Hi,
When a person performs the Viduy act of repentance, admitting sin as part of repentance, he need not specify his private sins. However, one who will not be overheard by others should actually specify sins, because this will help make the regret and repentance more sincere.
Reciting the standard edition of Viduy is not considered "specifying," even if one's sin is actually mentioned in the text. The standard edition is common to everyone, and Viduy is much stronger if it involves personal thought.
(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 607:2; Mishneh Berurah 607:6-9)
May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Viduy - Personal admission of sin
Hi,
Part of the process of Repentance is "Viduy," meaning "admission of sin." We perform this as part of the Slichot prayers leading up to Yom Kippur, and it may also be done spontaneously, in private. It may be found in the RCA edition of the Artscroll Siddur, on page 119a.
We incorporate the Viduy in our Yom Kippur Amidah (Shmoneh Esreih), too. The first time we say it is actually in the Minchah (afternoon service) before Yom Kippur, lest a person choke during the pre-fast meal, Gd-forbid, or become distracted and lose his focus so that he will not be able to do a proper Viduy later.
We also customarily recite a Viduy after the meal, before Yom Kippur begins. That is incorporated in many Machzorim as "T'fillat Zakah."
(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 607:1; Mishneh Berurah 607:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Part of the process of Repentance is "Viduy," meaning "admission of sin." We perform this as part of the Slichot prayers leading up to Yom Kippur, and it may also be done spontaneously, in private. It may be found in the RCA edition of the Artscroll Siddur, on page 119a.
We incorporate the Viduy in our Yom Kippur Amidah (Shmoneh Esreih), too. The first time we say it is actually in the Minchah (afternoon service) before Yom Kippur, lest a person choke during the pre-fast meal, Gd-forbid, or become distracted and lose his focus so that he will not be able to do a proper Viduy later.
We also customarily recite a Viduy after the meal, before Yom Kippur begins. That is incorporated in many Machzorim as "T'fillat Zakah."
(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 607:1; Mishneh Berurah 607:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Repentance and Forgiveness
Hi,
Yom Kippur canot atone for sins between one person and another, however minor the offense, until the offending party has appeased the offended party. The offender must pursue the offended, approaching him as many as three times to apologize and request forgiveness. Each time, he should bring different people with him to help him.
The offended party is not allowed to be cruel and withhold forgiveness. If the offended party does not forgive after three times, the offender has fulfilled his obligation.
There are exceptions to this rule:
1. One may withhold forgiveness if he does so to help the offender; a teacher might do this for his student, for example. One must be most careful about employing this method, though.
2. One may withhold forgiveness if the offense caused a bad reputation for the offended party, since all the people who heard about the bad reputation are not present at the time when the apology is offered.
(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 606:1; Mishneh Berurah 606:1-11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Yom Kippur canot atone for sins between one person and another, however minor the offense, until the offending party has appeased the offended party. The offender must pursue the offended, approaching him as many as three times to apologize and request forgiveness. Each time, he should bring different people with him to help him.
The offended party is not allowed to be cruel and withhold forgiveness. If the offended party does not forgive after three times, the offender has fulfilled his obligation.
There are exceptions to this rule:
1. One may withhold forgiveness if he does so to help the offender; a teacher might do this for his student, for example. One must be most careful about employing this method, though.
2. One may withhold forgiveness if the offense caused a bad reputation for the offended party, since all the people who heard about the bad reputation are not present at the time when the apology is offered.
(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 606:1; Mishneh Berurah 606:1-11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Apology
Hi,
I would like to take a moment to ask everyone receiving this email feed for Mechilah (forgiveness) for anything hurtful or offensive I said or did, or anything I should have said/done and did not say/do, in the past year.
If there was anything at all, please let me know; I will grow by learning from my errors.
May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai
I would like to take a moment to ask everyone receiving this email feed for Mechilah (forgiveness) for anything hurtful or offensive I said or did, or anything I should have said/done and did not say/do, in the past year.
If there was anything at all, please let me know; I will grow by learning from my errors.
May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai
The Fast of Gedaliah
Hi,
We fast on the day after Rosh haShanah; this is called "Tzom Gedalyah," "The Fast of Gedalyah."
The Meaning of the Fast: After the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, they appointed Gedalyah as governor of Israel's Jews. A group of Jews, supported by another nation, wanted the Jews to rebel against the Babylonians, and they accused Gedalyah of sympathizing with the Babylonians. They ambushed him and killed him, and in the aftermath the remaining Jews in Israel went into exile.
This day is commemorated as a public fast from first light (5:48 AM this year in Allentown) to the emergence of the stars (7:24 PM this year in Allentown).
(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 549:1; Mishneh Berurah 549:2)
Have a good day,
Mordechai
We fast on the day after Rosh haShanah; this is called "Tzom Gedalyah," "The Fast of Gedalyah."
The Meaning of the Fast: After the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, they appointed Gedalyah as governor of Israel's Jews. A group of Jews, supported by another nation, wanted the Jews to rebel against the Babylonians, and they accused Gedalyah of sympathizing with the Babylonians. They ambushed him and killed him, and in the aftermath the remaining Jews in Israel went into exile.
This day is commemorated as a public fast from first light (5:48 AM this year in Allentown) to the emergence of the stars (7:24 PM this year in Allentown).
(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 549:1; Mishneh Berurah 549:2)
Have a good day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tashlich - Throwing bread in the water?
Hi,
A custom has developed in America, with some scattered precedent elsewhere, of bringing bread to throw to the fish at Tashlich. [The custom is not mentioned in any of the numerous works of Jewish law that discuss Tashlich. There are some communities with customs of shaking out the corners of their cloaks, to symbolize ridding ourselves of sin.]
Apparently, the custom did not originate with Tashlich itself, but rather was a way to entertain children while adults recited Tashlich.
This custom is problematic, though, for we may not feed animals/fish/birds, other than those that depend on us for food, on Yom Tov. [This is because of a concern that one might try to catch one of the creatures, and trapping is prohibited on Yom Tov. Most authorities rule that this applies even where one stands at a distance from the fish, so that trapping is unlikely.]
Therefore, I do not recommend bringing bread.
Have a great day,
Mordechai
A custom has developed in America, with some scattered precedent elsewhere, of bringing bread to throw to the fish at Tashlich. [The custom is not mentioned in any of the numerous works of Jewish law that discuss Tashlich. There are some communities with customs of shaking out the corners of their cloaks, to symbolize ridding ourselves of sin.]
Apparently, the custom did not originate with Tashlich itself, but rather was a way to entertain children while adults recited Tashlich.
This custom is problematic, though, for we may not feed animals/fish/birds, other than those that depend on us for food, on Yom Tov. [This is because of a concern that one might try to catch one of the creatures, and trapping is prohibited on Yom Tov. Most authorities rule that this applies even where one stands at a distance from the fish, so that trapping is unlikely.]
Therefore, I do not recommend bringing bread.
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tashlich, Part II
Hi,
We generally recite Tashlich next to a flowing body of water, such as a well or river, rather than a standing pool.
We try to use a body of water containing fish, indicating that we should flourish and multiply as do the fish.
(Mishneh Berurah 583:8)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
We generally recite Tashlich next to a flowing body of water, such as a well or river, rather than a standing pool.
We try to use a body of water containing fish, indicating that we should flourish and multiply as do the fish.
(Mishneh Berurah 583:8)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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