Viduy: No If, Ands or Buts About It

§ The Sages taught: The main mitzva of confession is on Yom Kippur eve when darkness falls. But the Sages said: One should also confess on Yom Kippur eve before he eats and drinks at his last meal before the fast lest he become confused at the meal, due to the abundance of food and drink, and be unable to confess afterward. And although one confessed before he ate and drank, he confesses again after he eats and drinks, as perhaps he committed some sin during the meal itself. And although one confessed during the evening prayer on the night of Yom Kippur, he should confess again during the morning prayer. Likewise, although one confessed during the morning prayer, he should still confess during the additional prayer. Similarly, although one confessed during the additional prayer, he should also confess during the afternoon prayer; and although one confessed during the afternoon prayer, he should confess again during the closing prayer [ne’ila]. And where in the Yom Kippur prayers does one say the confession? An individual says it after his Amida prayer, and the prayer leader says it in the middle of the Amida prayer. The Gemara asks: What does one say; what is the liturgy of the confession? Rav said: One says the prayer that begins: You know the mysteries of the universe, in accordance with the standard liturgy. And Shmuel said that the prayer begins with: From the depths of the heart. And Levi said that it begins: And in your Torah it is written, saying, and one then recites the forgiveness achieved by Yom Kippur as stated in the Torah. Rabbi Yoḥanan said that it begins: Master of the Universe. Rabbi Yehuda said that one says: For our iniquities are too many to count and our sins are too great to number. Rav Hamnuna said: This is the liturgy of the confession: My God, before I was formed I was unworthy. Now that I have been formed, it is as if I had not been formed. I am dust while alive, how much more so when I am dead. See, I am before You like a vessel filled with shame and disgrace. May it be Your will that I may sin no more, and as for the sins I have committed before You, erase them in Your compassion, but not by suffering. The Gemara comments: This is the confession that Rava used all year long; and it was the confession that Rav Hamnuna Zuta used on Yom Kippur. Mar Zutra said: We said only that one must follow all these versions when he did not say the words: But we have sinned. However, if he said the words: But we have sinned, he need not say anything further because that is the essential part of the confession. As bar Hamdudei said: I was standing before Shmuel and he was sitting; and when the prayer leader reached the words: But we have sinned, Shmuel stood. Bar Hamdudei said: Learn from here that this is the main part of the confession, and Shmuel stood up to emphasize the significance of these words.

(1) All commandments of the Torah, whether they be mandatory or prohibitive, if a man violates any one of them, either presumptuously or erroneously, when he will repent himself and turn away from his sinful way, he is obliged to confess before God, blessed is He! even as it is said: "When a man or woman shall commit any sin..… Then they shall confess their sin which they have done (Num. 5.6–7), which is a confession of words. Such confession is a mandatory commandment. How is the verbal confession made? The sinner says thus: "I beseech Thee, O Great Name! I have sinned; I have been obstinate; I have committed profanity against Thee, particularly in doing thus and such. Now, behold! I have repented and am ashamed of my actions; forever will I not relapse into this thing again." This is the elementary form of confession; but whosoever elaborates in confessing and extends this subject is, indeed, praise-worthy.

(7) Yom ha-Kippurim is the time set aside for repentance for all, the individual as well as the many; for it is the goal of exoneration and quittance in Israel. Because thereof all are obliged to make reparation and confession on the Day of Atonement. The commandment to confess on the Day of Atonement obliges every one to commence it during the afternoon on the ninth day of Tishri, before the evening meal, lest he be sufficated eating his meal before he confess. And, though he did confess before his meal, one is obliged to confess gain during the night prayer of the Day of Atonement, and to repeat the confession during the Morning, Addition, Oblation, and Closing Prayers. At what part of the prayers is the confession made? Every individual delivers it after the silent Benedictions, but the public Reader in the midst of his prayers, after the Fourth Benediction.

(8) The accepted confession of all Israel contains this verse: "But all of us have sinned", which is the component part of the confession. Sins which he had made confession of one Day of Atonement, one should repeat and make confession on every other Day of Atonement. though he continues to be a penitent, even as it is said: "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Ps. 51.3).

(3) 3. One must confess while standing. Even when he hears it from the chazan and he already confessed, he must stand. RAMA: And he must go back and confess again with the chazan (Ra"n). The essence of the vidui is "but we have sinned". (Tur)

(102) Our God and God of our fathers, 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 fathers, “We are righteous and have not sinned.” But, indeed, we and our fathers have sinned.

(103) We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt]; ...

Avbal means "in Truth"

(1) IN THAT WE SAW THE DISTRESS OF HIS SOUL, WHEN HE IMPLORED US. It is obvious that the brothers now considered their display of cruelty towards Joseph as deserving of a greater punishment than the sale itself since it was their blood-brother who was imploring and prostrating himself before them and they remained unmoved. Scripture, however, did not relate there [that Joseph implored them at the time of the sale], either because it is naturally understood that a person would implore his brothers when falling into their grip when their intention is to harm him, swearing by the life of his father, and doing all that is possible to save himself from death. It may be the desire of Scripture to speak only briefly of their sin, or it is possible that it is characteristic of Scripture to speak briefly about a matter in one place, and to elaborate on it in another place.

(1) These [martyrs] I will remember

(2) and pour out my soul within me. For wicked people have swallowed us, like a cake, unturned, [not fully baked] for during the days of Caeser there was no remedy [reprieve] for the ten martyrs, doomed to death by the [Roman] government.

(3) Having learned the Written law from those who are compared to heaps of grain [Torah Scholars], who understand how to examine the Written Law; He began to study “These are the Laws,” and with malicious intent, read the verse: “If one kidnaps a person and sells him, if he is found in his hands, he shall be put to death.”

(4) The head of the idolator swelled with malice and commanded to fill his palace with shoes He summoned ten great scholars who understood the Law and all of its intricacies.

(5) [He ordered]: “decide this case objectively and don't distort it with intentional trickery, but rather bring it out to its true light: If a man was found to have kidnapped one of his brothers, from among the Children of Yisrael; treating him as a slave and selling him.”

(6) They answered him: “The kidnapper should be put to death.” He then exclaimed “Where are your fathers, who sold their brother and dealt him to a caravan of Ishmaelites for pairs of shoes.”

(7) You, therefore, must accept the law of God upon yourselves, for from the time of your fathers there has been none like yourselves For if they were still living, I would judge them before you, but now, you must bear the guilt of the sin of your fathers.

(4) They spread a sheet of fine linen between him and the people in the interest of modesty, and then the High Priest immersed and sanctified his hands and feet. The High Priest removed the white garments that he was wearing, descended to the ritual bath, and immersed.

(23) When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ornamented tunic that he was wearing, (24) and took him and cast him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. (25) Then they sat down to a meal. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels bearing gum, balm, and ladanum to be taken to Egypt. (26) Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood? (27) Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. (28) When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph up out of the pit. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who brought Joseph to Egypt. (29) When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes. (30) Returning to his brothers, he said, “The boy is gone! Now, what am I to do?” (31) Then they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a kid, and dipped the tunic in the blood....When Joseph was taken down to Egypt,

(3) And this was his confession: I beg of You Hashem; I have sinned, acted wickedly and rebelled against You, I and my household. I beg of You, with Your Name, atone the sins, iniquities, and rebellions that I have sinned, acted wickedly, and rebelled against You, I and my household; as is written in the Torah of Moshe, Your servant, from the mouth of Your glory: “For on this day He will make atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins, before Adonoy.”

(1) The High Priest would mix the lots in the lottery receptacle used to hold them and draw the two lots from it, one in each hand. Upon one was written: For God. And upon the other one was written: For Azazel.

(53) But the iniquities of our fathers destroyed our home, and our sins have prolonged its period of captivity; yet may the mention of these things bring us pardon, and the affliction of our souls be our atonement.

(54) Therefore, with Your great mercy You have given us this Day of Atonement and this Day of forgiveness of iniquity to pardon inquity and to atone rebellion; a day on which it is forbidden to eat, a day on which it is forbidden to drink, a day on which it is forbidden to wash a day on which it is forbidden to apply ointments, a day on which it is forbidden to engage in marital relations, a day on which it is forbidden to wear leather shoes. A day for restoring love and brotherhood, a day of abandoning envy and strife, a day which You will forgive all our iniquities. At this time of year, at this moment, it is known and revealed before You and before Your glorious throne that we have none to guide us as we had in earlier times, no High Priest to offer sacrifices, no Altar on which to offer burnt-offerings;

(10) It is forbidden for man to be ill-natured and unforgiving, for he must be easily appeased but unwidely to wrath; and when a sinner implores him for pardon, he should grant him pardon wholeheartedly and soulfully. Even if one persecuted him and sinned against him exceedingly he should not be vengeful and grudge-bearing, for such is the path of the seed of Israel and of their excellent heart. Only the idolaters are not so, they are of uncircumcised heart, and their wrath is ever-watchful; and, because the Gibonites were unforgiving and unappeasing, that of them it is said: "Now the Gibonites were not of the children of Israel" (II. Samuel, 21.2).

(1) A person should always be in fear of God, privately as well as openly, [he should] admit the truth, and speak truth in his heart, and rise early and proclaim:

(2) Lord of all the worlds! Not on account of our righteousness do we offer our supplications before You, but on account of Your abundant mercy. What are we? What is our life? What are our acts of kindness? What is our righteousness? What is our deliverance? What is our strength? What is our might? What can we say before You, Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers? Are not all the mighty men as nothing before You? Famous men as though they had never been? The wise as if they were without knowledge? And men of understanding, as if they were devoid of intelligence? For most of their actions are a waste, and the days of their life are trivial in Your presence. The superiority of man over the beast is nil, for all is futile.

(3) However, we are Your people, children of Your covenant, children of Avraham, Your beloved, to whom You swore on Mount Moriah; the seed of Yitzchak, his only son, who was bound on top of the altar; the community of Yaakov, Your firstborn, [whom]—because of Your love for him and Your joyous delight in him— You named him Yisrael and Yeshurun.

(4) Therefore, we are obligated to thank You, to praise You, and to glorify You; to bless, to sanctify, and to offer praise and thanks to Your Name. We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our destiny! How beautiful is our heritage! We are fortunate that we rise early and stay late - morning and evening - and twice daily say:

(5) “Hear Israel, Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.”

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(46) [Nevertheless], You have set man apart from the beginning, and recognized him [as worthy] to stand before You. For who could tell You what You should do, and even if he be righteous, what [benefit] does he give You? And You, Adonoy, our God, gave us with love, this Day of Atonement to be the end [of sin] forgiveness, and pardon for all our iniquities, so that we may refrain from the injustice of our hands; and return to You, to fulfill the statutes of Your will with a perfect heart.