(ט) אֵין הַתְּשׁוּבָה וְלֹא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפְּרִין אֶלָּא עַל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם כְּגוֹן מִי שֶׁאָכַל דָּבָר אָסוּר אוֹ בָּעַל בְּעִילָה אֲסוּרָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. אֲבָל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּגוֹן הַחוֹבֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ הַמְקַלֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ גּוֹזְלוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ נִמְחַל לוֹ לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לַחֲבֵרוֹ מַה שֶּׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ וִירַצֵּהוּ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֶחֱזִיר לוֹ מָמוֹן שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ צָרִיךְ לְרַצּוֹתוֹ וְלִשְׁאל מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הִקְנִיט אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אֶלָּא בִּדְבָרִים צָרִיךְ לְפַיְּסוֹ וְלִפְגֹּעַ בּוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ. לֹא רָצָה חֲבֵרוֹ לִמְחל לוֹ מֵבִיא לוֹ שׁוּרָה שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי אָדָם מֵרֵעָיו וּפוֹגְעִין בּוֹ וּמְבַקְּשִׁין מִמֶּנּוּ. לֹא נִתְרַצָּה לָהֶן מֵבִיא לוֹ שְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית. לֹא רָצָה מְנִיחוֹ וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ וְזֶה שֶׁלֹּא מָחַל הוּא הַחוֹטֵא. וְאִם הָיָה רַבּוֹ הוֹלֵךְ וּבָא אֲפִלּוּ אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים עַד שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ:
(9) Neither repentance nor the Day of Atonement atone for any save for sins committed between man and God, for instance, one who ate forbidden food, or had forbidden coition and the like; but sins between man and man, for instance, one injures his neighbor, or curses his neighbor or plunders him, or offends him in like matters, is ever not absolved unless he makes restitution of what he owes and begs the forgiveness of his neighbor. And, although he make restitution of the monetory debt, he is obliged to pacify him and to beg his forgiveness. Even he offended not his neighbor in aught save in words, he is obliged to appease him and implore him till he be forgiven by him. If his neighbor refuses a committee of three friends to forgive him, he should bring to implore and beg of him; if he still refuses he should bring a second, even a third committee, and if he remains obstinate, he may leave him to himself and pass on, for the sin then rests upon him who refuses forgiveness. But if it happened to be his master, he should go and come to him for forgiveness even a thousand times till he does forgive him.
(י) אָסוּר לָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת אַכְזָרִי וְלֹא יִתְפַּיֵּס אֶלָּא יְהֵא נוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת וְקָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ הַחוֹטֵא לִמְחל מוֹחֵל בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם וּבְנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵצֵר לוֹ וְחָטָא לוֹ הַרְבֵּה לֹא יִקֹּם וְלֹא יִטֹּר. וְזֶהוּ דַּרְכָּם שֶׁל זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִבָּם הַנָּכוֹן. אֲבָל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים עַרְלֵי לֵב אֵינָן כֵּן אֶלָּא (וְעֶבְרָתָן) [וְעֶבְרָתוֹ] שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר עַל הַגִּבְעוֹנִים לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מָחֲלוּ וְלֹא נִתְפַּיְּסוּ וְהַגִּבְעֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה:
(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).
(ז) אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ, אֵין נִמְחָל לוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כ) וְעַתָּה הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת וְגוֹ'. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הַמּוֹחֵל אַכְזָרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶת אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְגוֹ'. הָאוֹמֵר סַמֵּא אֶת עֵינִי, קְטַע אֶת יָדִי, שְׁבֹר אֶת רַגְלִי, חַיָּב. עַל מְנָת לִפְטֹר, חַיָּב. קְרַע אֶת כְּסוּתִי, שְׁבֹר אֶת כַּדִּי, חַיָּב. עַל מְנָת לִפְטֹר, פָּטוּר. עֲשֵׂה כֵן לְאִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי, עַל מְנָת לִפְטֹר, חַיָּב, בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹ בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנוֹ:
(7) Despite the fact that the assailant who caused damage gives to the victim all of the required payments for the injury, his transgression is not forgiven for him in the heavenly court until he requests forgiveness from the victim, as it is stated that God told Abimelech after he had taken Sarah from Abraham: “Now therefore restore the wife of the man; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live” (Genesis 20:7). And from where is it derived that if the victim does not forgive him that he is cruel? As it is stated: “And Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bore children” (Genesis 20:17). The mishna continues: With regard to one who says to another: Blind my eye, or: cut off my hand, or: break my leg, and he does so, the one who performed these actions is liable to pay for the damage, despite having been instructed to do so. Even if he explicitly instructed him: Do so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, he is nevertheless liable. With regard to one who says to another: Tear my garment, or: break my jug, and he does so, he is liable to pay for the damage. But if he instructed him explicitly: Do so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, he is exempt from payment. If one says to another: Do so, i.e., cause damage, to so-and-so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, and he did so, he is liable, whether the instructions were with regard to the victim himself, or whether the instructions were with regard to his property.
(כג) וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל משֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ (במדבר כא, ז), יָדְעוּ שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ בְּמשֶׁה וְנִשְׁתַּטְּחוּ לְפָנָיו וְאָמְרוּ (במדבר כא, ז): הִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה' וְיָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ וגו', נָחָשׁ יָחִיד הָיָה, (במדבר כא, ז): וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ עִנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, שֶׁלֹא נִשְׁתַּהָה לְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, וּלְהוֹדִיעֲךָ כֹּחַ הַתְּשׁוּבָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ מִיָּד נִתְרַצָּה לָהֶם, שֶׁאֵין הַמּוֹחֵל נַעֲשָׂה אַכְזָרִי, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית כ, יז): וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב מב, י): וַה' שָׁב אֶת שְׁבוּת אִיּוֹב בְּהִתְפַּלְּלוֹ בְּעַד רֵעֵהוּ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם סָרַח אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ חָטָאתִי, שֶׁנִּקְרָא חוֹטֵא אִם אֵינוֹ מוֹחֵל לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א יב, כג): גַּם אָנֹכִי חָלִילָה לִּי מֵחֲטֹא לַה' מֵחֲדֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם, אֵימָתַי כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ וְאָמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א יב, יט): [ויאמרו כל העם אל שמואל התפלל בעד עבדיך וגו' כי יספנו על כל חטאתינו] וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל חָטָאנוּ כִּי עָבַרְנוּ אֶת פִּי ה' וְאֶת דְּבָרֶיךָ, הֵשִׁיב: חָלִילָה לִי מֵחֲטֹא לַה'. (במדבר כא, ח): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְהָיָה כָּל הַנָּשׁוּךְ, לֹא נְשׁוּךְ נָחָשׁ בִּלְבָד אֶלָּא אָמַר כָּל הַנָּשׁוּךְ, אֲפִלּוּ נָשׁוּךְ מִפֶּתֶן וְעַקְרָב וְחַיָּה רָעָה וְכֶלֶב. (במדבר כא, ט): וַיַּעַשׂ משֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחשֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל הַנֵּס, זְרָקוֹ לָאֲוִיר וְעָמָד.
(23) 23 (Numb. 21:7) “Then the people came unto Moses and said, ‘We have sinned’”: [They] knew that they had spoken against Moses, so they fell prostrate before him and said (ibid., cont.), “pray unto the Lord to remove [the serpent] from us….” There was one serpent. [(Ibid., cont.) “And he prayed”: The passage serves] to make Moses' humility known to you, in that he did not hesitate to seek mercy for them. And [it is also] to make the power of repentance known to you. As soon as they said, “We have sinned,” he was immediately reconciled to them. [The passage serves] to teach you that the one who forgives should not be cruel. And so too does it say (in Gen. 20:17), “Abraham then prayed to God, and God healed [Abimelech and his wife].” And so does it say (in Job 42:10), “The Lord restored Job’s fortunes when he prayed on behalf of his friends.” And where is it shown that if one has sinned against his companion and says to him, “I have sinned,” without [the companion] forgiving him, that [the unforgiving one] is called a sinner? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 12:23), “As for me also, far be it for me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray on your behalf.” When? When they came and said to him, “We have sinned,” [as stated] (in I Sam. 12:10), “and [they] said, ‘We have sinned […].’” And he answered, “Far be it from me to sin.” (Numb. 21:8), “And the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, [and put it on a pole]; then it shall come to pass that, when anyone bitten [looks at it, he shall live],” not only one bitten by a serpent, but anyone bitten, even one bitten by an adder, by a scorpion, a wild beast, or a dog. (Numb. 21:9) “So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it up by a miracle”: He tossed it into the air and it remained there.
(א) שיפייס אדם חבירו בערב יום כפור ובו ד"ס:
עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו אין יום הכפורים מכפר עד שיפייסנו ואפילו לא הקניטו אלא בדברים צריך לפייסו ואם אינו מתפייס בראשונה יחזור וילך פעם שניה ושלישית ובכל פעם יקח עמו שלשה אנשים ואם אינו מתפייס בשלשה פעמים אינו זקוק לו (מיהו יאמר אח"כ לפני עשרה שביקש ממנו מחילה) . (מרדכי דיומא ומהרי"ל) ואם הוא רבו צריך לילך לו כמה פעמים עד שיתפייס: הגה והמוחל לא יהיה אכזרי מלמחול (מהרי"ל) אם לא שמכוין לטובת המבקש מחילה (גמרא דיומא) ואם הוציא עליו שם רע א"צ למחול לו (מרדכי וסמ"ק והגה"מ פ"ב מהלכות תשובה ומהרי"ו):
(ב) אם מת אשר חטא לו מביא עשרה בני אדם ומעמידם על קברו ואומר חטאתי לאלהי ישראל ולפלוני זה שחטאתי לו (ונהגו לבקש מחילה בערב יו"כ) (מרדכי דיומא):
(ג) תקנת קדמונינו וחרם שלא להוציא שם רע על המתים:
(ד) יכול לטבול וללקות מתי שירצה רק שיהיה קודם הלילה ואינו מברך על הטבילה: הגה ואין צריך לטבול רק פעם אחת בלא וידוי משום קרי והוא הדין דהטלת ט' קבין מים נמי מהני (מהרי"ו וכל בו ותשב"ץ) . מי שמת לו מת בין ר"ה ליוה"כ מותר לרחוץ ולטבול בעיו"כ דיום כפור מבטל שבעה (מהרי"ל הלכות שמחות) אע"פ שנהגו שלא לרחוץ כל שלשים טבילת מצוה מותר (דעת עצמו):
(1) “A man should appease his friend (i.e., a person whom he wronged) on the Eve of Yom Kippur” - Containing four paragraphs.
Yom Kippur does not atone for sins between a man and his comrad (fellow-man) until he conciliates him. Even if he angered him only in words, he is required to appease him (his fellow-man). And if at first he is not pacified, he (must) return and go to him a second and third time. Each time he should take three men with him, and if on the third time he does not become reconciled he (no longer) is obligated to him, (nevertheless afterwards he should say before ten (people) that he did request forgiveness from him), (מרדכי דיומא ומהרי״ל). If he (i.e., the person who was wronged) was his teacher, he must go to him many times until he becomes appeased.
Hagah: The person to forgive should not be cruel by refusing forgiveness (to the one seeking forgiveness), (מהרי״ל), unless his intent is for the good of the one requesting forgiveness, (גמרא דיומא). But if one caused him (the wronged person) a bad name, there is no necessity in forgiving him, (מרדכי וסמ״ק והגה״מ פ״ב מהלכות תשובה ומהרי״ו).
(2) If a man against whom he sinned died, (the man who sinned) brings ten people and let them stand on his (the dead man’s) grave and he (the sinner) says, “I have sinned against the God of Israel, and against this “person” who I sinned against him,” (and it was customary to seek forgiveness on the Eve of Yom Kippur), (מרדכי דיומא).
(3) Early rabbinic authorities decreed, coupled with “חרם”, ban, that the living should not slander the dead.
(4) One may immerse (inaritual bath) and accept lashes (to effect atonement) whenever desired provided that it is before nightfall, but one does not bless over the immersion.
Hagah: One needs to immerse one time without a confession because of pollution (urinary emmission). The same holds true if one pours nine kavs of water (upon himself), (if the immersion pains him, (מגן אברהם),), this is also effective, (מהרי״ו וכל בו ותשב״צ). One who incurs a death between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, it is permissible to wash and to immerse on the Eve of Yom Kippur because Yom Kippur cancels the “shiva”, (the seven day mourning period), (מהרי״ל, הלכות שמחות). Even though it is customary not to wash (bath) during the entire “sheloshim”, (thirty day mourning period), a commanded immersion is permitted, (דעת עצמו).