Teshuvah, Step 1: The Confession

(1) All the commandments of the Torah - both the things you are to do and the things you are not to do - if a person violates any one of them, either intentionally or by mistake, whenever they do teshuvah turn away from their sinful ways, they are obligated to confess before God, the Blessed One! As it is says: "When a man or woman shall commit any sin..… Then they shall confess the sin which they have done.." (Num. 5.6–7), This means a verbal confession. So confession is a mandatory commandment.

How do we confess? One says: "Please, God: I have sinned! I have transgressed! I have committed crimes against You!

And I have done ____ and ____.

Now, behold! I regret it and am ashamed of my actions, and I will never do this again. This is the essence of the confession. Although the more one elaborates on the confession, the better.

Likewise, anyone who brings a sin-offering or guilt-offerings, when they bring their sacrifices, whether for a mistaken or intentional transgression, they cannot achieve atonement until they have done teshuvah and confessed, as it is said: "When someone realizes their guilt, they shall confess that he have sinned in that thing. And they will bring their guilt offering." (Lev. 5:5)

So, too, anyone who has been sentenced to death or lashes, they cannot achieve atonement either in their death or in being lashed unless they do teshuvah and confess.

So, too, someone who injures their friend or causes them financial loss, even tough they makes restitution for what they owe, finds no atonement, unless they confess and repent, pledging to never to repeat this again, as is said: "Any sin that person commits" (Num. 5.6).¹Sifra, Lev. 5; Yoma, 36b; Shebu’ot, 13a; Sanhedrin, 43a; Baba Kama, 92b.C.

(2) The Azazel-goat, because it is atoning for all Israel, the High-Priest confesses over it in the speech of all Israel, even as it is said: "And confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel" (Lev. 16.21).

Our God and God of our ancestors, let our prayer come before you and do not ignore our supplication. For we are not so brazen-faced and stiff-necked to say to you, Adonoy, our God, and God of our ancestors, “We are righteous and have not sinned.” But, indeed, we and our ancestors have sinned.

We have trespassed; We have betrayed; We have stolen; We have slandered. We have caused others to sin; We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רְשָׁעִים, wicked; We have sinned with malicious intent; We have forcibly taken others' possessions even though we paid for them; We have added falsehood upon falsehood; We have joined with evil individuals or groups; We have given harmful advice; We have deceived; we have mocked; We have rebelled against God and His Torah; We have caused God to be angry with us; We have turned away from God's Torah; We have sinned deliberately; We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments; We have caused our friends grief; We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that our suffering is caused by our own sins. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע, [raising a hand to hit someone]. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption; We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations; We have gone astray; We have led others astray.

We have turned away from Your commandments and from Your good laws, and we have gained nothing from it. And You are the Righteous One in all [punishment] that has come upon us; for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly.

What shall we say before You, Who dwells on high; and what shall we relate to You Who dwells in the heavens? For everything, both hidden and revealed, You know.

You know the mysteries of the universe, and the hidden secrets of every individual. You search all our innermost thoughts, and probe our mind and heart. There is nothing hidden from You, and there is nothing concealed from Your sight.

And so may it be Your will Adonoy our God and God of our fathers, that You pardon us for all our careless sins, and that You forgive us for all our deliberate sins, and that You grant us atonement for all our rebellious sins:

(69) For the sin we committed before You under compulsion and willingly.

(70) And for the sin we committed before You by callously hardening the heart.

(71) For the sin we committed before You inadvertently.

(72) And for the sin we committed before You with an utterance of the lips.

(73) For the sin we committed before You openly and secretly

(74) And for the sin we committed before You in sexual immorality.

(75) For the sin we committed before You through [misuse of our power of] speech.

(76) And for the sin we committed before You with knowledge and with deceit.

(77) For the sin we committed before You by improper thoughts.

(78) And for the sin we committed before You by cheating a fellow-man.

(79) For the sin we committed before You with [mere] verbal confession.

(80) And for the sin we committed before You by joining in a lewd gathering.

(81) For the sin we committed before You intentionally and unintentionally.

(82) And for the sin we committed before You by insufficient respect for parents and teachers.

(83) For the sin we committed before You by using coercion [to harm others].

(84) And for the sin we committed before You by desecrating the Divine Name.

(85) For the sin we committed before You with foolish talk.

(86) And for the sin we committed before You with impurity of the lips.

(87) For the sin we committed before You with the Evil Inclination.

(88) And for the sin we committed before You knowingly and unknowingly.

(89) And for all of these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, grant us atonement.

(90) For the sin we committed before You by forcing someone to give or take bribes.

(91) And for the sin we committed before You by false denial and false promise.

(92) For the sin we committed before You by evil talk [slander].

(93) And for the sin we committed before You by scoffing.

(94) For the sin we committed before You in business dealings.

(95) And for the sin we committed before You in eating and drinking.

(96) For the sin we committed before You by [taking or giving] interest and by usury.

(97) And for the sin we committed before You by haughtily stretching forth the neck.

(98) For the sin we committed before You with gazing of the eyes.

(99) And for the sin we committed before You by the prattle of our lips.

(100) For the sin we committed before You with haughty eyes.

(101) And for the sin we committed before You with impudence.

(102) And for all of these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, grant us atonement.

(103) For the sin we committed before You by throwing off the yoke [of heaven].

(104) And for the sin we committed before You in passing judgment.

(105) For the sin we committed before You by entrapping a fellowman.

(106) And for the sin we committed before You by a begrudging eye.

(107) For the sin we committed before You by lightmindedness.

(108) And for the sin we committed before You by being stiff-necked [stubborn].

(109) For the sin we committed before You by running to do evil.

(110) And for the sin we committed before You by talebearing.

(111) For the sin we committed before You by swearing in vain.

(112) And for the sin we committed before You by unwarranted hatred.

(113) For the sin we committed before You by breach of trust.

(114) And for the sin we committed before You by a confused heart.

(115) And for all of these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, grant us atonement.

(116) And for sins for which we are obligated to bring a burnt-offering.

(117) And for sins for which we are obligated to bring a sin-offering.

(118) And for sins for which we are obligated to bring a “fluctuating” offering.

(119) And for sins for which we are obligated to bring a guilt-offering for certain or for doubtful trespasses.

(120) And for sins for which we incur the penalty of lashing for violations of Rabbinic law.

(121) And for sins for which we incur the penalty of forty lashes.

(122) And for sins for which we incur the penalty of death at the hand of Heaven.

(123) And for sins for which we incur the penalty of excision and childlessness.

(124) And for sins for which we are liable to any of the four death penalties inflicted by the [Rabbinic] Court [which are]: stoning, burning, beheading or strangulation.

(125) For [transgressing] positive commandments, and for [transgressing] prohibitive commandments, whether the prohibition can be corrected by a specifically prescribed act, or whether it cannot be corrected by a specifically prescribed act,

(126) for those of which we are aware and for those of which we are not aware. For those of which we are aware, we have already declared before You and confessed them unto You; and those of which we are not aware, before You they are revealed and known, as it is said, “The hidden things belong to the Eternal, our God, but the revealed things are for us and for our children forever, that we might fulfill all the words of this Torah.”(Devarim 29:28).

For You are the Pardoner of Yisrael, and the Forgiver of the tribes of Yeshurun in every generation, and beside You, we have no King Who forgives and pardons—only You!