Before we begin, think about what it means to apologize to someone. What is necessary for an apology to be good? What makes an apology unacceptable? Think about a time you've apologized to someone, or a time when someone apologized to you. How did you feel before they apologized? How did you feel after? What made their (or your) apology good, or not so good?
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתְּשׁוּבָה וְהַצְּעָקָה יָפָה לָעוֹלָם. בַּעֲשָׂרָה הַיָּמִים שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הִיא יָפָה בְּיוֹתֵר וּמִתְקַבֶּלֶת הִיא מִיָּד
Although it is always good to cry out and repent every day of the year, during the space of the Ten Days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim it is exceedingly better, and the atonement is immediately accepted..
The text above talks about how it's good to repent every day of the year, but, what exactly is repentance? How do we know when we have repented properly? Do we have to apologize? What about making things better? How does all of that work? Think about when you're hurt by someone. What do YOU want from them to make things better? What is helpful? What isn't helpful?
Read the texts on the next page (or below) out loud with your chevruta (partner). You can take turns reading each sentence or one person can read the entire section. Try and define complicated words using context clues (or asking for help). Ask your chevruta questions about what you think the text means. Discuss your answers with each other. Try and summarize the text in your own words. Wait until we discuss as a class to answer the questions below.
Remember: If you need help to understand the text, try working it out with your chevruta first. Discuss possible answers and see if they make sense. After you've tried, then you can ask the teacher for help.
The text below attempts to give a definition for "complete teshuvah" - real atonement and repentance.
אֵי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
What is complete teshuvah? When a person has the opportunity to commit the same sin again because they are in the same situation, but they separate themselves and do not do it because of teshuvah and not because they are afraid of the punishment or consequences.
B. What's the difference between not doing something bad because you're afraid of the consequences and not doing something bad because you know it's wrong?
The text below asks the question, is it enough just to say the words, "I'm sorry," even if the person doesn't mean it? It also discusses why some bad actions are different from others.
הָאוֹמֵר, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר.
עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
One who says: "I shall sin and repent, sin and repent," they do not have the opportunity to repent.
If someone says: "I shall sin and Yom Kippur will atone for me," Yom Kippur does not lead to atonement.
For wrongdoings between man and God Yom Kippur can offer atonement, but for wrongdoing between humans, Yom Kippur does not offer atonement until the one who has done wrong has made peace with the other.
C. Why do you think Yom Kippur doesn't lead to atonement if you've wronged another human being and haven't made it right yet? Why isn't it enough just to apologize to God and promise not to do it again?