sin is ever before me,” is [to mean] that they should be in front of his eyes and remembered in his heart, but not that he should mention them with his mouth. They also explained in the Talmud Yerushalmi Yoma 8:7 that they should not be in your eyes as if you did not do them; but rather as if you did them and they were forgiven. And we have already mentioned this in the Gates of the Fundamentals of Repentance (1:48). Nevertheless, he should seek mercy all the days of his life for forgiveness of his iniquities, both old and new; and be afraid and scared [that] maybe he has not completed the measure of the fundamentals of repentance. Secondly - because the sins that [warrant] excision are absolved by afflictions, as we mentioned. King David, peace be upon him, also said (Psalms 25:7), “Do not remember my youthful sins and transgressions.” However he did not mention the earlier ones individually, since he already repented for them and confessed them on Yom Kippur. So he already fulfilled the commandment of confession and can trust that his confession was already accepted for that which confession is fitting to atone. However he should pray for the forgiveness of his iniquities all of his days, as we mentioned. Yet it is not from the obligation of prayer to specify his sins; only from the obligation of confession. And there is yet another reason to pray about the iniquities of earlier days - because maybe he has iniquities and sins that he did not contemplate; and did not remember and confess, like the matter that is stated (Psalms 19:13), “Clear me of unperceived guilt.”

(8) The confessional prayer customarily recited by all Israel is: "For we have all sinned...." This is the essence of the confessional prayer.Sins which were confessed on one Yom Kippur should be confessed on another Yom Kippur even though one remains steadfast in his repentance, as [Psalms 51:5] states: "I acknowledge my transgressions and my sins are always before me."

(7) Yom Kippur is the time of Teshuvah for all, both individuals and the community at large. It is the apex of forgiveness and pardon for Israel. Accordingly, everyone is obligated to repent and confess on Yom Kippur.The mitzvah of the confession of Yom Kippur begins on the day's eve, before one eats [the final meal], lest one choke to death in the meal before confessing.Although a person confessed before eating, he should confess again in the evening service, Yom Kippur night, and similarly, repeat the confession in the morning, Musaf, afternoon, and Ne'ilah services.At which point [in the service] should one confess? An individual confesses after the Amidah and the Chazan confesses in the midst of the Amidah, in the fourth blessing.

(8) The confessional prayer customarily recited by all Israel is: "For we have all sinned...." This is the essence of the confessional prayer.Sins which were confessed on one Yom Kippur should be confessed on another Yom Kippur even though one remains steadfast in his repentance, as [Psalms 51:5] states: "I acknowledge my transgressions and my sins are always before me."

(14) The fifth path is [that] on the ten days of repentance, the heart of one who fears the Lord will pine inside himself, knowing in his mind that all of his deeds are written in a book and that at that time, God brings all of His creation to judgement about all that is hidden - whether for the good or for the bad. For man is judged on Rosh Hashanah and his final verdict is sealed on Yom Kippur. And at a time that he knows that they will bring his case in front of a king of flesh and blood, does he not tremble greatly, seek counsel for himself and scurry industriously to find a way to escape? And it does not come to his spirit to turn to the right or to the left or to occupy himself with the rest of his business. And he will not break up and furrow his land nor turn through the vineyards. And on a day of distress, he will not falter from preparing his heart to escape like a deer from the hand [of the hunter]. Therefore how foolish are those who go out to their labors and their work until the evening on the Days of Awe - days of judgement and verdict - and do not know what their verdict will be. Is it not that their hearts are preoccupied [even] about their sister on the day when she will be spoken for - as it is stated (Song of Songs 8:8), "What shall we do for our sister when she is spoken for?" And it is fitting for anyone that fears God to reduce his affairs, so that his ideas are at ease; to fix times during the day and night to seclude himself in his rooms, search his ways and investigate; to be early to the watches and occupy himself with the ways of repentance and the refinement of action; and to pour out speech, raise prayer and song and to lay down supplication. And this time is a time of [good] will, and prayer will be heard on it - like the matter that is stated (Isaiah 49:8), "In an hour of favor I answer you, and on a day of salvation I help you." And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 18a), "'Seek the Lord while He can be found' - these are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur." And it is a positive commandment from the Torah for a man to arouse his spirit to repent on Yom Kippur, as it is stated (Leviticus 16:30), "of all your sins, you shall be pure before the Lord." Therefore Scripture warned us that we should purify ourselves before God with our repentance; and He will atone for us on that day to purify us.

(1) For the leader. A psalm of David, (2) when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba.aCf. 2 Sam. 12.(3) Have mercy upon me, O God,as befits Your faithfulness;in keeping with Your abundant compassion,blot out my transgressions. (4) Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity,and purify me of my sin; (5) for I recognize my transgressions,and am ever conscious of my sin.

(1) אכפרה פניו I WILL APPEASE HIM I am of the opinion that wherever the verb כפר is used in association with iniquity and sin and in association with anger (פנים), it always signifies wiping away, removing.

(7) Yom Kippur is the time of Teshuvah for all, both individuals and the community at large. It is the apex of forgiveness and pardon for Israel. Accordingly, everyone is obligated to repent and confess on Yom Kippur.The mitzvah of the confession of Yom Kippur begins on the day's eve, before one eats [the final meal], lest one choke to death in the meal before confessing.Although a person confessed before eating, he should confess again in the evening service, Yom Kippur night, and similarly, repeat the confession in the morning, Musaf, afternoon, and Ne'ilah services.At which point [in the service] should one confess? An individual confesses after the Amidah and the Chazan confesses in the midst of the Amidah, in the fourth blessing.

(8) The confessional prayer customarily recited by all Israel is: "For we have all sinned...." This is the essence of the confessional prayer.Sins which were confessed on one Yom Kippur should be confessed on another Yom Kippur even though one remains steadfast in his repentance, as [Psalms 51:5] states: "I acknowledge my transgressions and my sins are always before me."

(10) Once a year Aaron shall perform purification upon its horns with blood of the sin offering of purification; purification shall be performed upon it once a year throughout the ages. It is most holy to יהוה.