יּ ק ר ו ר ע ל ה לּ ח ת א ת ה דּ ב ר ה לּ ח ת ה ר א ל י ר א ל י שׁ ו יּ שׁ כּ א נ ל ח ת א ב א ו ח טּ ים ע ל בּ נ ל ר ו ע נ א ד ר ק שׁ ה ע ה ו נ צּ ב תּ ו כ נ הו ה י א ו ס ו יּ פ שׁ כּם מ יּ ר ו יּ ע ב ר ו כ ל ה ה בּ בּ ק ר ל שׁ א ל מ ר כּ ע ל ו בּ ק ר ב מּ ע ל ר ע ג ם א ו ם ה צּ גּ יּ ע ל א ל ה ו ה ה > פּ ס ל ל תּ ו כ ת ב ה בּ ק ר ו בּ ק ר ב ר כּ ד י יּ קּ ו ת א י וּ ע ל ה הו ה י שׁ ם ב הו ה א י מ ו א ד נ צ ר ח ס ה ו י מ ע בּ נ קּ ה ו נV ע ל בּ ו א ל פ ל ח נּ ו יּ ת ו ןנ שׂ א ע ו פּ ק צּ ב ע מּ י יּ ק ר ו פ שׁ ע ו נ קּ ה י שׁ לּ שׁ המ ד נ א תּ ו ס ל ח יּ קּ ו כ נ את מ צ ר בּ ק ע ו נ ל ר ת בּ ר כּ יּ שׁ תּ ו ה צ ע י נ בּ י ה ו ר ו ל א Yom Kippur Unpacked: 5781 Rabbi Sarah Krinsky ו ע ל כלם, אלוה סליחות, סלח לנו, מחל ל נ ו, כ פ ר ל נ ו V al kullam elo-ah s lihot s lah lanu, m hal lanu, kapper lanu For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement ס ל י ח ה ~ S licha Exodus 34:1-10 (1) The LORD said to Moses: Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered. (2) Be ready by morning, and in the morning come up to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to Me, on the top of the mountain. (3) No one else shall come up with you, and no one else shall be seen anywhere on the mountain; neither shall the flocks and the herds graze at the foot of this mountain. (4) So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. (5) The LORD came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name LORD. (6) The LORD passed before him and proclaimed: The LORD! the LORD! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet God does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children s children, upon the third and fourth generations. (8) Moses hastened to bow low to the ground in homage, (9) and said, If I have gained Your favor, O Lord, pray, let the Lord go in our midst, even though this is a stiffnecked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own! (10) God said: I hereby make a covenant. ל ח ת א ב ה י ב נ נ ע ם ה ר אמ (1 ( י א שׁ נ י ם י ם שׁ נ ני ים א שׁ ר א שׁ נ ים א שׁ ר שׁ ר בּ תּ י ת וֹ ן יה (2 ( א שׁ ה ה ר ם שׁ לי י נ י ס הר ישׁ V ישׁ לא י ע ל ה (3 ( א ן ר א וּ א ע וּ א ל מ וּ ל ה ה ר אשׁ נ י ם י ם ל שׁ נ ני ל ח ת א ב (4 ( ר ס י נ י ה וֹ שׁ נ ח בּ וֹ ה ר צ וּ י ם וֹ שׁ ם נ ע בּ ן ד (5 ( ה א ה א ה ע ל פּ נ יו (6 ( ב וּן א ר פּ אV ם י ל ר חוּם ת ד ס ח י ם ( 7) ד ע ו ן א ב וֹ ת לא ה י ם ים ע ל שׁ ני י ם חוּ ד א ר ר (8 ( י > י ח ן א אמ ר א ם נ (9 ( כּי וּ בּ י א י ל י נ וּ ף ה וּ א וּ ל ח טּ א ת נ וּ וּ נ ח ל תּ נ וּ י ת י ה אמ ר א נּה (10 ( 1
נ א צ י ר מ צ ר ה זּ ה מ קּ ע א שׁ ר נ ו ע ה ל ח ד א א ה ע ם ה זּ ה א ל ה שׁ ו יּ בּ ר דּ ן ע ו ת א ב וֹ בּ ע ס ח ר מ מּ צ ע מ ה י הו ע ד א ו ה ה זּ ל מ שׁ א ה נ ע צ ו שׂ ע אוֹר ו הו א ל י ח > ב כ ט ם בּ מּ ח ד ל ג וֹ י גּ ם י ר ו א מ ע י ן בּ םע מ ד ע ל ה פ ל ם נ יה תּ ו ה מ רוּ ו א מ ל אמ ר תּ ו ע ל אמ ר א י הו ה ק י הו ה בּ ר נ ר ה א ת ה ע א א ע שׂ ה ו שׁ מ ע ו ן י ת ה ע א זּ ה ה נ ע הו ה י א כּ גּ וֹ י ם א שׁ ר שׁ מ ע ה ד בּ ר ל נ י ג דּ הו ה י כ ל ת י ם י ה י נ קּ ח כּ ר ו ה ב ל א שׁ כּ ד נ א זּ ה ה שׂ אנ פ שׁ ע ו ל בּ נ ע א ס ל ח נ שׁ ו כ א ם י ד ה ו ע אוּל ו א א ת כּ ל ה נ קּ ה ו ע ו ן ה ע ל שׁ לּ ק פּ זּ ה ה ע ל ו ג ד ל כּ שׂ נ ל י הו ה ס א ח י ע ם ה זּ ה ל > ד ב ר כּ ב וֹ ד כ מּ ל י א ת ם ל ה Rashbam on Exodus 34:9. Seeing that You are so forgiving You will be able to go in כ י ע ם ק ש ה ע ו ר ף ה ו א our midst in spite of this. Numbers 14:11-23 (11) The LORD said to Moses, How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? (12) I will strike them with pestilence and disown them, and I will make of you a nation far more numerous than they! (13) But Moses said to the LORD, When the Egyptians, from whose midst You brought up this people in Your might, hear the news, (14) they will tell it to the inhabitants of that land. Now they have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people; that You, O LORD, appear in plain sight when Your cloud rests over them and when You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. (15) If then You slay this people to a person, the nations who have heard Your fame will say, (16) It must be because the LORD was powerless to bring that people into the land He had promised them on oath that He slaughtered them in the wilderness. (17) Therefore, I pray, let my Lord s forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying, (18) The LORD! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and fourth generations. (19) Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt. (20) And the LORD said, I pardon, as you have asked. (21) Nevertheless, as I live and as the LORD s Presence fills the whole world, ה ה ע ד א נ ר אמ (11) ל א י א מ י נ וּ ע ה ם ני י ת י בּ ק ר בּ וֹ וֹת א שׁ ר ב י בּ כ ל ה ת א שׁנּוּ (12 כּ א) דּ נּ וּ ב ר ב וּם מ מּ נּ וּ וֹ ל א ת > וּ ה שׁ אמ ר מ ה (13 ( ם כּ י ה ע ל י ת בּ וֹ ץ ה זּ א ת וּ א ל י וֹ שׁ ב (14 ( ר ב ה ע ם וּ מ שׁ ע כּ י א תּ ה א תּ ה אה ן א תּ ה וּב ע מּ ד נ > י וֹ מ ם וּב ע מּ וּ ד א שׁ ה ל י V י שׁ ם ה (15 ( וּ א ת > שׁ י א (16 תּ ל בּ מ) י ר ץ א שׁ ר נ שׁ ע בּ ( 17) תּ ( 18) ר ים (19) דּ < א ה ר פּ אV לא ים ע ל שׁ י ר ר ( 20) ( 21) ה אמ ר ם ם א ת ה נּה תּ ח י י נ ו א ר ץ ב ח ס ד ד ע ו ן י ם 2
ד כּ ב ר ב מ צ פּ ע מ ת א ו א ם י ל ו ל ה א נ שׁ כ ת ת ה ע ז י נ סּ ו ר ד בּ שׁ נ ר י א ב ת ל ר א ת ה א א צ נ ל מ ו כ (22) none of the men who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these many times and have disobeyed Me, (23) shall see the land that I promised on oath to their fathers; none of those who spurn Me shall see it. י ם ה ר א י ם א ת (22 ( כּי י א שׁ ר ע שׂ י ת י י ר שׂ וּ את י וּ ב מּ ע א שׁ מ וּ בּ ק וֹ ל י י ם ץ א שׁ ר (23 ר א) ם י א וּ י לא ם תּ ע בּ י אוּה Rav Ezra Bick Selicha - selicha means not holding a grudge, not feeling affronted or aggrieved. If someone is angry with you, you would ask him to forgive you, to be "soleach." To ask God for selicha is to ask God not to be angry with us, to change God s attitude towards us, even though that attitude is justified. To understand why God should be angry when we sin, we must realize that every sin is an affront to God, who is Creator and Sovereign. This does not mean that God has a fragile ego, or is easily insulted. The "anger" and "affront" here is objective - within every sin is an act of rebellion, of throwing off the "yoke of heaven;" and the proper reaction of objective justice to such an act is what we, in our subjective psychological lives, feel as a sense of hurt. The sin has a personal aspect - God has commanded you, has treated you as worthy of God s Torah, has entered into a covenant with you, and you have defiled and abrogated that covenant. Aside from the objective wrongdoing, an act against what is right, there is a personal sin AGAINST GOD. In our language, we would say that God takes the sin personally, unlike a judge in a human court, who dispenses justice without any personal stake in the matter. The remedy to this reaction of God is selicha, forgiveness. God is asked to not let our actions affect his feelings towards us. Rabbi Irwin Kula Selicha is a forgiveness born of a heartfelt empathy for the transgressor, and an ability to see the widest possible context, even the positive outcome of the conflict. Rabbi Mark Cooper [Selicha] involves an intentional act of understanding the nature of the offending person. Granting selicha requires that we endeavor to understand what motivated the offender and even try to empathize with them. It requires that we acknowledge the frailty, vulnerability and imperfection of others around us. Selicha can be an act of compassion and good will, and demands more of us than does mechila. 3
מ ח י ל ה ~ M khila Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 85b Rava said to the son of Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin: Come, and I will tell you something excellent that your father would say about that which Shmuel said: Shmuel said that in the case of one who sells a promissory note to another, and the seller went back and forgave the debtor his debt, it is forgiven, since the debtor essentially had a non-transferable obligation to the creditor alone, and even the creditor s heir can forgive the debt. א"ל רבא ל ב ר י ה ד ר ב ח י י א ב ר א ב י ן ת א א י מ א לך מילתא מ ע ל י ו ת א ד ה ו ה א מ ר א ב ו ך ה א ד א מ ר ש מ ו א ל ה מ ו כ ר ש ט ר ח ו ב ל ח ב י ר ו ו ח ז ר ומחלו מחול ו א פ י ל ו יורש מוחל Babylonian Talmud Bava Metzia 17a Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Asi: Does Rabbi Yoḥanan actually say this? Isn t it you who said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan that one who borrowed money and wrote a promissory note for the loan, and subsequently repaid the debt, may not reuse it to borrow another time, as its lien is already forgiven by virtue of the repayment? A promissory note is valid only for the debt for which it was written. א"ל ר ' ז י ר א ל ר ' א ס י מ י א"ר י ו ח נ ן ה כ י ה א א ת ה ו א ד א מ ר ת מ ש מ י ה ד ר ' י ו ח נ ן ש ט ר ש ל ו ה ב ו ופרעו אינו חוזר ו ל ו ה ב ו ש כ ב ר נמחל שיעבודו David Blumenthal The most basic kind of forgiveness is "forgoing the other's indebtedness" (mechila). If the offender has done teshuva, as described above, and is sincere in his or her repentance, the offended person should offer mechila; that is, the offended person should forgo the debt of the offender, relinquish his or her claim against the offender. This is not a reconciliation of heart or an embracing of the offender; it is simply reaching the conclusion that the offender no longers owes me anything for whatever it was that he or she did. Mechila is like a pardon granted to a criminal by the modern state. The crime remains; only the debt is forgiven. 4
Rav Ezra Bilk Mechila mechila is a word borrowed from a legal context. If you owe someone money, but he waives the need to repay, this is called mechila not forgiving but foregoing. It does not interest us how the creditor feels about the debt, but only whether he waives the debt itself, thereby freeing you from the need to pay. In fact, the word itself is neutral as regards insult and injury one can waive (be mochel ) debts that arise in a purely civil context; e.g., if one borrowed money. When one who has the right to demand redress or payment waives that right, thereby freeing the debtor from the expected consequences, this is called mechila. In the context of sin, mechila refers directly to the punishment. This is based on the idea that the punishment for a sin is inherent in the sin itself, as repayment is inherent in borrowing. One who sins incurs a debt, redress is necessary to set things right again. This is the principle of pure justice. We feel this when we read of someone who committed a crime and managed to avoid ever paying for it our hearts tell us that something is wrong here, unjust, not right in the general order of things. This is different from selicha in regards to the nature of sin itself we are not looking at sin as a personal affront to God, but as an objective act of wrong, which must be paid for so that justice be done. God, in this picture, is not the lawgiver who has been insulted by my ignoring God, but the judge, who is in charge of seeing that objective justice be done Rabbi Irwin Kula The second kind of forgiveness is called mechila. Although we may not recognize it as forgiveness, most of us grant and receive it regularly. Mechila is a kind of pardon. In legal language mechila is a relinquishing of a claim or debt: you don t owe me anything for the wrong you have done. And, contrary to the common understanding of forgiveness, it s not necessarily a profound or heartfelt experience for either person. Certainly it s far from having the slate wiped clean. It s not the forgiveness most of us yearn for, but the sages taught that it was enough.not every apology need be full-hearted and transforming. Apologies can be partial and still be real. There is something to be said for an apology that is done honestly just because that s what we should do and not as some great admission of guilt and shame. 5
נ ל פ שׁ מ ת ה א א ר ה א תּ ב ת ע צ י ג ר כּ ל בּ שׂ נ ל ה ו ה נ י ר ק נּ פ נ י נ ח א ר ל פּ ל ו י ד בּ ו ת ה תּ ב א ל י ב ו א פּ כ ת א ל מ י הו ה י ת ם ב כ פ ר ו ל מ שׁ א פ ל הו ה א ל מ שׁ י י י הו נ ת הּ מ בּ א ל ה קּ א בּ ר דּ מ ו יּ ה ר א ל א בּ ד שׁ מ ן ע ל ה א ר טּ ל ח ק ר בּ ת בּ ד ק נ ת כּ ב י ן בּ שׁ בּ פ ד רוֹ ע ל בּ שׂ צ י ר בּ שׂ ף בּ נ א י ל ו שׁ ד ע ל ל ל בּ שׁ י ח י וּי ה י ס נ שׁ ה ם ד ד ג ח טּ ל ר ו ח ו א י ל א קּ ח שׁ י ע ל ל ד בּ ע ר ו ה ק פּ ו כ י ת בּ ח טּ ה Rabbi Mark Cooper Mechila represents the most basic type of forgiveness. Assuming that the offending person has accepted responsibility for what they ve done and asked to be forgiven, the offended person is obligated to offer mechila, or forgiveness. Mechila doesn t require that we reconcile with the offending person, or change our view of them. It s a simple act of letting go of the hurt that was inflicted. Mechila involves not only forgiving but also forgetting, a willingness to cash in a hurt done to us in exchange for peace of mind. כ פ ר ה ~ Kappara Genesis 6:13-14 (13) God said to Noah, I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I am about to destroy them with the earth. (14) Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make it an ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. בּא ח קץ י ם ם ץ ח מ ס מ פּ ר ץ י ם תּ שׂ ע ה וּ מ ח וּ ץ בּ כּ פ ר ת י תּ 13) ( אמ ר א t ה י כּ י מ ל א ה ח י ת ם (14 שׂ ע) ה ל > ה Leviticus 16:1-34 (1) The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they drew too close to the presence of the LORD. (2) The LORD said to Moses: Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come at will into the Shrine behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover. (3) Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine: with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. (4) He shall be dressed in a sacral linen tunic, with linen breeches next to his flesh, and be girt with a linen sash, and he shall wear a linen turban. They are sacral vestments; he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. (5) And from the Israelite community he shall take two hegoats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. (6) Aaron is to offer his own bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and for his household. י א נ ע ל ה כּ פּ בּ י ה א ח ר י מ וֹת שׁ נ ר (1 ( תוּ ה ן בּ ק ר בּ ה ר ני ן ה ר אמ (2 ( י ת ת א ב כ ל ע י > י ה כּ פּ ר ת א שׁ ר ת וּת כּי בּ נ ע ן א ר ר אה א ר ר א א ה ן א ל ה קּ (3 בּ) ת ז א ה א ת י ב ד וּ מ כ ( 4) גּר וּ ב מ צ בּ פ נ ת ד וּ ב א ב ד נ ט מּ חץ בּ י ם א ת י ק וֹ וּ ל ב שׁ ם נ י ר אל (5 ( וּ מ א ת ע ד ת בּ נ ה ד ם י א ת שׂ ע י ר י ע זּ א ת א שׁ ר יב א ה ר ן א ת פּ ר (6 ( וֹ וֹ וּ ב ע ד ר לוֹ 6
ה ע מ ו ת שׁ א פ ל ל י ו ה גּ וֹ ר ע ל ל ע ז אז לּ ל שׁ ל א שׁ ר פּ א ת מּ ה ס מּ ד א שׁ ר ע ל ה ע ב ו ה מ א ת דּ ר ע ל ה כּ פּ ה י ע שׂ ת ט מ א פּ ו כ נ ת ו בּ ח ז יהו ה ל ל מוֹע ה ז ל ע ז א ק ו ל ה י הו נ ת ו ד א ח ר ו ה ק ל ק ו ה שּׂ ע ו ת א ר ו ה ק פּ ו כ ה דּ קּ נ ת ו סּ ו כ ל ק ח ו כ פּ ו ע ז א ז ל י ה ו ל ח תּ ה מּ גוֹר ו ד א ח ע א ת ה שּׂ שׂ ו ע ל ע פ ל מּ ה ר ד בּ י ת בּ כ פּ ל שׁ ח ו פ לּ שׂ ו שׁ ח ט א ת מ א ת דּ שׁ כּ א ה ב ו ה י הו ר ה קּ ט ל ו ת כ פּ ר ל פ ל מ י ה ו מ ה ד פ ו ל קּ ע ל ה פּ שׁ ע י ה מוֹע ה ל ל פ ו זּ ה י א צ בּ ע בּ פּ ר ל שׂ ה ע א ל ב א בּ ם ו כ ל א ד פּ ל כ ת בּ י מּ י צ א א ל ה יו ע ל ה ו ל זּה ע ה ר ו ט ל ק ח מ ו שׁ ע ד צ את ד קּ בּ ל ק ה כּ בּ ח ז בּ ח ז ת ד שׁ מ טּ מ א טּ ל כ ל ח ד ם ה פּ ר ל ב ס תּ א שׁ ר א כ פּ ו פ ל א צ בּ ע בּ ק דּ שׁ ו ע מ פּ ת כ ה ו ל מוֹע ה ר א שׁ שׂ ו ע כ ן ו ל יו ע ע ד וֹ בּ ל ע ם ל (7) Aaron shall take the two he-goats and let them stand before the LORD at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; (8) and he shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for the LORD and the other marked for Azazel. (9) Aaron shall bring forward the goat designated by lot for the LORD, which he is to offer as a sin offering; (10) while the goat designated by lot for Azazel shall be left standing alive before the LORD, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness for Azazel. (11) Aaron shall then offer his bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and his household. He shall slaughter his bull of sin offering, (12) and he shall take a panful of glowing coals scooped from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense, and bring this behind the curtain. (13) He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, so that the cloud from the incense screens the cover that is over [the Ark of] the Pact, lest he die. (14) He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger over the cover on the east side; and in front of the cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. (15) He shall then slaughter the people s goat of sin offering, bring its blood behind the curtain, and do with its blood as he has done with the blood of the bull: he shall sprinkle it over the cover and in front of the cover. (16) Thus he shall purge the Shrine of the uncleanness and transgression of the Israelites, whatever their sins; and he shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their uncleanness. (17) When he goes in to make expiation in the Shrine, nobody else shall be in the Tent of Meeting until he comes out. When he has made expiation for himself and his household, and for the whole congregation of Israel, (18) he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and purge it: he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar; (19) and the rest of the blood he shall sprinkle on it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall cleanse it of the uncleanness of the Israelites and consecrate it. ה ר י ה ר י י נ י ה פּ ב א צ בּ ה כּ פּ ה כּ פּ א ה כּ פּ י י ה פּ ה שּׂ ע י יד א ת ם ע י ם שּׂ נ י ח (7 ( ד א ת פּ ח נ ע י ם גּוֹר לוֹת ן א ה ר ן ע ל שׁ שּׂ נ י (8 ( ל ל גּ וֹ ר ל יר א שׁ ר ע ל ה יב א ה ר ן (9 ( הוּ ח טּ א ת ה ל ה ע ל י ו ה גּ וֹ ר יר א שׁ ר (10 ( ר ה נ ד ח מ ע י י ה ל וֹ ח י ב א ה ר ן א ת פּ ר ת טּ ח ה א (11 ( ט וֹ ר ד ע בּ וֹ וּ ב ע ד וֹ ר טּ ח ה ר ל את א שׁ וֹ ע ל ח גּ י א שׁ מ ל ח מלא ה (12 ( וּמ פ לא ח י ו ק ט ר ת נ מ יא מ בּ י ת ים נ ן א ת ה קּ ט רת ע ל ה א שׁ (13 ( ת א ת ה כּ פּ ר ת ה ע נ ן ה וּת א וּ ת וֹ ע ל ע זּה מ ר דּ ם (14 ( ת ר ני ת ק פּ ר ני וֹ ע מ ב שׁ ע פּ י ם מ ן ה דּ ם ע י ר ה ת טּ ח א (15 ( ה וֹ א ל מ בּ י ת יא וֹ ת זּה ר וֹ ת ר ני ת בּ נ ר (16) א ם ת ם ר אל וּ מ ם בּ ת וֹ V ד ה שּׁ כ ן ם ד ל א י ה י ה בּ א (17 ( ר וֹ ר וֹ ר אל ל וֹ וּ ב ע ד וּ ב ע ד ה הו ני (18 ( ו י ר וּ מ דּם ר דּ ם ר י ב ן ע ל ק ר נ וֹ ת ה מּ וֹ שׁ ע ב י ו מ ן ה דּ ם (19 ( ר אל וֹ מ טּ מ א ת בּ נ וֹ י ם 7
ח ה ל א א ת ע ונ טּ ח א י ד בּ א ת ה ו ד ק וֹ ע ל ת ה ע ם יח נּ לּ ה ו כ מּ ו א ת ה ס מ ו נ ת ו קּ כּ פּ ר א ת ה ח ז בּ א ת א ו שׁ ד ה ק ר ו דּ ה ע ל ו ד י ה בּ ד א שׁ ג נ שׂ ו ר ו ב ו ל ל ו א ת ע ח ו א ת לּ ו ה מ שׁ ר ו ז ר גּ ה ר ן א י ה ח ת ו ה שׁ ו א ת כּ ל פּ ר ע ל ר ד בּ שׁ ו א א ל א ל ב שׁ בּ ב ל מוֹע ה ל כ ל יה ע שׁ ו בּ ר ד ל ה שׁ ד ץ א ת בּ שׂ ר ח ת בּ א ע ם ה מ ק בּ ם י ד י ו ג ד ג כ פּ ו צ א י ק ט י ת ה שּׂ ע א שׂ ו ע ד בּ ע א ח ר ו ב י ר ת ע א ת ו ר ו א ת בּ שׂ שּׂר ו ה ר ה פּ ת א כ פּ ל בּ ח ה ז ת א קּ בּ כ בּ י שׁ ד ד ג שׂ ר בּ שׁ נ פ גּ ו ה ת א א ח ר ו ה י ת ו כ ה גּ ר בּ ת וֹ כ ל ח טּכּ כ ל מ ו כ ם ל כ פּ י ת ו א ם א ת דּ מ ה ר ו שׂ ר ו א ת פּ בּ י כ ב י קּ ל ח ח ל תּ ד שׁ נּ ע ה ל אכ ח בּ ר ו ה ל ט ה תּ ט שׁ ד פ ל קּ ת ע וֹ ל ח פ שׁ ת נ כ ם ל כ ע ל י ית נּ ע ו ר ח ז ת א (20) When he has finished purging the Shrine, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, the live goat shall be brought forward. (21) Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated man. (22) Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness. (23) And Aaron shall go into the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen vestments that he put on when he entered the Shrine, and leave them there. (24) He shall bathe his body in water in the holy precinct and put on his vestments; then he shall come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, making expiation for himself and for the people. (25) The fat of the sin offering he shall turn into smoke on the altar. (26) He who set the Azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may reenter the camp. (27) The bull of sin offering and the goat of sin offering whose blood was brought in to purge the Shrine shall be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung shall be consumed in fire. (28) He who burned them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may re-enter the camp. (29) And this shall be to you a law for all time: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you. (30) For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the LORD. (31) It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall practice self-denial; it is a law for all time. י א ת ה שּׂ מ 20) ( יב א ת ה שּׂ ע י ר מ וֹ ע ד י V ר ה א ן א ת שׁ תּ י י ד ו ד [י יו [ ע ל (21 ( י ו א ת כּ ל ר א שׁ ה שּׂ ע י ר ם ר אל בּ נ לּח א שׁ ה שּׂ ע י ר ן א ת ם א ם ת ה י שׁ ע תּ י ה מּ בּ א ה שּׂ ע יר ע ל יו א ת כּ ל ע וונ ת ם (22 ( י ר בּ מּ ע לּח ה ר ץ ד וּפ שׁ ט (23 ( וּ ב א וֹ א ל ה קּ ר ם שׁ ם וֹ ם וֹ ב מּ ( 24) ה ו שׁ וֹ שׁ וֹ וּ ב ע ד ר ת א ת בּ שׂ א ת י יר ה מּ טּ ח ת א ה לב (25 ( ס י ר ל ז ע ל אז ח (26 ( י כ ן וֹ בּ מּ ם י ר חץ י ו בּ וֹא א ל ה נ ח מּ ה שׂ ע י ר טּ ח את (27 ( ר טּ ח ה א שׁ את ר ה וּב א פוּ ב א שׁ א ת י וֹ צ י א א ל מ ח וּ ץ נ ח מּ ל שׁם ם ם חץ י ו ס בּ ם ף (28 ( וֹא א ל ה נ ח מּ ה י כ ן וֹ בּ מּ ם י ת ע וֹ ל ם ה (29 ( וּ א ת וֹר ה שּׁ ב י ע י בּ עשׂ שׂ לא ת ע וּ ה א ת י כ ם ם ר ר ם ר (30 ( כּ י ב יּ וֹם ה זּ ה ר וּ ה נ א ת י כ ם מ כם ם (31 בּ שׁ) ת ת שׁ בּ וֹ ן ה י א ם י כ ם 8
ה ו כ פּ ר ה כּ ד א ת י ת א ב ו ל א שׁ ו מ לּ א י ל ע כּ בּ ע ל ע שׂ ו יּ ד י ה בּ ג פּ ר ו כ מּ ו א ת ה ה ה קּ ו ה ה זּ י ת שׁ כּ א ל מ א ה ל כ קּ ג ד י ה דּ א ת מ ק ח ז בּ פּ י כ טּ כּ ל ח כ פּ י שׁ ד כ ם ל ת מ שׁ א קּ ה נ ו ע ל ה כּ ה ח קּ ל א ת א ו שׁ ד שּׁ בּ כ פּ ר ל ת א ל ה ל ו ע (32) The priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as priest in place of his father shall make expiation. He shall put on the linen vestments, the sacral vestments. (33) He shall purge the innermost Shrine; he shall purge the Tent of Meeting and the altar; and he shall make expiation for the priests and for all the people of the congregation. (34) This shall be to you a law for all time: to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year. And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. ר (32) וֹ בּ ד בּ (33) מ וֹ ע ד ם ל 34) ( את י נ ר ר צ ה וּ ן א שׁ ר י מ שׁ ח ן ב ח תּ ת א י ו וֹ שׁ שׁ ר י ם ר ת ע וֹ ל ם א ת ם א ח ת ה נ ה ה (פ) Rashi I am of the opinion that wherever the verb כ פ ר is used in association with iniquity and sin and in association with anger פ נ י ם) ), it always signifies wiping away, removing. It is an Aramaic expression occurring frequently in the Talmud: He wiped his hand off ( כ פ ר י ד י ה ), and (Gittin 56a) he wants to wipe ל כ פ ו ר י) ) his hands off on this man (i.e. he desires to put the responsibility upon me). In Biblical Hebrew, also, the bowls of the Sanctuary are called, (Ezra 1:10) כ פ ו ר י" of gold and they are so called because the priest wiped his hands on them on the rim of the bowl (Zevachim 93b). Dr. Baruch Levine The Akkadian verb kuppuru, which corresponds to Hebrew kipper, means "to wipe off, burnish, cleanse". In cultic terms this means that expiation is conceived of as cleansing, as wiping away impurity, contamination, and, by extension, sin itself. Rabbi Irwin Kula The third mode of forgiveness is called kappara, and it s the one we all yearn for. In religious language, this kind of forgiveness can only be granted by God. In Christian language, this is grace. It can t be earned or asked for - it comes after all the asking and all the work. It can t be predicted or expected; rather, it seems to be granted from the depths or on high.kappara is the kind of forgiveness that wipes the slate clean. It cancels out the offense. In psychological language it s an inner experience of return, of feeling whole again. We are able to integrate our transgression into a more expanded self. And we literally have a sense of expansion, of tremendous relief and elevation. Kappara is a transpersonal experience in which we simultaneously understand our finitude and our infinitude. It s a vision of our widest range of selves at that point in time. 9
Conclusion Babylonian Talmud Bava Kamma 94b The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta, Shevi it 8:11): With regard to robbers or usurers that returned either the stolen item or the interest to the one from whom they took it, one should not accept it from them. And with regard to one who does accept it from them, the Sages are displeased with him, since by doing so he discourages those who wish to repent. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This mishna, i.e., the statement of the Tosefta, was taught in the days of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as it is taught in a baraita: There was an incident with regard to one man who desired to repent after having been a thief for many years. His wife said to him: Empty one [reika], if you repent you will have to return all the stolen items to their rightful owners, and even the belt that you are wearing is not yours, and he refrained and did not repent. At that time, the Sages said: With regard to robbers or usurers that returned either the stolen item or the interest to the one from whom they took it, one should not accept it from them. And concerning one who does accept it from them, the Sages are displeased with him. תנו רבנן הגזלנין ומלוי ברבית שהחזירו אין מקבלין מהן ו ה מ ק ב ל מ ה ן א י ן ר ו ח ח כ מ י ם נוחה הימנו אמר רבי יוחנן בימי רבי נשנית משנה ז ו דתניא מעשה באדם אחד שבקש ל ע ש ו ת ת ש ו ב ה א"ל א ש ת ו ר י ק ה א ם אתה עושה תשובה אפילו אבנט אינו שלך ו נ מ נ ע ו ל א עשה תשובה באותה שעה אמרו הגזלנין ומלוי רביות שהחזירו אין מקבלין מהם והמקבל מהם אין רוח חכמים נוחה הימנו 10