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SMG

It is a positive Mitzva for a sinner to return from his sin before G‑d. And for every Mitzva of the Torah, whether positive or negative, [if transgressed] whether on purpose or accidentally; when one does Teshuva and returns from his sin, one is obligated to acknowledge [their sin] before G‑d as it says[i] איש או אשה כי יעשו מכל חטאות האדם … והתודו את חטאתם אשר עשו – this is a verbal acknowledgement, which acknowledgement is a positive Mitzva.

How is the acknowledgement [verbalized]? One says “Please G‑d, I have sinned, gone astray and rebelled before You, and I have done the following: … I regret my actions and I am embarrassed by my actions. And I will never do this again.”

Similarly, those who bring a Korban Ĉa’tos, or Asham; when they bring the sacrifice for their inadvertent or deliberate transgression, the sacrifice does not provide propitiation until they do Teshuva and verbally acknowledge, as it says in the verse[ii] והתודה אשר חטא עליה. Similarly, the Gemara[iii] notes that any guilty party who is being punished either by capital punishment or lashes, the punishment of their death or lashes does not provide propitiation unless they return and acknowledge. Similarly, elsewhere in Gemara[iv] we learned regarding a person who is sick, [and has taken a turn for the worse, and is now] about to die, we tell him ‘Acknowledge’.

Also, one who harms their friend, or causes financial damages, even if monetarily the person [who caused the harm] paid in full the entire obligation, [the sin] is not atoned for until they acknowledge and return from doing this forever, as it says in the [above mentioned] verse מכל חטאות האדם.

Additionally, on Yom Kippur, the high priest verbally acknowledges three (3) times: twice on the cow – once for himself and his household, and once for himself and his tribe [the Kohanim] – and once on the goat that is sent, as explicitly stated in the verse[v] והתודה עליו את כל עונות בני ישראל. The acknowledgement on the cow [though] we derive from [the order of the verses which list out] והקריב, וכפר [and then] ושחט. What propitiation comes before the slaughtering? That is the verbal propitiation [i.e., verbal acknowledgment]. And this follows the opinion of the sages, who say[vi] [that the high priest acknowledges as follows] “I have sinned, I have gone astray, [and] I have rebelled”.

[In expounding on] the negative Mitzva [2] Do not profane G‑d’s great name – ולא תחללו את שם קדשי we have explained some of the transgressions that Yom Kippur propitiates, and those which it does not. And now, while the Base Hamikdash is in ruins, we only have left the verbal propitiation, and every Jew is obligated on Yom Kippur to return and acknowledge.

The Gemara[vii] notes that one must acknowledge on the day before Yom Kippur before eating, because it is possible that one might be distracted by the meal [and forget to do so before Yom Kippur]. Even though one acknowledged before the meal, one does so again on the night of Yom Kippur during Ma’ariv, and again in Shacharis, Musaf, Mincha, and N’ilah. [As a side note] The [meaning of the] term[1] N’ilah is argued in Gemara one says [it refers to] the closing of Heaven, and one says [it refers to] the closing of the gates of the courtyard [2]. At what point is the acknowledgement made? An individual does so after prayers, and the representative of the congregation does so during prayers. The Gemara concludes there that the statement “אבל אנחנו חטאנו – But we have sinned” is the core of the acknowledgement; as Bar Hamduri stated, ‘I was before Master Shmuel, and when the representative of the congregation reached אבל אנחנו חטאנו, he got up to kneel.’ From which the Gemara learns that this is the core of the acknowledgement [to state simply, ‘we have sinned’].

[Side Note:] And from there, I can prove that he [Master Shmuel] did not normally stand on Yom Kippur. Perhaps he couldn’t stand all day because of his age, or weakness in health [α].

Sins which were acknowledged [previously] on Yom Kippur, one still repeats the acknowledgement on Yom Kippur, even if he still maintains his Teshuva status [meaning; he hasn’t relapsed since the last acknowledgement], as it says[viii] כי פשעי אני אדע.

[Concerning when to do Teshuva] What constitutes a complete Teshuva? One to whom is presented the opportunity to sin the same sin that he previously transgressed, and who has the capability to do it, and instead he [now] separates [from the opportunity] and does not do so because of his Teshuva; not because of any fear or lack of strength. For example; one who transgresses by having forbidden sex with a woman. Later on, he finds himself alone with her, and he still loves her [and she loves him etc.], and his body is still willing, and all other circumstances remain the same [lit. he is in the same country]; and [yet] he separates [from the sin] and does not act – this is a complete Ba’al Teshuva upon whom Shlomo stated[ix] זכור את בוראך בימי בחרותיך.[3]

In Gemara[x] we learned that once a person passes the majority of his years, and he didn’t sin, or if the opportunity to transgress came to him once, twice, and he didn’t sin [even if the majority of his years have not passed] – thereafter he will not sin, as it says[xi] רגלי חסידיו ישמור [β]. And elsewhere in Gemara[xii] it says one who has the opportunity to sin and was saved from it; has miracle[s] done for him.

Even though [as we previously noted] one who [only] returns in his old age, or after his body is sick – and can no longer do the sin that he previously did – this is not a good Teshuva, nevertheless, it is [still] helpful, and he is a Ba’al Teshuva. Even if his entire life has passed, and he returns on the final day when he dies, his return is Teshuva, as it says[xiii] עד אשר לא תחשך השמש which refers to the date of death, and also[xiv] תשב אנוש עד דכא ותאמר שובו בני אדם. And what is his Teshuva from sickness? That he resolve verbally and in his heart to return from his sin, and never to commit this sin forever, as it says[xv] יעזוב רשע דרכו ואיש און מחשבותיו, and he should regret constantly that which he sinned as it says[xvi] כי אחרי שובי נחמתי.

[Concerning the firm commitment to abandon past misdeeds] We have stated in Gemara[xvii] anyone who acknowledges verbally, but does not commit at heart to abandon [the sin] is like one who immerses in a Mikvah, while holding a Sheretz in his hand [which is in itself a source of Tum’ah], as the immersion will not help until he tosses the Sheretz like it says in the verse[xviii] ומודה ועוזב ירחם. [Furthermore[xix], while acknowledging] one must specify the sin in the acknowledgement, as it says[xx] אנא חטא העם הזה ויעשו להם.

[Side Note:] The Gemara[xxi] learns from the Torah, Prophets and Scripture – in the way a person wishes to go, that is how he is brought [γ].

[Concerning positive actions to propitiate] We learnt in Gemara[xxii] Rabbi Yitzĉok said, there are four (4) things which remove a bad decree [as in a punishment]; crying out to the creator with tears and supplication, Tzedakah, changing ones name – proclaiming that I am a different person, and not that person who did those deed, and changing ones action – changing all ones actions for the good. And there, the Gemara derived all of these from verses. Additionally, the Gemara taught that one who is exiled from his place [the exile in itself provides] propitiation. And likewise, in Yerushalmi[xxiii] Rabbi Eliezer said, there are three (3) things that nullify harsh decrees; Prayer, Tzedakah and Teshuva – and all three (3) can be derived from the same verse[xxiv] ויכנעו עמי אשר נקרא שמי עליהם ויתפללו ויבקשו פני וישובו מדרכיהם הרעים ואני אשמע מן השמים ואסלח לחטאתם as follows: ויתפללו = prayer, ויבקשו פני = Tzedakah – as it says in the verse[xxv] אני בצדק אחזה פניך, and וישובו = Teshuva.

[Concerning good intentions] In Gemara[xxvi] we learned that a good thought, G‑d forges[4] into action, while for a bad thought, G‑d does not forge it into action, as it says by Dovid[xxvii] און אם ראיתי בלבי לא ישמע ה’, unless the thought is idolatrous, as it says[xxviii] concerning idolatry למען תפוש את בנע ישראל בלבם. Also, the Gemara says there, one should always view himself as if the entire world is [balanced] half meritorious and half guilty; if he does a single transgression, he determines [the fate of] the entire world to the scale of judgement, and if he does a single Mitzva, he determines [the fate of] the entire world to the scale of merit. And even one who was a רשע his entire life, and at the end he does Teshuva, [the heavenly court] does not mention a single evil act that he did beforehand.

[Concerning publicizing the acknowledgement] It is extremely praiseworthy for the one returning to acknowledge publicly and let known his sins, and he should reveal his transgressions that he committed against his fellow man – and he should announce publicly, ‘however, I have sinned against so-and-so, and I did the following… and today I am returning and I regret what I did.’ One who is conceited and does not specify – but rather conceals his sins, his Teshuva is not complete, as it says[xxix] מכסה פשעיו לא יצליח. That is what was concluded in the Gemara[xxx]. There, the Gemara derives from the verse that this refers to transgressions committed against ones’ fellow man. For transgressions committed against G‑d, one should not publicize himself, as we learnt in Gemara[xxxi] one who explicitly states his sin is impertinent – concerning whom it is said[xxxii] אשרי נשוי פשע כסוי חטאה.

[Concerning the power of Teshuva] We learnt in Gemara[xxxiii], Teshuva is so great that it [even] reaches the Throne of Glory, as it says[xxxiv] שובה ישראל עד ה’ אלוקיך כי כשלת בעוניך. There, the Gemara discusses the term כשלת, and derives from there that one who returns out of fear, his deliberate actions are deemed as if they were inadvertent, and one who returns out of love, his deliberate actions are deemed as if they were meritorious actions, as it says[xxxv] ובשוב רשע מרשעו… עליהם הוא יחיה, which implies that the person is enlivened from all that he did, even from the transgressions. And, from there the Gemara derives that Teshuva lengthens a person’s days [lifespan]. Also, it is human nature that one who was provoked, might be propitiated by words or by money – but G‑d is only propitiated by words, as it says[xxxvi] קחו עמכם דברים ושובו אל ה’, not only that but [G‑d will act as if he] owes him a favor, as verse continues וקח טוב, and not only that, but [the action of Teshuva] is considered as if he had built the altar and offered the [appropriate] sacrifice on it, as the verse ends ונשלמה פרים שפתינו. An individual who does Teshuva is forgiven along with the entire world, as it says in the next verse ארפא משובתם אוהבם נדבה כי שב אפי ממנו [δ].

[Concerning the auspicious days of Teshuva] we learnt in Gemara[xxxvii], even though Teshuva and crying out [to G‑d] is always good, during the ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur it is even better and is accepted immediately as it says[xxxviii] דרשו ה’ בהמצאו. That though applies to an individual, with regard to a congregation however, any time they cry out and do Teshuva with a complete heart, they are immediately answered as it says in the verse[xxxix] כה’ אלקינו בכל קראינו אליו.

I addressed this in public to those who were ascending on the path of Teshuva in the ways of the prophet who said[xl] ועשו לכם לב חדש ורוח חדשה… – a person who is not used to [acting in accordance with] the fear of Heaven should treat himself as a day laborer: and should say [to himself] ‘in the morning [it will be completely different.] I will be like a trusted servant to the Master of All, and a whole day, I will be careful not to become angry, or to lie, or be hateful, cause strife or jealousy, nor will I gaze at women. If I do this, [I am sure that] I will be forgiven for all my past misdeeds – as it says in Gemara; anyone who ‘passes over’ his tendencies, his sins will be ‘passed over’.

[Speaking of anger] In Gemara[xli] we learnt, regarding anyone who is angry; even the divine presence is inconsequential to him, and his studies will be forgotten, and his idiocy will increase, and it will be obvious that his sins are greater than his merits, as it says[xlii] רשע כגבה אפו בל ידרוש… and also[xliii] כעס [ε]בחיק כסילים ינוח, and[xliv] ובעל חמה רב פשע…. And elsewhere in Gemara[xlv] we learnt there are three (3) types of people G‑d loves, one who doesn’t get angry, one who doesn’t get drunk, and one who does not depend on his personality. One should be careful not to become a part of a group of scorners as Rabbi Eliezer said[xlvi] scorn is difficult; it starts off with tribulations and ends with utter destruction, as it says[xlvii] ועתה אל תתלוצצו פן יחזקו מוסריכם כי כלה ונחרצה שמעתי.

[Going back to how one should act when doing the verbal acknowledgement during prayer] One should kneel on his knees for one hour by day, with his hands stretched heavenward and he should acknowledge and seek mercy that G‑d should assist him with his Teshuva. I established a specific prayer, which was written in a letter to the public [ζ]. This is how one should act the next day and for many days until the Teshuva is fixed in his heart, and the actions are easy to do [i.e., the actions that are the opposite of whatever this sin was].

[However,] we learnt in the Gemara[xlviii] one who tells himself, ‘I will sin, and return’, [G‑d] does not provide him with the opportunity to do Teshuva. And one who says ‘I will sin, and Yom Kippur will propitiate’ [for him] Yom Kippur does not propitiate. And any who cause the public to sin, [G‑d] does not provide him with the opportunity to do Teshuva[5], and anyone who causes the public to be meritorious, [the opportunity to] sin will not be in his hand.

Also, we learnt there that the fakers are exposed because of the attendant desecration of G‑d’s name, as it says[xlix] ובשוב צדיק מצדקו ועשה עול ונתתי מכשול לפניו, as Rashi explains – the fakers are those evil ones who pretend to be like the righteous. If there are those who know of their [true] deeds, it is a Mitzva to expose them because of the attendant desecration of G‑d’s name; since people will learn from their actions thinking they are righteous. Also, when they are [inevitably] punished [for their misdeeds] people might make the mistake of thinking that their supposed merits are meaningless. [Since these hidden actions are not always known to people, G‑d promises] ‘I will place before them a stumbling block’ and people will see these fakers fail, and their hidden evil will become public knowledge.

Further, the Gemara there says that Teshuva and Yom Kippur only propitiate for sins against G‑d, for example one who ate something not-kosher, or had forbidden sex[6]. But a sin against a fellow man, for example hitting one’s fellow, or cursing him, or stealing from him, etc. is never forgiven until repayment is made, and as noted in the Gemara[l] the sinner must seek out the victim and ingratiate themselves and beg for pardon. Even if one only harassed the victim verbally, one must ingratiate himself and continue seeking him out [in a manner that doesn’t compound the harassment] until pardoned. If the friend [victim] does not wish to pardon him, [then eventually, one may] bring a row of three people of the [victim]’s friends and reach out to him [the victim] and beg for pardon. If he still doesn’t want [to pardon, the perpetrator] brings a second group of three people, and [if necessary] a third group, as it says[li] ישור על אנשים ויאמר חטאתי וישר העויתי ולא שוה לי, which contains three terms of reconciliation, and three lines. If he [the victim] is still not reconciled, then leave him and go. And the one who refuses to pardon is the sinner. If the victim was his teacher, then one must seek reconciliation in this manner even a hundred times until reconciled.

[Speaking of people who refuse to forgive] One who has gone very far astray; [is the type of person] who is too cruel to pardon; and it is the nature of the children of Israel to be inclined to reconcile just like we find by Yosef and his brothers[7]. But the non-Jews whose hearts are not circumcised are not like that, as it says[lii] ועברתו שמרה נצח and as taught in Gemara[liii], this was a statement against the Givonites[8] who did not pardon him [king Shaul] or reconcile with him [king Dovid] – as it says[liv] והגבעונים לא מבני ישראל המה.

In Yerushalmi[lv], Rabbi Yosef taught this is what is meant when it says you need to pardon – that applies to a person [victim] about whom his reputation is not ruined. But one who ruins someone’s reputation, cannot be pardoned forever [since the reputation can never go back to what it was]. Further, the Gemara[lvi] says one who sins against his friend, and his friend dies before he can ask for pardon, one should bring a quorum of ten (10) men to the gravesite, and state there publicly “I have sinned to Hashem, the G‑d of the Jews and to so-and-so, in that I committed the following act”. If [the sin] obligated him to repay the victim, one should instead give the funds to the heirs. If the victim had no heirs, the money should be escheated to the court.

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[1] The literal meaning of נעילה is to close.

[2] At a certain point in the service on Yom Kippur, the courtyard was cleared leaving the High Priest alone with G‑d.

[3] Meaning, while you are still young and capable, recall G‑d and do Teshuva – because if you wait until older, when the body can no longer perform, the Teshuva is not complete – as noted below.

[4] This provides a dual meaning; it could mean that G‑d causes the good thought to actualize and gives the person the opportunity to make good on the good intention. It could also mean, that even when that isn’t possible, G‑d forms the thought into something like an action, so that the intention itself is given weight as if the action was done.

[5] Prime example of this was Yeravam ben N’vat who, for reasons of pride (he didn’t want his people to see the king from the house of Dovid sitting in the Base Hamikdash – only kings from that dynasty were allowed to sit in the Base Hamikdash), institutionalized idolatry in the fledgling breakaway kingdom of Israel and forced Jews who wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Base Hamikdash to go to his houses of idolatry instead.

[6] It should be noted that this only includes consensual sex. Rape is a sin against the victim in addition to the sin against G‑d and like murder is not forgiven by G‑d, neither with Teshuva nor Yom Kippur – unless the victim forgives the rapist.

[7] Yosef’s brothers intended to kill him. G‑d intervened, and they ended up selling him as a slave. When Yosef reveals himself to his brother years later, he first expels all the Egyptian courtiers – as Rashi comments on Beraishis 45:1, the reason he did that [potentially placing himself in a life-threatening situation, as the brothers could have attacked the Egyptian viceroy as soon as he was alone – not knowing he was Yosef]; he did not want his brothers publicly embarrassed when he revealed himself to them. Not only did he forgive them, but he did everything he could to mitigate any embarrassment they might have felt in their participation in what had happened to Yosef.

[8] Yehoshua 9:3-4:15 – When the Give’onim (one of the city-states near Yerushalayim) heard what Yehoshua and G‑d had done to Yeriĉo and the other successful military campaign against the city of Aye, they decided to attempt to broker a peace deal with Yehoshua. They did so surreptitiously, believing that Yehoshua would exterminate them if he knew who they were [even though Jewish law provides that messengers are sent out prior to each battle with the message: ‘they who desire peace, let us parlay. Any who would flee, do so. Those who want a war will be obliged.’ Either these rules didn’t apply to the nations who inhabited Israel, or the Give’onim didn’t believe the messengers]. They dressed in old sack cloth and patched shoes, got dirty(er), filled their carrying bags with bad wine and moldy food, and went to meet the Jewish camp. They convinced Yehoshua and the Jewish people that they were from a distant land and had come to establish a peace treaty. Without consulting the Urim v’Tumim, the Jewish people were fooled and agreed to establish a treaty with them of mutual protection and peace. However, three (3) days later, the Jews realized they had been tricked but decided not to renege on the sworn treaty. Instead the leaders of the people suggested that the Give’onim should become second class citizens of Israel – and have their occupations be wood choppers and water carriers for the Base Hamikdash – when it would be built, reasoning that over this time period, the Give’onim would be influenced by the Jewish people and G‑d could possibly encourage them and make them worthy of being servants in the Base Hamikdash. The Give’onim agreed to this and so it was.

Various city-states heard what had happened and decided to make an example of the Give’onim. They attacked their fellow gentiles, believing the Jews would not come to their defense as the attack was not against the Jews, and as the Jews had been tricked into entering into the treaty. However, the Jews refused to abandon their allies, regardless of the circumstances in which the treaty had been established, and Yehoshua went out in full force against these attackers.

The battle was a heated one because of the unusually large number of enemy combatants and took much longer than had been expected, stretching into the evening – Friday evening. Normally, the Jewish people would not have started a battle this close to Shabbos, however, they had no choice if they wanted to come to the aid of their allies. Yehoshua prayed to Hashem and asked him to halt the sun in its path allowing for an increased number of daylight hours [and no, this is not the source for daylight-savings time] to which G‑d acquiesced. As the Navi writes – ולא היה כיום ההוא לפניו ואחריו לשמע ה’ בקול איש כי ה’ נלחם לישראל – never before or since had such an event occurred where G‑d did as he was told by a human, because G‑d was fighting for the Jews.

Nearly four hundred (400) years later, when king Shaul was chasing Dovid, Dovid took refuge in the city of Nov – which was one of the cities given to the Kohanim. For harboring the fugitive, king Shaul ordered Doeg the Edomi to put the entire city [or possibly just the men] to death – which he did.

In Shmuel II chapter 21 the following is related, based on Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 6:7 (brought down by Rashi). Not long after the massacre in Nov, the land of Israel experienced a drought for three (3) consecutive years. King Dovid asked of the Urim v’Tumim why there was a drought. He was answered that it was because there were Give’onim who were slain [Gemara Bavli 78b adds a second reason – that king Shaul had not been properly mourned by the people].

King Dovid sent a messenger to the Give’onim and asked them what had occurred. They answered that there were seven (7) of their people killed in Nov: Two (2) wood choppers, two (2) water carriers, a scribe, a Chazan and a servant. (Rashi adds that the associated oral tradition is that they weren’t actually killed in the massacre. Instead, the people of Nov were these people’s clients, and when their clients died, they suffered financially.) King Dovid asked them what do they want to make up for that? Initially he attempted to buy them off, both as a group and individually, but they all refused. Instead, they demanded to be allowed to kill seven (7) members of king Shaul’s household in retribution. Unable to sate their blood lust, king Dovid agreed.

 King Dovid noted that unlike Gentiles, Jewish people naturally have a heritage of being modest, merciful and benevolent: modest as it says in Shemos 20:17 (ו)בעבור תהיה יראתו על פניכם, merciful as it says in Devarim 13:18 ונתן לך רחמים ורחמך והרבך, and benevolent as it says in Devarim 7:12 ושמר ה’ אלקיך לך את הברית ואת החסד. (These Give’onim who refuse to be modest and brazenly demand recompense from the king, who refuse to merciful by refusing to be paid off with gold and silver and refuse to be kind by demanding innocents be put to death – lack the basic makeup of what it is to be Jewish.) Therefore, king Dovid ostracized them. Later Ezra did the same in Nechemya 3:26 & 11:21 when he exiled them (the Nesinim, aka the Give’onim who were given ניתן by Yehoshua to be laborers) from the city and had them build the settlement on the eastern side of the city next to the wall. And so it will be when the third Base Hamikdash will be built, Yeĉezkel 48:18-19 prophesized that there will be a section set aside for the workers, who as Rashi points out, are the descendants of the Give’onim. The Gemara though notes, that the word used by Yeĉezkel יעבדוהו can be pronounced with the letter א which implies that they will be eradicated rather than be allowed to serve. [Perhaps the ambiguity in describing their treatment in that time period will also depend on whether they have learnt over the centuries to be kind]

King Dovid ordered that the family of Shaul pass before the Altar, and those whom it selected [there is no indication what it means that the Alter selected] were spared. Two (2) sons of Rizpah daughter of Ayah were selected and five (5) sons of Meyrav whom Michal [her younger sister, and king Dovid’s wife] had adopted and raised as their own [when her sister died] were selected. The Give’onim hung these children, and refused even to allow the family to take them down and bury them as is required under Jewish law. The children remained hanging for more than half a year, from the 16^th of Nissan until the 17^th of Ĉeshvon – and all who asked were told about G‑d’s vengeance against people who had broken their promise with the cruel Give’onim. This caused a great Kiddush Hashem at the time, as those people realized what a just G‑d there is for the Jewish people whose G‑d is even willing to avenge the blood of a cruel and evil people.

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[i] Bamidbar 5:6

[ii] Vayikra 5:5

[iii] Gem. Sanhedrin 43b

[iv] Gem. Shabbos 32a

[v] Vayikra 16:21

[vi] Gem. Yoma 36b

[vii] Gem. Yoma 87b

[viii] Tehillim 51:5

[ix] Koheless 12:1

[x] Gem. Yoma 38b

[xi] Shmuel I 2:9

[xii] Gem. Kiddushin 40a

[xiii] Koheless 12:2

[xiv] Tehillim 90:3

[xv] Yeshaya 55:7

[xvi] Yirmiyahu 31:18

[xvii] Gem. Ta’anis 16a

[xviii] Mishlei 28:12

[xix] Gem. Yoma 86b

[xx] Shemos 32:31

[xxi] Gem. Makos 10b

[xxii] Gem. Rosh Hashana 16b

[xxiii] Yer. Ta’anis 2:1

[xxiv] Divrei Hayam. II 7:14

[xxv] Tehillim 17:15

[xxvi] Gem. Kiddushin 40a

[xxvii] Tehillim 66:18

[xxviii] Yeĉezkel 14:5

[xxix] Mishlei 28:3

[xxx] Gem. Yoma 86b

[xxxi] Gem. Beraĉos 34b

[xxxii] Tehillim 32:1

[xxxiii] Gem. Yoma 86a

[xxxiv] Hoshaya 14:2

[xxxv] Yeĉezkel 32:19

[xxxvi] Hoshaya 14:3

[xxxvii] Gem. Rosh Hashana 18a

[xxxviii] Yeshayahu 55:6

[xxxix] Devarim 4:7

[xl] Yeĉezkel 18:31

[xli] Nedarim 22a

[xlii] Tehillim 10:4

[xliii] Koheless 7:9

[xliv] Mishlei 29:22

[xlv] Gem. Pesaĉim 113b

[xlvi] Gem. Avoda Zara 18b

[xlvii] Yeshayahu 28:22

[xlviii] Gem. Yoma 85b

[xlix] Yeĉezkel 3:20

[l] Gem. Baba Kama 92a

[li] Iyov 32:27

[lii] Amos 1:11

[liii] Gem. Yevamos 78b

[liv] Shmuel II 21:2

[lv] Yer. Bava Kama 8:10

[lvi] Gem. Yoma 87a

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AMUDAY SHLOMO

[α] [Maharshal notes] from here I state that it is appropriate to stand during the acknowledgement stated in Shul (the paragraph of א-ל ארך אפים) because within that we say ‘Master, we have sinned before you’. And I have also observed that this is the custom.

[β] [Maharshal explains the verse that] when one lengthens his Chassidic actions, his feet [his path in life] will be guarded from all evil. [Since this guarding is exponential as compared to one’s actions] Therefore, we know automatically that one who has not come to sin after passing the majority of his years, will have his path guarded thereafter.

[γ] The three examples are:

• [Torah] Bill’am at first was told[i] לא תלך עמהם, and then [when he persisted, he was told] קום לך אתם
• [Prophets] Yeshaya was told[ii] מלמדך להועיל, and nevertheless מדריכך בדרך תלך
• [Scripture] And in Mishlei we are advised[iii] אם ללצים הוא יליץ

[δ] [Maharshal expounds the verse as follows:] Even though my anger is removed ממנו, in the singular, nevertheless, the first half of the verse is all in plural; ארפא משובתם – I will heal the entire world.

[ε] Rav Yonah writes that during a fast, one is more prone to anger. Accordingly, be very careful during a fast day.

[ζ] This is the verbiage of the prayer [freely translated]:

I beseech you, G‑d of Avrohom, G‑d of Yitzĉok, and G‑d of Yaakov, my creator who created me, grew me, fed me, and provided me with financial wherewithal, and who sustained me to this day. And I, in my obstinacy, repaid this with evil, I have angered you with my evil exploits, and day by day, I did evil in your eyes. And I have sinned before you. Please, Father of Mercy, I tear my heart before you with my sighs, and in private my soul cries. I seek your mercy and kindness like a pauper at the door; please help me to return with complete Teshuva before you, and guard this before you eternally – to form the thoughts of the hearts of your servant and prepare my hearts to you to love and fear your great name and to be before you a trusted servant all the days. And avenge and comfort Zion, rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim, gather in the Jewish exiles, the scion of Dovid your servant speedily should sprout forth and his radiance should be exalted in your deliverance. Amen.

[η] Maharshal notes based on Rashi that the SMG derives this from the etymology of the word ישור which is from the root word שורה, and a line does not have fewer than three185F[1] people. Therefore, the verse reads ישור על אנשים ויאמר חטאתי – that is one row / time. וישר העויתי – that is the second row / time. ולא שוה לי – that is third row / time [after which no further effort is required].

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[1] Perhaps taken from the agricultural laws as to how many plants / trees constitute a row in a field for purposes of determining …

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[i] Bamidbar 22:12 vs 22:20

[ii] Yeshaya 48:17

[iii] Mishlei 3:34

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RASHI

Rashi on the verse(s) quoted by the SMG as the source for the Mitzvaכי יעשו מכל חטאות האדם והתודו comments differently. This verse is in fact a repetition of the Mitzva requiring trespasses against anything sanctified must be repaid with an additional fifth (see positive Mitzva 210). The concept was repeated here to add a component, namely that the fifth is only added when the person confesses to the transgression. Even when witnesses testify as to the occurrence of the transgression, the extra fifth is not collected unless the perpetrator acknowledges the crime.

Rashi clearly holds that there is a concept of Teshuva though, as he comments on[i] עונה בה that the punishment for blasphemy is only applied if the person has not done Teshuva.

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[i] Bamidbar 15:31

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Discussion by SMS

Torah is replete with references to Teshuva, from which I gather; there seems to be two aspects to Teshuva, 1) the requirement to abandon and repair negative traits and actions, and 2) G‑d’s reaction to the person returning either to lessen their punishment or absolve them or even to welcome them back with open arms – and make up that which was lost with the sin.

It would seem, at least from the verses brought by the SMG, that there is no requirement in the פשט to engage in Teshuva. Doing so is obviously for the benefit of the person, and the Torah begs them to do so – G‑d will send punishments and prophets in an attempt to get people to correct their ways, but there doesn’t seem to be an actual Mitzva – at least according to the פשט. Which makes sense, because if it was, then the violation of every Mitzva would be one which can be rectified with a positive Mitzva – similar to the obligation of והשיב את הגזלה אשר גזל או את העושק אשר עשק או את הפקדון אשר הפקד אצלו – where theft can be rectified with the return of the stolen object.

Rather it would appear that Teshuva functions on a level that supersedes Mitzvos and their effects, in that it has the ability to repair damage done by the person who transgresses them. Even a superficial regret has some of the same power, as we find by Kayin who exclaimed sarcastically[i] גדול עוני מנשוא, to which Hashem responded with a deferred sentence.

Similarly, when the people of Nin’vey conducted superficial Teshuva, the prophet Yonah was upset, and Hashem told him[ii] ואני לא אחוס על נינוה העיר הגדולה אשר יש בה הרבה משתים עשרה רבו אדם אשר לא ידע בין ימינו לשמאלו ובהמה רבה.

G‑d in his full glory and power waits with us in exile for the day in which we will return, and then he will return with us, as it says[iii] ושבת עד ה’ אלקיך ושמעת בקלו ככל אשר אנכי מצוך היום אתה ובניך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך. ושב ה’ אלקיך את שבותך ורחמך ושב וקבצך מכל העמים אשר הפיצך ה’ אלקיך שמה .

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[i] Beraishis 4:13-14

[ii] Yonah 4:11

[iii] Devarim 30:2-3

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Key

Terms of Teshuva:

• ווידוי          AcknowledgeEtymology and Definitions of Defined Terms
• תשובה      Return (not only is the sin removed, but the person returns to favor)
• מחילה      Pardon (the sin is removed, but the person remains out of favor)
• סליחה       Forgive (no punishment is administered)
• כפרה        Propitiation (where the person makes up for his shortcomings)
• חטא         Sin (whether against G‑d or people) (Lit. Lacking)
• עווה          Go astray / make crooked
• פשע         Rebel
• עברה        Transgression
• אשם         Guilt

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