📋 Shiur Overview
Summary of Rambam Learning: Laws of Prayer and Text of Blessings / Laws of Yom Kippur Service
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A. Text of the Middle Blessing of Yom Kippur (Maariv, Shacharit, Mincha)
The Rambam’s Words: The middle blessing of Yom Kippur (for Maariv, Shacharit, Mincha, and Neilah) begins with “Atah bechartanu… vatiten lanu et yom hakippurim hazeh limechilah velilichah ulechapparah al kol avonotenu”, and contains the special prayer “mechal la’avonotenu beyom tzom hakippurim hazeh” with verses, and concludes with “melech al kol ha’aretz mochel vesole’ach la’avonot amo beit Yisrael umekadesh Yisrael veyom hakippurim”.
Plain Meaning: The middle blessing of Yom Kippur follows the general structure of all Yom Tov middle blessings: (1) Opening — “Atah bechartanu” with mention of the specific day; (2) Middle section — a special prayer for the day; (3) Conclusion — “kedoshanu bemitzvotecha” with the closing formula.
Insights and Explanations:
– Structure of the Middle Blessing for All Yamim Tovim: Every Yom Tov has a three-part structure: (a) Opening with “Atah bechartanu” and mention of the day with its own description (Pesach — “zeman cheirutenu”, Yom Kippur — “yom tzom hakippurim”); (b) A middle section that is unique to the day — on Shabbat we say verses, on Yom Tov we say Ya’aleh Veyavo, on Yom Kippur we say “mechal la’avonotenu” with verses; (c) Conclusion with the closing formula.
– Why Don’t We Say Verses on Yom Tov? Shabbat has verses (three different ones — for Maariv, Shacharit, Mincha), and Yom Kippur also has verses, but on regular Yamim Tovim we don’t say any verses in the middle blessing — only Ya’aleh Veyavo. This is an interesting question without a clear answer.
– “Mechal La’avonotenu” Is Instead of “Vehasi’enu”: The special prayer section of Yom Kippur — “mechal la’avonotenu” — stands in the same place as “vehasi’enu” on Yom Tov. Each Yom Tov has its own “special element” in the middle section: Yom Tov asks for abundance and blessing, Yom Kippur asks for forgiveness.
– Yom Kippur Is an Aspect of Shabbat: Yom Kippur follows the Shabbat model with verses in the middle blessing (both have verses, Yom Tov does not), which shows a connection between Yom Kippur and Shabbat.
– “Beyom Tzom Hakippurim” — Why Mention “Tzom”? Innovation: The forgiveness of Yom Kippur is connected to the fast itself. Unlike other Yamim Tovim where the essence of the day stands on its own, on Yom Kippur the fast (ta’anit) is a matter of repentance and forgiveness — they are intrinsically connected.
– The Closing Formula of Yom Kippur Is the Longest: Yom Kippur’s closing formula combines elements of Rosh Hashanah (“melech al kol ha’aretz”), a special Yom Kippur addition (“mochel vesole’ach la’avonot amo beit Yisrael”), and the standard Yom Tov closing (“umekadesh Yisrael veyom hakippurim”). This makes it the longest conclusion of all Yamim Tovim.
– “Min Ha’olam” — Hashem Is a Forgiver Forever: The language “ki atah salachan leYisrael min ha’olam” means that Hashem has long been forgiving the Jews — from Egypt until today.
– The Word “Yeshurun”: “Yeshurun” is mentioned several times in davening, more than other names of Klal Yisrael. The reason: We want a synonym for “Yisrael” in order to make a parallelism with “salachan umochalan”.
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B. Text of Musaf of Yom Kippur
Plain Meaning: The Musaf of Yom Kippur is approximately like Musaf of every Yom Tov, with added special prayers for Yom Kippur (mechal la’avonotenu, meloch al kol ha’olam kulo, kedoshanu).
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C. Custom of the People in Musaf — “Kemo Shekatuv Al Yedei Avdecha” (Korbanot Verses)
The Rambam’s Words: After all the Musaf texts, the Rambam brings a minhag ha’am: In all Musafim (Shabbat, Yom Tov, Yom Kippur) people customarily mention the sacrifices of the day with verses — “kemo shekatuv al yedei avdecha” — and we ask that the prayer be accepted instead of sacrifices.
Plain Meaning: The Rambam brings this separately as “nahagu ha’am” — not as part of the main text.
Insights and Explanations:
– Why Didn’t the Rambam Include the Verses in the Main Text? The Rambam did not write the korbanot verses into the text of Musaf itself, but brings it separately as “nahagu ha’am.” This shows that according to the Rambam this is not an obligation at all — it’s a custom. Proof: If it were an obligation, he would have included it in the main text, not separately as a custom.
– The Prayer Has Meaning Even Without the Verses: If one says “kemo shekatavta aleinu beToratecha” without actually quoting the verse, one fulfills the obligation. The Rambam’s language “kemo shekatavta” without the verse shows that the main prayer functions without the quotation — the verse is only an addition according to custom.
– Practical Difference: When someone doesn’t have a machzor (for example Chol HaMoed Sukkot) and doesn’t remember exactly which sacrifices/verses belong to the day, he can say the text without the verses and he fulfills his obligation, because according to the Rambam the main text is valid without them.
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D. Text of Vidui of Yom Kippur — General Principles
The Rambam brings a text of vidui that we say at the end of Shemoneh Esrei on Yom Kippur. The Rambam already said in Hilchot Teshuvah (Chapters 1 and 2) that on Yom Kippur one confesses at every prayer — Shacharit, Maariv, etc. Here in Hilchot Tefillah he brings the text of the vidui.
Insights:
– The Rambam Doesn’t Bring Seder Ha’avodah (which we say during Musaf of Yom Kippur). It appears that the Rambam holds that Seder Ha’avodah is not essential, or that it’s a later custom that isn’t the main thing. Piyutim of Seder Ha’avodah are indeed old (there are piyutim from Sepharad, “Yedinuch Hashem”), but it could be that the Rambam simply didn’t practice it.
– Bowing on Yom Kippur: The question is asked whether the bowing (hishtachava’ah) on Yom Kippur is only a law in Seder Ha’avodah, or there is a separate custom of Yom Kippur. Conclusion: For those who don’t do Seder Ha’avodah, Yom Kippur is like other days — they also don’t bow. The Rambam doesn’t bring it as a separate law.
Structure of Vidui: The vidui consists of different pieces, a collection from different authors (as we see in Gemara Yoma). “Ana Elokeinu ve’Elokei avotenu” is one piece; “Ashamnu” is a second (alef-bet order); “Sarnu mimitzotecha” is a third; and then comes a more detailed vidui.
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E. Text of Vidui — First Section: “Ana Elokeinu”
The Rambam’s Text: “Ana Elokeinu ve’Elokei avotenu, tavo lefanecha tefilatenu, ve’al tit’alem malkenu mitechinnatenu, she’ein anu azei fanim ukshei oref lomar lefanecha… tzaddikim anachnu velo chatanu, aval anachnu chatanu, anachnu va’avotenu.”
Plain Meaning: We don’t have the audacity to say that we are righteous. The truth is that we have sinned, we and our ancestors.
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F. Text of Vidui — “Ashamnu Bagadnu” (Alef-Bet)
The Rambam’s Text: “Ashamnu, bagadnu, gazalnu, dibarnu dofi, he’evinu vehirshanu, zadnu, chamasnu, tafalnu sheker, ya’atznu ra, kizavnu, latznu, maradnu, ni’atznu, sararnu, avinu, pashanu, tzararnu, kishinu oref, rashanu, shichatnu, ti’avnu, ta’inu.”
Plain Meaning: Twenty-two expressions according to alef-bet order of different types of sin.
Insights and Explanations:
– General vs. Detailed Vidui: There is a fundamental question whether one must specify the sins or say a general vidui. “Ashamnu” and “Al Chet” hold that one must specify. “Sarnu mimitzotecha” is a general vidui. It’s a dispute of Tannaim in Masechet Yoma, and the Rambam rules that one doesn’t need to specify the sin — one fulfills the obligation essentially with one word “chatanu”.
– Practical Purpose of Alef-Bet Order — Two Approaches: (1) First one says everything that lies on one’s heart, then one searches according to alef-bet — “What else is there in my life that begins with an alef, with a bet?” (2) The opposite — the alef-bet order helps find everything one forgot.
– “Ashamnu” Alone Is Not Enough Without Intention: If someone actually has specific things he needs to confess, just saying “Ashamnu” won’t help him — unless he has intention with one of the words and thinks about it.
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G. “Sarnu Mimishpatecha… Velo Shavah Lanu”
The Rambam’s Text: “Sarnu mimishpatecha hatovim velo shavah lanu.”
Plain Meaning: We have turned away from Your good laws, and it didn’t pay off for us.
Insights:
– “Velo Shavah Lanu”: This means that it didn’t pay to sin — it wasn’t a good idea. This is similar to “vayinachem Hashem ki asah” — the Ramban says that “nicham” means regret, “What a shame, it wasn’t worth it.”
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H. “Mah Nomar Lefanecha Yoshev Marom”
The Rambam’s Text: “Mah nomar lefanecha yoshev marom, mah nesaper lefanecha shochen shchakim, halo hanistarot vehaniglot atah yode’a.”
Plain Meaning: What can we say to You? You know everything, hidden and revealed.
Insights:
– “Atah Yode’a” as Introduction to Details: It’s discussed whether this “atah yode’a” is an introduction to the detailed vidui — or precisely the opposite: I can’t really specify, but Hashem knows everything, so I can say a little. It’s compared to Nishmat: “Ilu finu malei shirah” — even when we can’t say everything, You know anyway.
– “Hagluyim Lefanecha Kevar Ne’elamim”: Things that are revealed — the person knows he sinned — but he can’t remember every single time. Hashem already knows.
[Note about the custom of vidui all year:] In Nusach Sephard/Eretz Yisrael we say vidui every day in Tachanun — Shacharit and Mincha. But Nusach Ashkenaz doesn’t say vidui every day. The Rambam’s text of vidui is specifically for Yom Kippur, not for the whole year.
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I. “Yode’a Razei Olam Vechofes Kol Chadrei Vaten” — Introduction to Vidui
The Rambam’s Text: Hashem is “chofes kol chadrei vaten” — He searches inside the heart and the kidneys (kelayot she’hen yo’atzot), “ein davar ne’elam mimcha ve’ein nistar mineged einecha.”
Plain Meaning: This is an introduction to the vidui — You know all my sins, and I’m now going to enumerate some of them.
Insights:
– Deeper Meaning in “Yode’a Ta’alumot” and “Razei Olam”: This doesn’t just mean what happens in inner chambers, but Hashem knows the intention of a person’s actions — whether he meant for good or for bad, lishmah or shelo lishmah. Even the person himself sometimes doesn’t know what he really meant.
– An Interesting Point: There are things that a person says “al chet” about, but Hashem, who knows the true accounting, can view it as a mitzvah — He takes from his sins and puts them among his mitzvot. The person doesn’t know his exact status; Hashem knows better than him.
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J. “Yehi Ratzon Verachamim Milfanecha”
The Rambam’s Text: “Yehi ratzon verachamim milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu ve’Elokei avotenu shetimchol lanu et kol chatoteinu utechaper lanu et kol avonotenu vetislach lechol pesha’einu.”
Innovation: The language “yehi ratzon verachamim milfanecha” is unusual — usually we say only “yehi ratzon milfanecha.” This is an addition of forgiveness of sins beyond what we already asked for in Shemoneh Esrei.
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K. The Rambam’s “Al Chet” — Categories Instead of Specific Sins
The Rambam’s Text: The Rambam’s Al Chet is much shorter than our list. He doesn’t enumerate specific sins but categories of sins, from light to severe:
1. “Al chet shechatanu lefanecha beshogeg“
2. “Ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha bezadon“
3. “Be’ones uveratzon” (a thing and its opposite)
4. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem aseh“
5. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem lo ta’aseh” (less severe because nitak la’aseh, it can be fixed, like “lo tigzol”)
6. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem korban” (usually beshogeg)
7. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem malkot arba’im“
8. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem mitah bidei shamayim“
9. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem karet“
10. “Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem arba mitot beit din — chenek, hereg, sereifah, usekilah”
Insights:
– The Rambam goes from light to severe, while our custom is the opposite.
– Our text has two alef-bets of specific sins, and only at the end do we say a version of the categories. In the Rambam this is the entire Al Chet.
– The language “chayavim aleihem” is interesting — “chayavim” is usually an obligation of a fine or sacrifice, and here it’s used for categories of punishments.
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L. “Vehagluyim Lanu Kevar Amarnu Lefanecha”
The Rambam’s Text: “Vehagluyim lanu kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu… hanistarot laHashem Elokeinu vehaniglot lanu ulevaneinu ad olam la’asot et kol divrei haTorah hazot. Ki atah soleichan leYisrael umochalan leshivtei Yeshurun uval’adecha ein lanu melech mochel vesole’ach.”
Insights:
– What Does “Hagluyim Lanu” Mean? It’s said earlier “baseter” — what only I know. “Gluyim lanu” means the opposite: what even I don’t know — complete inadvertence, “lo hoda” — I don’t even know that I sinned, or I don’t understand the severity of the matter, or I didn’t grasp what I was doing. But still one needs atonement for it (like someone who ate non-kosher and never became aware — if he finds out he must bring a sacrifice).
– What Does “Kevar Amarnu Lefanecha” Mean? Three Explanations:
1. By saying the categories of sins we’ve already included everything — every specific sin falls into one of the categories.
2. We’re talking about a person who does vidui properly — he already specifically stated his sins.
3. The person has thought through his day, he knows his few sins that he regularly stumbles in, and he already counted them to himself in one of the categories — “kevar amarnu” doesn’t necessarily mean saying out loud, but that they are “on his mind.”
– It’s also suggested that perhaps in the heavenly court Hashem has another type of punishment that we don’t know — not a sacrifice, not lashes, but some fifth thing.
– The verse “hanistarot laHashem Elokeinu vehaniglot lanu ulevaneinu” is a proof: What Hashem knows, He knows; but a person is obligated for what he knows, he also feels responsible for others, but what he doesn’t know — “hanistarot laHashem Elokeinu.”
– “Ki atah soleichan leYisrael” — This is essentially like an introduction to the closing formula “Baruch atah Hashem melech mochel vesole’ach.” In our text it was inserted there, so as not to end in the middle of sin — we conclude with something good.
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M. “Eloki Ad Shelo Notzarti Eini Kedai” — The Last Prayer (from Rabbi Chiya)
The Rambam’s Text: “Eloki, ad shelo notzarti eini kedai, ve’achshav shenotzarti ke’ilu lo notzarti. Afar ani bechayai, kal vachomer bemitati. Hareini lefanecha Hashem Eloki kichli malei vushah uchlimah. Yehi ratzon milfanecha shelo echeta, umah shechatati merok berachamecha harabim aval lo al yedei yisurim.”
Plain Meaning: The person expresses his lowliness — before I was created I wasn’t worthy, and now that I’m here, it’s as if I wasn’t created. I am a vessel full of shame. Help me not to sin anymore, and erase my sins through mercy, not through suffering.
Insights:
– Meaning of “Ad Shelo Notzarti Eini Kedai”: This is like “tov lo la’adam shelo nivra mishenivra” — the person looks around at himself and doesn’t see that he is such a creation that when Hashem would have looked before creating him, He would have said “I need this.” And even now that he’s already here, he still doesn’t see that he’s needed. “One who is kedai” doesn’t mean from my perspective, but from creation’s perspective — he doesn’t enhance creation.
– [Digression: It’s mentioned that when a person is born, Hashem says “you are needed” — and the question is asked why when someone dies we don’t write “the day Hashem decided the world doesn’t need you.” Answer: “Even the wicked in their lives, all live through their death.”]
– The Prayer Is Not Human Greatness, But Human Lowliness: It’s the pain of a sinner, he pours out his anguish that he’s trapped in sin.
– “Shelo Echeta” — The Most Broken Vidui: This is the most desperate vidui of all — the person is in despair, he doesn’t even enumerate his sins, because he won’t stop anyway. He asks Hashem to help “shelo echeta” — he’s asking almost for a miracle.
– Innovation Regarding “Ve’eini Chozer Ladavar Zeh”: The Rambam says in Hilchot Teshuvah that the essence of vidui is to say “chatati aviti pashati ve’eini chozer ladavar zeh.” But in all texts of vidui it never says “ve’eini chozer ladavar zeh” — there’s regret but not acceptance for the future. The only place in the entire siddur where there’s a hint of stopping to sin, is here — “yehi ratzon shelo echeta.” And this is very “real” — the person doesn’t say it as a promise, but as a prayer of a broken person.
– “Aval Lo Al Yedei Yisurim”: This is a response to “ve’atah tzaddik al kol haba aleinu” — the person understands that Hashem is just with suffering, but he asks: “You are all-powerful, find another way to atone for my sins without suffering, through Your abundant mercy.” The person is already now in suffering — the words themselves are full of suffering — and he asks that this be enough.
– Existentialist Tone: The person says “look what a person is” — dust in life, all the more so in death. It’s an existential expression of human lowliness.
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N. Order of Saying Vidui — Law 8: Individual vs. Prayer Leader
The Rambam’s Words: “Keseder hazeh mitvodim” — this vidui is said at Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, and Mincha of Yom Kippur. “Bein yachid bein shaliach tzibbur. Bein yachid omer vidui zeh achar tefilato, achar shegomar sim shalom kodem sheyifsa shalosh pesi’ot. Ushaliach tzibbur omero be’emtza berachah revi’it kodem shomer… mechol la’avonotenu.”
Plain Meaning: The individual says vidui after Shemoneh Esrei, after “sim shalom” before stepping back three steps. The prayer leader inserts it in the middle of the fourth blessing (middle blessing), before “mechol la’avonotenu”.
Insights:
1. Why Is There a Difference Between Individual and Prayer Leader? Seemingly an individual can also say “me’ein haberachah” in the middle of a blessing — why doesn’t he say vidui in the middle of the fourth blessing? Answer: The individual wants to insert his personal details — his own sins and supplications — and this doesn’t fit in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei. But the prayer leader only says the general text without details, therefore it fits into the fourth blessing which is similar to forgiveness and pardon. But an individual who wants to “talk out” his entire daily routine — that belongs after Shemoneh Esrei, in the time of supplications.
2. Another Explanation: It was inserted for the prayer leader earlier (in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei) so that the Jew who cannot say vidui himself won’t have to wait until the end — he can fulfill his obligation with the prayer leader’s vidui.
3. The Custom to Say Along With the Prayer Leader: Our custom is that we say vidui along with the prayer leader when he says it — but this is already a custom, not from the Rambam’s essential law.
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O. Text of Vidui of Neilah
The Rambam’s Words: At Neilah we say a different text: “Mah nomar lefanecha yoshev marom umah nesaper lefanecha shochen shchakim… ki avonotenu rabu milmnot vechato’teinu atzmu mispar… mah anu mah chayeinu…”
Plain Meaning: The text of Neilah expresses that it’s difficult to articulate our sins — they are too many to count. The person is nothing — even heroes, people of renown, wise men, understanding people — are “like nothing” before Hashem. “Ki kol yameinu tohu uma’aseinu hevel lefanecha”, like the verse “ein motar ha’adam min habehemah ein ki hakol havel.”
Insights:
1. The “Aval” of Neilah vs. the “Aval” of the Previous Vidui: The Neilah-vidui also has a “hakol havel” theme similar to the previous vidui, but the “aval” (=but) is different. In the previous vidui the “aval” comes from “anachnu” — we are Your people. In Neilah the “aval” comes from “atah” — Hashem: “atah hivdalta enosh merosh.” Hashem distinguished man from the beginning.
2. “Atah Hivdalta Enosh Merosh Vetakireihu”: Hashem as it were “introduced” Himself to man, made him known, and gave him the power “la’amod lefanecha” — to stand before the Creator. This is similar to Tehillim 8 — “mah enosh ki tizkerenu” — we don’t understand why man is so special, but “mi yomar lecha mah ta’aseh” — we can’t tell Hashem what to do.
3. Almost a “Tzidduk Hadin” on Man’s Greatness — and From That Comes Forgiveness: The text is almost a tzidduk hadin on the fact that Hashem makes man so great. Hashem Himself decided that He needs people, He created them with the power “la’amod lefanav” — therefore, if they sin, this is His problem as it were. He did this, therefore He must forgive. This is a strong argument in the text.
4. Another View — The Contradiction in Man: The text brings out a great contradiction: We see man as foolish and lowly, but Hashem wants the small person to be “la’amod lefanecha.” Answer: The language of teshuvah — the foolish-stupid person was yesterday (“emesh hayah”), but today, through Yom Kippur, he suddenly becomes the person who can stand before Hashem. Therefore Hashem had to give Yom Kippur — as “ketz lechol chala’einu” — so the lowly person could become “la’amod lefanecha.”
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P. “Ketz Umechilah Uselichah Lechol Chata’einu” — Explanation
Insights:
1. Two Interpretations of “Ketz”:
– Interpretation A: A Deadline — All year one can sin, and at some point comes the end, one must be forgiven. “Ketz umechilah” are two separate things.
– Interpretation B: The End of Sins — “ketz lechata’einu”, the person stops sinning. This fits with the Rambam’s approach that the first thing in teshuvah is stopping the sin (azivat hachet).
2. Proof From the Text Itself: The next verse in the text — “lemaan nechdal me’oshek yadeinu venashuv elecha belevav shalem” — fits very well with interpretation B: “ketz” = stopping to sin, “mechilah” = Hashem’s forgiveness. From the person’s side is a “ketz” (stopping), from Hashem’s side is “mechilah.”
3. But the Rambam in Hilchot Teshuvah writes “ketz umechilah uselichah” — with a vav — which implies that “ketz” is a separate thing from “mechilah”, which supports more interpretation A.
4. A Connection to the Rambam’s Entire Teshuvah Approach: The two words — “ketz” (stopping sins) and “mechilah” (Hashem’s forgiveness) — bring out the Rambam’s entire teaching of teshuvah in two words.
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Q. The Continuation of Neilah Text: “Dirshu Hashem Behimatz’o”
Plain Meaning: The text quotes “dirshu Hashem behimatz’o kera’uhu biheyoto karov” — a hint that the days (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah / Yom Kippur) are when Hashem is “close” and easily forgiving. “Ya’azov rasha darko… veyashuv el Hashem virachameihu… ki yarbeh lislo’ach.”
Insights:
1. “Rotzeh biteshuvatan shel resha’im ve’ein atah chafetz bemitatan” — Hashem doesn’t seek the death of the wicked, but their repentance. As it says “chai ani ne’um Hashem… im echpotz bemot harasha ki im beshuvo midarko vechayah.”
2. The Conclusion: “Hashiveinu… vekabbleinu… mechol lanu uselach kegodel chasdecha” — and we continue to “yihyu leratzon.” For the individual this is the end; for the prayer leader he goes to “mechol la’avonotenu.”
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R. Laws of Yom Kippur Service — Law 1: Order of Viduyim of the Kohen Gadol
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol confesses three times: on himself, on himself with his brother Kohanim, and on all of Israel. He confesses on the bull (twice) and on the scapegoat (once).
Plain Meaning: The Rambam rules that the Kohen Gadol says three viduyim in the Yom Kippur service — two on the bull and one on the goat.
Insights:
1. Two Approaches in Vidui — Rambam vs. Rashi/Tosafot: The Rambam rules that the first vidui on the bull is only on himself alone (without Kohanim), and the second vidui on the bull is on himself with his brother Kohanim. Rashi and Tosafot hold the opposite: the first vidui on the bull is already on himself with Kohanim, and the second vidui on the bull is also on himself with Kohanim (both times with Kohanim). The difference is whether the first vidui includes Kohanim or not.
2. The Source of the Dispute — Gemara Yoma: The Gemara (Yoma 36b) brings a Baraita that says “kach hayah omer: ana Hashem chatati aviti pashati lefanecha ani
uveiti” — this is the first vidui. The Rambam learns that “ani uveiti” means only he himself with his household (wife), without Kohanim. Only at the second vidui does it add “ani uveiti uvnei Aharon am kedoshecha.”
3. Rabbi Yosef Karo’s Question on the Rambam: The Kesef Mishneh asks: If the first vidui is only on himself, why do we need a second vidui on himself with Kohanim — let him make one vidui on everyone together? Answer: The Rambam derives it from the Baraita’s language, which makes a clear distinction between the first and second vidui.
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S. Laws 2-3: Text of Vidui — Chatati, Aviti, Pashati
The Rambam’s Words: The text of vidui is “ana Hashem, chatati aviti pashati lefanecha ani uveiti, ana Hashem kaper na lachatayim vela’avonot velapesha’im shechatati veshe’aviti veshepashati lefanecha ani uveiti, kakatuv beTorah Moshe avdecha ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem…” and the people answer “baruch shem kevod malchuto le’olam va’ed.”
Plain Meaning: The Rambam brings the full text of vidui, with the order chet-avon-pesha, and the people’s response.
Insights:
1. Order Chet-Avon-Pesha vs. Chachamim: The Rambam rules like Rabbi Meir that the order is chatati, aviti, pashati — from lesser to greater sins (chet = inadvertent, avon = intentional, pesha = rebellion). The Chachamim hold the opposite: aviti, pashati, chatati. The Rambam rules like Rabbi Meir even though generally we rule like the Chachamim.
2. Why Does the Rambam Rule Like Rabbi Meir — Several Answers:
– (a) The Lechem Mishneh says that the Rambam had a version in the Baraita where Rabbi Meir’s position is actually the position of the Chachamim (the names are switched).
– (b) Others say that the Rambam learns that the verse “vaya’avor Hashem al panav vayikra… nosei avon vafesha vechata’ah” supports Rabbi Meir’s order, because the verse goes from great to small (avon, pesha, chata’ah), and the vidui goes the opposite — from small to great (chet, avon, pesha) — because we confess in ascending order.
– (c) The Kesef Mishneh brings that perhaps the Rambam relies on the Yerushalmi which supports Rabbi Meir’s order.
3. “Kakatuv beTorah Moshe Avdecha” — What Does This Mean? The Rambam brings that the Kohen Gadol says the verse “ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem letaher etchem mikol chatoteichem lifnei Hashem titharu.” It’s discussed whether this is part of the formula of vidui or an addition.
4. Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuto — Upon Hearing the Name: The people answered “baruch shem kevod malchuto le’olam va’ed” when they heard the explicit Name from the Kohen Gadol’s mouth. This is a special law of Yom Kippur, because the Kohen Gadol pronounced the Name as it’s written.
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T. Laws 4-5: Shem HaMeforash — How the Kohen Gadol Pronounced the Name
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol pronounced the Name as it’s written — this is the explicit Name of 42 letters (or 12 letters). In the Temple we say the Name as it’s written, but in the provinces (outside the Temple) we say the substitute name.
Plain Meaning: The Rambam explains that the explicit Name that the Kohen Gadol said during vidui is not the regular Name of Havayah, but a longer Name.
Insights:
1. What Is the “Shem HaMeforash”? — Dispute of Rishonim: The Rambam (Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah Chapter 6) writes that the explicit Name is the Name of 42 letters. This is an innovation, because simply one could think that the explicit Name is the Name Havayah (4 letters). The Rambam means that “Shem HaMeforash” means the Name that “explains” (mefaresh) the Name Havayah — that is, the Name of 42 or 12 letters.
2. Name of 12 Letters: The Rambam also mentions a Name of 12 letters. The Gemara (Kiddushin 71a) says that the Name of 12 letters used to be transmitted “to every person” (to every Kohen), but when the “dissolute ones” increased, it was only transmitted to “the modest of the priesthood.” The Name of 42 letters was only transmitted to “the modest ones” once in seven years.
3. The Name Havayah as We Read It — Adonut: In the provinces (outside the Temple) we read the Name Havayah with the substitute “Adonut.” The Rambam rules that in the Temple they said the Name as it’s written — that is, with its true pronunciation.
4. Did the Kohen Gadol Say the Name of 4 Letters or of 42? It’s discussed whether the Kohen Gadol said the Name Havayah (4 letters) with its true pronunciation during vidui, or the Name of 42 letters. The Rambam’s language in Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim implies that he said the Name as it’s written — which could mean the Name Havayah with its correct pronunciation. But in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah the Rambam calls the Name of 42 “Shem HaMeforash.”
5. [Digression: Name of 42 Letters in Kabbalah — The Name of 42 letters has a connection to “Ana Bekoach” (Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKanah’s prayer), which has 42 words, and the initial letters of the words form the Name of 42.]
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U. Law 6: The Kohen Gadol’s Voice When Pronouncing the Name
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol pronounced the Name in a loud voice (bekol ram), but later, when the Kohanim became more numerous (or when “dissolute ones” increased), he pronounced the Name in a soft voice, and the sound was “swallowed” (nivlah) among the singing of the Kohanim.
Plain Meaning: In earlier times the Name was heard, but later it was concealed.
Insights:
1. “Nivlah Bene’imat HaKohanim”: The Rambam explains that the Kohen Gadol pronounced the Name in a quiet voice, and the Kohanim sang at that time, so that the sound of the Name was “swallowed” (nivlah) in their singing. This was an intentional act so that the Name would not be heard.
2. Why Was It Concealed? Because “dissolute ones” (unworthy people) increased, and there was fear that the Name would be used inappropriately.
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V. Laws 7-8: Lottery on the Goats, Scapegoat, Goat for Hashem
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol places the two goats at the Nikanor Gate, one for Hashem and one for Azazel, he casts lots, ties a crimson thread on the scapegoat, and sends it away to the wilderness.
Plain Meaning: The order of the lots and the scapegoat is explained.
Insights:
1. Lashon Shel Zehorit — Red Thread: The Kohen Gadol tied a red thread (lashon shel zehorit) on the scapegoat. When the goat arrived in the wilderness and was thrown down, the thread changed from red to white — a sign that the sins were forgiven, as the verse says “im yihyu chata’eichem kashanim kasheleg yalbinu.”
2. Scapegoat — Atonement for All Sins: The scapegoat atones for all sins of Israel — whether light or severe, whether inadvertent or intentional — on condition that one does teshuvah. Without teshuvah it only atones for light sins.
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W. Laws 9-10: Vidui on the Scapegoat, Sending the Goat
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol confesses on the scapegoat for all sins of Israel, and the goat is sent away with an “ish iti” to the wilderness.
Plain Meaning: The third vidui is on the scapegoat, for all of Israel.
Insights:
1. “Ish Iti” — Who Sends the Goat? The “ish iti” is a person who was prepared beforehand for the mission. He leads the goat to the cliff (a steep rock in the wilderness) and throws it down.
2. Sukkot (Booths) on the Way: There were sukkot (booths/stations) on the way from Jerusalem to the cliff, where people waited, and they accompanied the ish iti part of the way. This is mentioned in the Mishnah.
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X. Laws 11-12: Torah Reading, White Garments, Golden Garments
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol reads from the Torah (Parshat Acharei Mot and the portion “ach be’asor”), and he changes his garments — from golden garments to white garments and back — five times, with immersions in between.
Plain Meaning: The order of changing garments and immersions is explained.
Insights:
1. White Garments for Inner Services: The Kohen Gadol wears white garments (4 garments — tunic, pants, sash, turban) for the services he performs inside the Holy of Holies. For the outer services he wears golden garments (8 garments).
2. Five Immersions and Ten Sanctifications of Hands and Feet: Each time the Kohen Gadol changes garments, he immerses, and he washes his hands and feet (kiddush yadayim veraglayim) before and after each immersion.
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Y. Laws 13-15: Incense in the Holy of Holies
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol enters the Holy of Holies with the fire pan (coal pan) and the spoon (ladle with incense), he places the incense on the coals, and the entire house becomes filled with smoke.
Plain Meaning: The order of offering the incense in the Holy of Holies is explained.
Insights:
1. Chefinah — With Both Hands: The Kohen Gadol takes a “melo chofnav” of incense — that is, he scoops with both hands. This is one of the most difficult services in the Temple, because he must hold the fire pan in one hand and place the incense with the other.
2. “Velo Yitkavein Letzad Zeh Velo Letzad Zeh” — He Should Not Intend Toward Any Side: When the Kohen Gadol places the incense, he should not intend toward a particular side, but should do it naturally.
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Z. Laws 16-18: Sprinkling the Blood in the Holy of Holies
The Rambam’s Words: The Kohen Gadol sprinkles (mazeh) from the blood of the bull and from the goat on the kapporet — once upward and seven times downward.
Plain Meaning: The order of sprinklings is explained — one time above and seven times below, both from the bull’s blood and from the goat’s blood.
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AA. Text of Vidui — “Ana BaShem” (Explicit Name in Vidui)
Insights:
1. How the Kohen Gadol Said “Ana BaShem”: The Rambam writes that the Kohen Gadol said “ana Hashem” — with the explicit Name. That is, instead of saying “ana Hashem” (with the substitute), he pronounced the Name as it’s written. The Rambam’s text in vidui is “ana Hashem, chatati…” — the “Hashem” here means the explicit Name.
2. Ten Times the Name: The Kohen Gadol pronounced the explicit Name ten times on Yom Kippur — three times in each vidui (three viduyim = nine times) and once at the lottery. (It’s discussed how this is calculated.)
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BB. Rosh Hashanah — Memorial of the First Day, Creation of Adam HaRishon, and the Connection to Yom Kippur
Plain Meaning: Rosh Hashanah is a memorial of the first day — the day that Adam HaRishon was created. Hashem forgave Adam HaRishon who sinned on that day, and promised that He would forgive the Jews every year.
Insights:
1. Sin of Adam HaRishon as Foundation for Teshuvah: The strongest proof that a person needs teshuvah is that the first person himself sinned. This shows that sin is part of human reality, and therefore there must exist a Yom Kippur — a day of atonement.
2. The Text of Neilah “Atah Hivdalta Enosh Merosh” Relates to Creation of Adam: It is a continuation of the creation of Adam. Hashem then as it were “recognized” Adam, and there must come a Yom Kippur — because even Adam HaRishon sinned, which is the greatest proof that man is man (weak by his nature).
3. Shovavim Fasts and Sin of Adam HaRishon: It’s brought up that the 54 fasts of Shovavim also relate to the secret of the sin of Adam HaRishon. Because Rosh Hashanah is the day of creation of Adam, and Hashem then as it were “acknowledged” Adam — that is, He recognized man with his weaknesses. In this is formed an understanding that Yom Kippur must necessarily exist as a continuation of creation itself.
4. Atzeret (Shavuot) as Part of Rosh Hashanah: The Gemara says that Atzeret is a “techilat hashanah” — specifically a beginning of the year for tree fruits (peirot ha’ilan). This is mentioned as an additional point.
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[Digression: The Apostate’s Wordplay]
A story is told of a Jew in Russia who converted (became a Christian), but still helped Jews — he said that not all blood libels are true, and so on. Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan wrote to him “ki lechach notzarta” — a wordplay: “notzarta” can mean “you were created” or “you became a Notzri (Christian)” — wasn’t it for this that you became a Christian, to help Jews? The apostate answered back: “ad shelo natzarti eini kedai, ve’achar shenatzarti ke’ilu lo natzarti” — before converting no one spoke with me, and after converting it’s as if I didn’t convert (because I help Jews). This is a wordplay on the text “ad shelo notzarti eini kedai, ve’achshav shenotzarti ke’ilu lo notzarti.”
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Conclusion
A feeling is expressed that learning the Rambam’s laws about Yom Kippur brings down a certain influence — atonement, forgiveness, pardon and atonement for everyone, a good and blessed year.
📝 Full Transcript
The Prayer Text of Yom Kippur — Middle Blessing, Musaf, and the Custom of Mentioning Sacrifices
Introduction
Speaker 1:
We are learning the end of Sefer Ahavah in the Rambam, Nusach HaTefillah. In Sefer Ahavah, the Rambam taught Hilchot Tefillah, and here at the end he has given us the entire Nusach HaTefillah. We are now holding at the prayer of Yom Kippur.
Before we go further, we want to acknowledge with praise the sponsor of our shiur, our friend R’ Yoel Wertzberger, along with all the other partners in this mitzvah, may they learn and may they do likewise.
The Middle Blessing of Yom Kippur — Arvit, Shacharit, Mincha, Neilah
Speaker 1:
The Rambam says as follows: The middle blessing. The middle blessing, not the… We learned that the special text for Shabbat and Yom Tov was made for one middle blessing, the one blessing that we make instead of all the requests for needs of the weekdays. This is the middle blessing of Yom HaKippurim for its four prayers. Musaf has a different one, but Arvit, Shacharit, Mincha, Neilah have this text: “Atah netata lanu kol amen, veratzita banu kelshonot, kidashta bemitzvotecha”.
Let’s try to make it a bit simpler. It’s the same text until… yes. Okay.
Structure of the Middle Blessing — Opening, Middle, Conclusion
Speaker 1:
Right, so let’s say clearly, you don’t have to say all the words, we’ll make it simpler. The middle blessing always has, like always, a beginning and an end, right? It almost always begins, not almost always, always begins “Atah bechartanu”, and we say “Vatiten lanu” the particular Yom Tov, and we say a certain description of the time, like on Pesach we say “zman cheiruteinu”, each Yom Tov with its unique… yes.
So that’s the first part. After that always come various prayers or verses that we mention, or prayers. On Shabbat, verses about Shabbat. On Yom Tov we don’t say any verses, we only say Ya’aleh VeYavo. It’s an interesting question why on each Yom Tov we shouldn’t say some verse that has to do with Yom Tov.
And after that comes a conclusion, like a prayer. On Shabbat, almost always we say “Kadshenu bemitzvotecha”, that piece. And the seal where we mention the day, either Shabbat, or Mekadesh Yisrael VeHazemanim, or Rosh Hashanah has the text of Melech al kol ha’aretz, etc.
Yom Kippur’s Middle Blessing — The Three Parts
Speaker 1:
So Yom Kippur goes the same way, it begins Atah bechartanu, when it comes to “et yom”, we say “et yom hakippurim hazeh”. When it comes to what theme there is in the day, we say the piece “limchilah velislichah ulechapparah al kol avonoteinu”. Yes? After that comes “geresh yegaresh”, after that comes another prayer, a special prayer of Yom Kippur, where we also mention verses from Yom Kippur, which is the prayer “mechal la’avonoteinu”. After that, such, this is the special prayer of Yom Kippur, where on Yom Tov for example we ask here that the Almighty should give us the blessing of Yom Tov, this is a general blessing, we ask for abundance, and here we ask for the gift of the Yom Tov, the “mechal la’avonoteinu”. Yes, approximately so is the order. And on Rosh Hashanah we ask about kingship here.
And each Yom Tov has something particular that we ask for regarding the holiness of the day, which is general for Shabbat and Yom Tov.
Speaker 2:
“VeHasi’einu” you mean?
Speaker 1:
Yes, see, this is in place of “VeHasi’einu”. The “mechal la’avonoteinu” is in place of “VeHasi’einu”. And in place of Rosh Hashanah there is the… “uvtzidkatam beranu yagilu”, yes, the kingship of heaven is instead of that piece?
Speaker 2:
No, Rosh Hashanah that one is said at Atah kadosh. Rosh Hashanah there isn’t, there is the piece that we say on Rosh Hashanah we also say on Yom Kippur, “Elokeinu vElokei avoteinu meloch al kol ha’olam kulo”.
Speaker 1:
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, okay.
Speaker 2:
But yes, something like that.
Discussion: Verses in the Middle Blessing — Shabbat, Yom Tov, Yom Kippur
Speaker 1:
It’s only on Yom Kippur that we mention verses from the Yom Tov, “ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem”, in the regular Shemoneh Esrei.
It’s very interesting, because on Shabbat they made three types of verses, at least two.
Speaker 2:
Three, two, yes, Mincha and at night and in the morning, yes. And Yom Tov only…
Speaker 1:
Mincha is simple.
Speaker 2:
Ah, Musaf, the sacrifices. Ah, one could have made the essence of the Yom Tov. Right. But Yom Kippur continues with Shabbat, okay? Yom Kippur is an aspect of Shabbat, there’s a connection. And that’s everything. After that we conclude, and the conclusion of the blessing is even the longest conclusion, it’s interesting, because on Yom Kippur we say “Melech al kol ha’aretz” like Rosh Hashanah, and also we added “selach na la’avon ha’am hazeh”, and after that the normal seal of a Yom Tov, “Mekadesh Yisrael veYom HaKippurim”.
The Text of “Mechal La’avonoteinu” — The Special Prayer of Yom Kippur
Speaker 1:
So basically, one must read the piece “mechal la’avonoteinu”. It’s the only innovation that’s here. “Mechal la’avonoteinu, Elokeinu vElokei avoteinu”, so is always the opening of this type of prayer. “Mechal la’avonoteinu beyom tzom hakippurim hazeh”. We also mention earlier “beyom tzom”, not here again, only there, “beyom tzom hakippurim hazeh”.
In general, the forgiveness has to do with the fast. It’s not like for example the mitzvah of resting on Yom Tov, the essence of the matter is not necessarily only the fast. The forgiveness and the fast are connected. The fast is something of an aspect of teshuva, and it’s an aspect of forgiveness. “Mechal la’avonoteinu beyom tzom hakippurim hazeh, umcheh veha’aver pesha’einu mineged einecha”. Take away the sins from before Your eyes. “Ka’amur, anochi anochi hu mocheh pesha’echa lema’ani”, as it says in the verse, “anochi anochi”, the Almighty says so, “hu mocheh pesha’echa lema’ani”, He erases the sins of Jews for the sake of the honor of Hashem, “vechatotecha lo ezkor”.
“Vene’emar”, another verse that the Almighty says to the Jews, “machiti khe’av pesha’echa”, I have erased your sins like a cloud that passes through, “vekhe’anan chatotecha”, another type of cloud, “shuvah eilai ki ge’alticha”. The Almighty says to a Jew, you can already return, I have already forgiven you. A person should already be comforted that his teshuva is already accepted, he can already return.
“Vechatuv, ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem”, it says about Yom Kippur, “ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem”, the day of Yom Kippur is the day that the Almighty grants atonement, “letaher etchem mikol chatoteichem lifnei Hashem titharu”. “Ki atah salchan leYisrael min ha’olam”, from the entire world the Almighty only forgives the Jews, “min ha’olam”, from forever. It means, You have already long been a salchan leYisrael, You’ve been doing this for so long. From Egypt until now, yes? And forgives all our sins, not forgave the tribes. Interesting, the word “Yeshurun” is mentioned a few times in davening, more than others. King of Israel, the opposite, Israel, Yeshurun is, we want to make a metaphor, we want to have like salchan umochlan, we also want to have a synonym for Israel. And Your kingship we have no king except You.
Conclusion of the Blessing — Reign Over the Entire World
Speaker 1:
And we go after that, we say the next blessing the same as Rosh Hashanah, reign over the entire world in Your glory, with the conclusion being the same as Shabbat, sanctify us with Your commandments, and the end is King over all the earth who forgives and pardons the sins of His people the House of Israel and sanctifies Israel and Yom Kippur. We have now done the text of the Shemoneh Esrei of Yom Kippur, the Arvit, Shacharit and Mincha. And now we will see the Musaf of Yom Kippur.
The Middle Blessing of Musaf Yom Kippur
Speaker 1:
What is, let’s at least make it simple, I mean that Musaf there’s nothing to innovate. The Musaf of Musaf is approximately like the Musaf of every Yom Tov, and you have a part with the additional prayers that we say in all the prayers of Yom Kippur, like for example we say “Atah bechartanu”, we say “perach et aniyei”, we say “Musaf tzom mechaper zayin”, and after that we say “mechal avonoteinu”, we say “meloch al kol ha’olam kulo bichvodecha”, we say “kadshenu”, and that’s everything. There’s no text that we don’t already know. I mean we can go to the next thing.
The Custom of the People — Mentioning Verses of Sacrifices in Musaf
The Rambam’s Approach: “Kemo Shekatavta Aleinu BaTorah” — Obligation or Custom?
Speaker 1:
Here there is an innovation, an important thing that we’ve already noticed the whole time that we’ve been learning Musaf, the Rambam finally goes to tell us what the story is with the… It didn’t say “kemo shekatuv al yedei avdecha”, it didn’t say after that the verse. The Rambam now says, tells us that earlier I gave you the short version, nahagu ha’am, the people don’t feel the short version, I gave you the halacha, right? Do you remember? What was the last Musaf where the Rambam brought the halacha? He says, after all Musafim, not the halacha, the text. After the text of all Musafim he tells us a certain custom in addition to the obligation. The text that he says now is the obligation, after that he adds a custom of the people that is practiced at all Musafim, not only Yom Kippur. At all Musafim, “kemo shekatuv al yedei avdecha”. I only agreed with this addition. But the Rambam didn’t put it in earlier in the text. Why not?
Speaker 2:
Great and to forgive… maybe to mention… okay, like to mention… but where does it say in the Torah? Maybe like Moses like silver. Ah, it’s not an obligation, because like Moses to stand and forgive and forgive alone is good enough. I give myself the reason, as you wrote in the Torah. If one wants, one can actually quote the Torah here, it fits very well. But if one doesn’t want to, not so good. I mean, not to mention…
Explanation: The Text Functions Without the Verses
Speaker 1:
Speak speak, it says again the custom of the people, what is confusing him. Earlier the custom of the people in all the prayers on the Sabbath, the people practice at all the Sabbath, Shabbat Yom Tov, that when one says the piece as it says Moses like silver tradition such Moses your servant, mentions sacrifices, makes the day, like Moses written in your Torah. He brings, one says, and reads the verses, one mentions which sacrifices. One shouldn’t stand off that our prayer should be accepted like sacrifices and the Almighty’s washing what the sacrifices are. Only one brings the verse, one says which sacrifices, one says the two young rams, one brings the verse, reads the verses. Yes, one says we will do and we will offer before You, that when it’s concentrated to come one must do, like Moses written in your Torah, and after that one says, we say a word like it says, by us, we add yes another word that it will connect you in the verse. Ah, like it says. The Rambam, I know if he said like it says, or something like that, he says plain, like Moses written? What did You write? Written such and such. Very good. But… I understand, if he didn’t mention the verse, he still said like Moses written the commandment I wanted, why does he need it. Must go out, the prayer has meaning without it also. Very good. And it also appears from the language the Rambam brings, he brings that it’s in fact the entire Solomon, which says the halacha. But it appears that the Rambam understood that it’s not an obligation at all, because otherwise he would have to say it earlier than my business, and after him say that it’s with the fact not. It says a lot that the text, the main text of the Rambam is still like Moses written and tradition, there is a custom that one also says the text, and on the day to mention apparently goes on this custom. Even according to this custom, it’s an innovation, I already know what I said, even according to this custom, if one said and didn’t remember the verse, this is a good thing, people often don’t have a machzor Sukkot Chol HaMoed, one must remember exactly which day it is, and if someone doesn’t have, he can say “Moses received Torah from Sinai”.
The Text of Vidui of Yom Kippur
Speaker 1: Secrets of the world, and hidden mysteries of all living things. You search all chambers of the belly, and see kidneys and heart, and nothing is hidden from You, and nothing is concealed from before Your eyes.
You know everything. You know the secrets of the world, you know the hidden things of every living being. You search out all chambers of the belly — You see the kidneys and the heart. No thing is hidden from You, and no thing is concealed from Your eyes.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: Uvchen yehi ratzon milfanecha, Hashem Elokeinu vElokei avoteinu, shetimchal lanu al kol chatoteinu, vetechaper lanu al kol avonoteinu, vetislach lanu al kol pesha’einu.
This is the request: that You should forgive us for all our sins, atone for us for all our iniquities, and pardon us for all our transgressions.
“Al Chet” — Detailed Confession
Speaker 1: Now comes the “Al Chet”, which is a more detailed confession:
Ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha bishgagah, ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha bezadon.
For the sin that we have sinned before You unintentionally, and for the sin that we have sinned before You intentionally.
Ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha beseter, ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha begalu.
For the sin that we have sinned in secret, and for the sin that we have sinned openly.
Ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha be’ones, ve’al chet shechatanu lefanecha beratzon.
For the sin that we have sinned under duress, and for the sin that we have sinned willingly.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen aseh.
For the sins for which we are liable a positive commandment — a mitzvat aseh.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen lo ta’aseh shenitaq le’aseh.
For the sins for which we are liable a negative commandment that can be rectified through a positive commandment — a lo ta’aseh that can be corrected through a mitzvat aseh.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen lo ta’aseh.
For the sins for which we are liable a negative commandment.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen korban.
For the sins for which we are liable a sacrifice.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen malkot arba’im.
For the sins for which we are liable forty lashes.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen mitah bidei shamayim.
For the sins for which we are liable death at the hands of Heaven.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihen karet.
For the sins for which we are liable karet.
Ve’al chata’im she’anu chayavin aleihem arba mitot beit din — chenek veherag sereifah uskilah.
For the sins for which we are liable the four death penalties of the court — strangulation, beheading, burning, and stoning.
Speaker 2: This is a list of all types of punishments that one can be liable for.
Speaker 1: Yes. And after that comes another piece:
Al hagluyim lanu, ve’al she’einan geluyim lanu.
For those that are revealed to us, and for those that are not revealed to us.
Hagluyim lanu kvar amarnunum lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu, veshe’einan geluyim lanu chatanu al kulam.
Those that are revealed to us we have already said before You, Hashem our God. And those that are not revealed to us — we have sinned regarding them all.
Ve’atah yodei’a kol hanistarot, kakatuv “hanistarot laHashem Elokeinu vehaniglot lanu ulevaneinu ad olam la’asot et kol divrei haTorah hazot”.
And You know all hidden things, as it is written: “The hidden things belong to Hashem our God, but the revealed things are for us and our children forever, to do all the words of this Torah.”
Ki atah salchan leYisrael umachlan leshivtei Yeshurun, umibal’adecha ein lanu melech mochel vesolei’ach.
For You are the forgiver of Israel and pardoner of the tribes of Yeshurun, and besides You we have no king who forgives and pardons.
“Elokai, Ad Shelo Notzarti”
Speaker 1: After that comes a piece that is very well known:
Elokai, ad shelo notzarti eini kedai.
My God, before I was formed I was not worthy.
Ve’achshav shenotzarti ke’ilu lo notzarti.
And now that I have been formed, it is as if I was not formed.
Afar ani bechaiyai, kal vachomer bemitati.
I am dust in my life, how much more so in my death.
Harei ani lefanecha Hashem Elokai kichli malei vushah uchlimah.
Behold I am before You, Hashem my God, like a vessel full of shame and humiliation.
Yehi ratzon milfanecha shelo echeta.
May it be Your will that I not sin.
Umah shechatati merok berachamecha harabim, aval lo al yedei yisurin.
And what I have sinned, erase in Your great mercy, but not through suffering.
Yihyu leratzon imrei fi vego’.
May the words of my mouth be acceptable, etc.
The Place of Vidui — When and Where We Say the Confession
Speaker 1: Now the Rambam says when we say the confession:
Keseder hazeh mitvadeh be’arvit veshacharit umusaf uminchah, bein yachid bein shaliach tzibur.
In this order one confesses at Arvit, Shacharit, Musaf, and Mincha — whether an individual or a prayer leader.
VeHayachid omer vidui zeh achar tefilato, achar shegomar sim shalom, kodem sheyifsa shalosh pesi’ot.
And the individual says this confession after his prayer, after he finishes Sim Shalom, before he takes the three steps.
Speaker 2: That means by us we say it within the Shemoneh Esrei itself, not after the Shemoneh Esrei.
Speaker 1: Yes, by us the custom is different. The Rambam says that an individual says it after the Shemoneh Esrei, after Sim Shalom, before the three steps.
Ushliach tzibur omro be’emtza berachah emtzait, kodem sheyomar “Elokeinu vElokei avoteinu mechal la’avonoteinu vekhu’”.
And the prayer leader says it in the middle of the middle blessing, before he says “Elokeinu vElokei avoteinu mechal la’avonoteinu, etc.”
Mitvadeh vidui keseder hazeh ve’achar kach omer “mechal la’avonoteinu beyom tzom hakippurim vekhu’”.
He confesses the confession in this order, and after that says “mechal la’avonoteinu beyom tzom hakippurim, etc.”
Speaker 2: That means the prayer leader says it within the middle blessing itself, before “mechal la’avonoteinu”.
Speaker 1: Yes, exactly so.
The Text of Vidui for Neilah — A Special Text
Speaker 1: Now comes a special text for Neilah:
Bineilah mitvadeh keseder hazeh, omer:
At Neilah one confesses in this order, one says:
Mah nomar lefanecha yoshev marom, mah nesaper lefanecha shochen shchakim.
What shall we say before You, dweller on high? What shall we tell before You, dweller in the heavens?
Ki avonotenu rabu milmnot, vechatoteinu atzmu milsaper.
For our iniquities are too many to count, and our sins are too numerous to recount.
Yom Kippur Vidui — Order of Recitation and Neilah Text
Because our iniquities (avonot) are too many to count, and our sins (chata’im) are too strong to recount.
Speaker 2: This is a new tone. Earlier it said “halo hanistarot v’hanigalot atah yodei’a” — You know everything. Here it says “avonotenu rabu milminot” — we cannot even count how many there are.
Speaker 1: Yes, this is a stronger language. This is for Neilah, the last prayer of Yom Kippur.
Mah anu, mah chayeinu, mah chasdenu, mah tzidkenu, mah ma’aseinu.
What are we? What is our life? What is our kindness? What is our righteousness? What are our deeds?
Mah nomar lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu.
What shall we say before You, Hashem our God?
Halo kol hagiborim k’ayin lefanecha, v’anshei hashem k’lo hayu.
Behold, all the mighty are as nothing before You, and men of renown are as if they never were.
V’chachamim k’vli mada, u’nevonim k’vli hasechel.
And the wise are as without knowledge, and the understanding are as without intellect.
Ki kol ma’aseinu tohu v’yemei chayeinu hevel lefanecha, kakatuv b’divrei kodshecha “u’motar ha’adam min habehemah ayin ki hakol havel”.
Because all our deeds are emptiness and our days of life are vanity before You, as it is written in Your holy words: “u’motar ha’adam min habehemah ayin ki hakol havel.”
Speaker 2: This is very strong language. Man is no better than an animal, everything is vanity.
Speaker 1: Yes. But then comes the second side:
Aval atah hivdalta enosh merosh, vatakirehu la’amod lefanecha.
But You distinguished man from the beginning, and You recognized him to stand before You.
Ki mi yomar lecha mah ta’aseh, v’im yitzdak mah yiten lach.
For who can tell You what to do, and if he is righteous, what does he give You?
Vatiten lanu Hashem Elokeinu et Yom HaKippurim hazeh ketz u’mechilas l’chol chatoteinu.
And You gave us, Hashem our God, this Yom Kippur as an end and forgiveness for all our sins.
L’ma’an nechdal me’oshek yadeinu, v’nashuv la’asot chukei retzoncha b’levav shalem.
So that we may cease from the oppression of our hands, and we may return to do the statutes of Your will with a whole heart.
Kadavar shene’emar “dirshu Hashem b’himatzo, kra’uhu b’heyoto karov, ya’azov rasha darko v’ish avon machshevotav, v’yashuv el Hashem virachameihu, v’el Elokeinu ki yarbeh lislo’ach”.
As it is written: “dirshu Hashem b’himatzo, kra’uhu b’heyoto karov, ya’azov rasha darko v’ish avon machshevotav, v’yashuv el Hashem virachameihu, v’el Elokeinu ki yarbeh lislo’ach.”
V’atah Eloha selichot, tov u’meitiv, chanun v’rachum, erech apayim v’rav chesed, marbeh l’hashiv.
And You are the God of forgiveness, good and beneficent, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in kindness, abundant in returning.
Rotzeh bitshuvatan shel resha’im v’ein atah chafeitz b’mitatan, shene’emar “chai ani ne’um Hashem Elokim im echpotz b’mot harasha, ki im b’shuv rasha midarko v’chayah, shuvu shuvu midarcheichem hara’im v’lamah tamutu beit Yisrael”.
You desire the repentance (teshuva) of the wicked and You do not desire their death, as it is written: “chai ani ne’um Hashem Elokim im echpotz b’mot harasha, ki im b’shuv rasha midarko v’chayah, shuvu shuvu midarcheichem hara’im v’lamah tamutu beit Yisrael.”
Hashiveinu v’kablenu u’mechol lanu u’selach k’godel chasdecha.
Turn us and accept us, and pardon us and forgive us according to Your great kindness.
Yihyu l’ratzon imrei fi v’gomer.
May the words of my mouth be acceptable, etc.
Speaker 2: This is a beautiful text for Neilah. It’s more a tone of supplication and pleading than the other confessions.
Speaker 1: Yes. This is the last prayer of Yom Kippur, and it’s said with a stronger feeling.
Speaker 2: And this is the end of the laws of prayer and the text of blessings for Yom Kippur?
Speaker 1: Yes, this is the end of the texts for Yom Kippur. The Rambam gave us the entire text of Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and Neilah, with the confessions that are said at each prayer.
“Yodei’a razei olam v’chofeish kol chadrei vaten” – Introduction to the Vidui
Speaker 1:
Because the Almighty is chofeish kol chadrei vaten, He can search inside the belly, and He sees what happens in the heart and in the kidneys, in the kidneys that are counselors. Ein kol davar ne’elam mimcha, no thing is hidden, v’ein nistar mineged einecha.
Yes, this means that this is an introduction: You know all my sins, and I’m now going to enumerate some of them. Yes?
Speaker 2:
I would have thought that perhaps this means to say, the Almighty knows the intention. What this is razei olam, means not only what happens in the innermost chambers. There are things that a person does, he doesn’t know what he really meant. The Almighty knows whether you meant it for good or for bad. This is the main thing, yodei’a ta’alumot.
Speaker 1:
Aha, interesting. This means, there are things that a person says “al chet” about, and in truth, You know the calculations, it could be that the Almighty looks at it as if this was actually a mitzvah. And He will take from his sins and put it among his mitzvot.
Yes, there is such a concept, that even I don’t always know my exact situation, You know better than we do.
Speaker 2:
Aha, there are many things that even another person cannot know. A person does something, it’s according to… whether he meant it lishmah or he meant it for himself. The Almighty knows. Perhaps a person doesn’t always know. The Almighty knows. Yes.
“Yehi ratzon v’rachamim milfanecha”
Speaker 1:
Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu v’Elokei avoteinu, shetimchol lanu et kol chatoteinu, v’techaper lanu et kol avonoteinu, v’tislach l’chol pesha’einu. Yehi ratzon v’rachamim.
Yes, he says here only “yehi ratzon,” yes.
Speaker 2:
Yes, but it seems that it’s an addition to the forgiveness of sins. Earlier he also when in the text of Shemoneh Esrei of… of… when we ask for forgiveness of sins, did “rachamim” appear? I don’t remember.
Speaker 1:
The Rambam says “melech rachaman v’salchan,” he has something like that. But no, “yehi ratzon.” We always use “yehi ratzon milfanecha.” This is the first time I’ve heard in my life a text “yehi ratzon v’rachamim milfanecha.”
The Rambam’s “Al Chet” – Categories Instead of Specific Sins
Speaker 1:
Here the Rambam has a much shorter al chet than our list, much shorter than the Yom Kippur machzor. I don’t have the strength to say the long al chet, I say the Rambam’s text.
In the Rambam’s text there aren’t specific sins, there are only categories of sins.
Speaker 2:
Look, we say this at the end. We have in our al chet there is, we say how long does it go? There are two alef-bets, yes? We say double alef-bets, by the ways, and on each one we say a whole al chet. And afterwards we say this version of it. This is the end of the al chet. This is the end, right?
Speaker 1:
When it’s at the end, yes. He says like this, al chet is not specific sins, these are types of sins.
“Al chet shechatanu lefanecha b’shogeg, v’al chet shechatanu lefanecha b’zadon, b’ones, u’v’ratzon”. Ones is when it wasn’t done willingly, but ratzon is everything davar v’hipucho.
Then the categories of how serious the things are. “V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem aseh”, it’s an interesting language, “chayavim aleihem b’aseh.” There is an obligation, the Almighty gave the obligation in the form of a positive commandment. It’s an interesting word “al chata’im chayavim.” Chayavim is usually an obligation of a fine or a sacrifice. The obligation is in the category of aseh.
“V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem lo ta’aseh”, which is actually a lo ta’aseh, but it’s less serious because it’s nitak l’aseh, it can be fixed, like “lo tigzol” is a theft, “v’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem lo ta’aseh”.
“V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem korban”, when it’s done b’shogeg generally.
“V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem malkot arba’im” on the prohibitions.
“V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem mitah b’yedei shamayim”, certain prohibitions.
“V’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem karet”.
And then the most serious, “v’al chata’im she’anu chayavim aleihem arba mitot beit din, chenek v’hereg sreifah u’sekilah”.
Speaker 2:
The Rambam goes min hakal el hachaved, I mean we say the opposite way, because hageluyim lanu what is “v’hageluyim lanu”? It said earlier “b’seter,” did he mean b’seter that only I know. Here “geluyim lanu” that not even I know.
Discussion: What Does “V’hageluyim Lanu” Mean?
Speaker 1:
What is “v’hageluyim lanu” that not even I know? It’s shegagah gemurah, but still one needs atonement for it.
Speaker 2:
Ah, ah, apparently you’re right. “Geluyim lanu” like “lo hoda.” I myself don’t know that I sinned, or I don’t understand the seriousness of the matter, or I didn’t grasp what I’m doing.
No, not understanding the seriousness of the matter, the thing is more like b’shegagah that we calculated earlier. “V’hageluyim lanu” means I still don’t know now.
Speaker 1:
But how is it relevant? If someone ate treif and he was never aware of it, yes, it’s “lo hoda,” it’s “geluyim lanu,” it shouldn’t have a bad influence on him. Is there actually forgiveness yes?
Speaker 2:
If he found out he needs to bring a sacrifice, true?
Discussion: What Does “Kevar Amarnu Lefanecha” Mean?
Speaker 1:
“V’hageluyim lanu kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu”. It’s interesting, because the revealed ones are in one of the categories is that enough? Or “kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu” means that the person actually says it? Because we have a question here, because we’re talking about a person who does the law and he has already done the vidui.
Speaker 2:
“Kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu” means by saying here all the sins that are in one of the categories? Or does it mean to say that there’s no need to add the sins that he remembers?
Speaker 1:
He’s explaining to him, “v’hageluyim lanu kevar amarnu lefanecha,” because we’re talking here about a person who does the vidui al chet properly, he says it out. But the Rambam doesn’t say.
Speaker 2:
It can mean, it means one of the categories, or from the categories of Moshe Rabbeinu. We can’t know, perhaps in the heavenly court perhaps the Almighty has another type of punishment that we don’t know, not a sacrifice, not lashes, but some fifth thing.
Speaker 1:
No, it can also mean simply, “v’hageluyim lanu kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu,” it doesn’t have to mean even that he said the specific thing, but for example a person thinks about his day, and he knows his four sins that he most often stumbles in, and he counts himself in at one of the categories, he thought, ah, this is actually an aseh or a lo ta’aseh that I transgressed. So “v’hageluyim lanu” are the things that he doesn’t have on his head. It’s already not with saying. “Kevar amarnu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu” means I’ve already placed them on one of the sins. They’re on my mind.
“Hanistarot LaHashem Elokeinu V’hanigalot Lanu U’l’vaneinu”
Speaker 1:
Atah yodei’a kol hanistarot, kakatuv hanistarot LaHashem Elokeinu v’hanigalot lanu u’l’vaneinu ad olam la’asot et kol divrei haTorah hazot. Ki atah solchan l’Yisrael u’machlan l’shivtei Yeshurun, u’vil’adecha ein lanu melech mochel v’sole’ach.
Yes, so the verse that he brings is apparently a proof for what he said. Hanistarot LaHashem Elokeinu, what You know You know, but hanigalot, it says in the commentaries, there one must conduct oneself as the commentators on that verse, yes, a person is obligated for what he knows, he also feels responsible for that, but what he doesn’t know is hanistarot LaHashem Elokeinu.
Apparently the ki atah solchan is, because we’ll see, the prayer says this is for the blessing Baruch atah, this is basically like an introduction for the Baruch atah Hashem melech mochel v’sole’ach. There they put it in, so for… well, we don’t want to end the video in the middle of the al chet, so before we go to the end of the video, we end with a siyum b’davar tov like this, that we’ve taken out about the forgiving.
“Elokai Ad Shelo Notzarti Eini K’dai” – The Last Prayer
Speaker 1:
And the last prayer is actually a different taste there, Rabbi Chiya, I don’t remember, Elokai, achshav shelo notzarti eini k’dai. What does that mean? I don’t understand. Achshav shenotzarti k’ilu lo notzarti? If you want to translate these things, what is the plain meaning of the words?
Speaker 2:
Perhaps it’s actually a joke. Afar ani b’chayi, kal v’chomer b’miti. I would have been like a piece of dust, when I die I’m certainly already fallen a piece of dust. Hareini lefanecha Hashem Elokai k’chli malei bushah u’chlimah. I’m a vessel that contains within it what? A bunch of shame, two hundred pounds of shame and humiliation. Yehi ratzon milfanecha shelo echeta, u’mah shechatati merok, wipe out, or be merarek, b’rachamecha harabim, aval lo al yedei yisurim which usually cleanses, but through Your abundant mercy.
Discussion: Plain Meaning of “Ad Shelo Notzarti”
Speaker 1:
What does lo notzarti mean, achshav shelo notzarti k’ilu lo notzarti?
Speaker 2:
I would have thought such a plain meaning that it’s like tov lo l’adam shelo nivra mishenivra, v’achshav shenivra yefashpeish, as if basically it’s not I’m such, I look around at myself, I don’t see that I’m some kind of creation that if I were the Almighty before He created me He would have said, yes, I need this.
You know the joke, when you were born, your birthday, the Almighty said we need you? The Rav or someone said, I think, they ask me, they don’t need me. I’m already yes here, I still don’t see that they need me.
Speaker 1:
Someone asked about that word about the birthday, why when someone dies don’t we write the same language. The day a person dies is the day the Almighty decided that the world doesn’t need you. Bye.
Speaker 2:
It’s very cruel, yes. He says, “even the wicked during their lives all live in their death.”
Speaker 1:
Someone k’dai doesn’t mean from me, but from the creation. The someone k’dai has somewhere where it shines on the creation like. We don’t mean here someone k’dai is this individual here, how I’ve struggled.
The Prayer is Human Lowliness, Not Human Greatness
Speaker 2:
“V’im lo notzarti, k’ilu lo notzarti”. It’s amazing that he means that. I don’t see that it’s a… the prayer is not human greatness, it’s more human lowliness than the greatness of the Creator. How long I’ve been a sinner. And about this he ends “u’shelo echeta.” He’s breaking out here the pain of a sinner, he’s breaking out here his anguish that he’s caught in sin, and he asks “shelo echeta.”
The Most Broken Vidui – “Shelo Echeta”
Speaker 1:
This is the most lost vidui of all viduis, yes? The previous ones said, “this I know, this I don’t know.” He doesn’t even try, he asks the Almighty, “You help me shelo echeta.” Yes, yes, yes. This is very… This is the most broken. This is a person who is despairing. “I’m not even going to enumerate my sins, I won’t stop anyway. I’m asking the Almighty He should help shelo echeta.” He’s asking for a miracle like.
Innovation: The Only Place Where We Say “V’eini Chozer L’davar Zeh”
Speaker 2:
This is very interesting, because people ask many times, that the Rambam says in Hilchot Teshuva that the main vidui is to say, “chatati aviti pashati, v’eini chozer l’davar zeh.” And in all the texts of vidui it never says “v’eini chozer l’davar zeh.” It always says the regret, but it doesn’t say what we’re going to do further.
The only place in the entire siddur where there’s some hint that we’re going to stop sinning, is where we say, “so it comes to me, I’m a piece of sand. Master of the Universe, help that I shouldn’t sin further.” It’s very true, it’s very real.
Speaker 1:
There is the usual prayer of “kadsheinu b’mitzvotecha… shelo nevosh v’lo nikalem,” yes, but not as the end of the vidui as the Rambam would have wanted to see it.
Speaker 2:
True.
“Aval Lo Al Yedei Yisurim” – A Response to “V’atah Tzadik”
Speaker 1:
This is also very beautiful. This means, this is also like a response to the “v’atah tzadik al kol haba aleinu.” Yes, “v’atah tzadik” says, “what happened to me, the Almighty was just.” And the righteous one says, “I understand that You would have been just, but I ask You, do me a favor, find another way how to atone for my sins and fix me the suffering. You are omnipotent, You can find another way, true?”
Speaker 2:
Yes, he calls out, “the person is already standing now in suffering, yes? The words are full of suffering. So I want it should have been enough with the suffering.”
Speaker 1:
It’s existentialist, he says, “Look what a person is.”
Yom Kippur Vidui — Order of Recitation and Neilah Text
Response to “V’atah Tzadakta Al Kol Haba Aleinu”
Speaker 1:
And it’s also very beautiful, this means, this is also a response to the “v’atah tzadakta al kol haba aleinu”. When the “v’atah tzadakta” says “what happened to me, the Almighty was just,” and the second one says “I agree that it would have been just, but I ask You, do me a favor, find another way how to atone for my sins and turn me in suffering. You are omnipotent, You can find another way,” true?
Yes, he’s speaking of a person who is already standing now in suffering, yes, the world is full of suffering. It’s been enough with the suffering. He’s an existentialist, he says, “Look, what is a person?” I mean the “u’netaneh tokef” also says such similar words, yes, “adam yesodo me’afar.”
Digression: The Apostate’s Joke
Yes, there was a Jew in Russia, I don’t remember exactly the name of the duke, he converted, he became an apostate, became a Christian, but he still loved himself, he used to help the Jews with danger, he had some position, he would say that not all blood libels are true, and so on. So, once he sent a letter to one of the gedolei Yisrael, I think Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan, he says, “Ad shelo notzarti eini kedai, as long as I wasn’t yet a Christian no one spoke with me. V’achar shenotzarti ke’ilu lo notzarti, I help the Jews.”
Speaker 2:
No, I mean he, Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan wrote him a letter, and he told him he should write something, and he wrote him “ki lechach notzarta.”
Speaker 1:
Ah, ah. “Ki lechach notzarta,” not for this did you become Christian so that you could help Jews? He answered him back, “Ad shelo notzarti eini kedai, v’achar shenotzarti ke’ilu lo notzarti.” Yes, good. Forget to accept the duke.
The Order of Reciting the Vidui – Law 24
Okay, now we’re going to learn when one says the vidui. Yes?
Yes, “Keseder hazeh mitvadin,” the vidui that we just learned is said at Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, and Mincha. All five prayers of Yom Kippur.
Speaker 2:
Four, four, we’re not yet talking about Ne’ilah.
Speaker 1:
“Bein yachid bein shaliach tzibbur. Bein yachid omer vidui zeh achar tefilato, achar shegomar ‘Sim Shalom’ kodem sheyifsa shalosh pesi’ot.” The individual says it at the end, after “Sim Shalom,” before stepping back. “V’shaliach tzibbur,” when does he say it? It’s said in the middle of the middle blessing, “kodem she’yomar Elokeinu v’Elokei avoteinu mechol la’avonoteinu.” Before the end of the middle blessing they inserted the order of the vidui. The vidui should be said “v’acharei chen yomar mechol la’avonoteinu b’yom tzom hakippurim hazeh.” He doesn’t say why.
Discussion: Why is there a difference between the individual and the prayer leader?
Speaker 2:
No, I never understand why.
Speaker 1:
It goes apparently with the same logic as we saw for example by a fast, that a shaliach tzibbur inserts it into the main Shemoneh Esrei, he makes an extra blessing, an individual inserts it into Shema Koleinu. But one must understand, because even an individual may say within the blessing me’ein habracha. There’s certainly a concept of kedushat hayom of Yom Kippur to say vidui. But perhaps not, perhaps the point is, an individual wants to insert here his personal matters, it’s not fitting to insert it in the middle. The shaliach tzibbur doesn’t say any details, he’s only going to say the nusach.
There are those who say that it was inserted by the shaliach tzibbur earlier so that the Jew who cannot say vidui himself won’t have to wait until the end. It’s a practical matter, that because the shaliach tzibbur, this is the way when the individuals are accustomed to say vidui with the baal tefillah, they made it earlier.
Speaker 2:
I would have thought that apparently the logic is more like this, that the baal tefillah says, before he says in general, he doesn’t say…the prayer doesn’t have any place where to say after “Elokeinu v’Elokei avoteinu,” he says Kedushah, I mean, whatever, he goes further. There isn’t such a thing. The vidui of an individual is made that he should pour out his heart, say his supplications, this is the time of supplications.
Speaker 1:
No, what you’re saying makes strong sense, because here it fits in very well, because the blessing is me’ein mechilah u’selichah. Mechilah u’selichah comes in for what? For all the sins. But an individual, if you’re now going to suddenly pour out your entire order of the day, say that after Shemoneh Esrei. That’s what you’re saying.
That’s what I would have thought. We conduct ourselves that we say with the shaliach tzibbur, yes, when he says vidui. But that’s already another custom.
The Nusach of Vidui at Ne’ilah – Law 25
Yes. Okay, now at Ne’ilah, there is an extra nusach. At Ne’ilah there’s such an order, at Ne’ilah one says this sort of vidui, one says “Mah nomar lefanecha yoshev marom,” it’s the same reason as well, that one says that You know what to say, because You know everything. Not You know everything, rather it’s simply hard to express. “Mah nomar lefanecha yoshev marom u’mah nesaper lefanecha shochen shchakim.” It’s hard to express our sins, “ki avonotenu rabu milmenot,” they are too many to count, “v’chatoteinu atzmu mispar.”
“Mah anu, mah chayeinu,” what is a person? That’s what this piece brings out. What is our life? What are our good deeds, our kindness, our charity? We are nothing. “Mah anu lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu”? What can we say to You? “Halo kol hagiborim,” even the mighty among us are “ke’ayin lefanecha,” “v’anshei hashem,” all people who are famous among people as anshei hashem, wise men, understanding men, mighty men, are nothing “lefanecha,” before the Almighty, “ki kol yameinu tohu u’ma’aseinu hevel lefanecha.” As it says in the verse, “ein motar ha’adam min habehemah ein, ki hakol hevel.”
The “Aval” of Ne’ilah – “Atah hivdalta enosh merosh”
This is very similar to the “Hakol hevel” that he tells us earlier. But here comes another “aval,” there comes the “aval” of “anachnu,” here comes another “aval.” “Aval” it’s however not entirely so, “aval” there’s however still an “aval.” “Atah hivdalta enosh merosh,” the Almighty did however separate “enosh.” The generation of Enosh? Or does it mean Adam? Enosh is the person? The human species. Well, simply, he’s called enosh, not Adam. Enosh is there the grandson of Adam.
Speaker 2:
“Vatakirehu,” enosh can mean, one doesn’t say enosh any… Yes, one says for example “atah chonen le’adam da’at u’melamed le’enosh binah,” it means a person, the person.
Speaker 1:
“Atah hivdalta enosh merosh vatakirehu,” You recognized him. That means, the Almighty introduced Himself so to speak to Adam, the Almighty became acquainted with him. He gave him a power “la’amod lefanecha.” The Almighty gave Adam a power that he should be able to stand before his Creator, yes? “Mi yomar lecha mah ta’aseh,” who can tell the Almighty what to do? However, even when a person is a tzaddik and he does charity, one tells him what to give.
Connection to Tehillim Chapter 8
This looks very similar to Tehillim chapter 8, yes, “mah enosh ki tizkerenu… Hashem Adoneinu,” the Almighty, we don’t understand, we wouldn’t have asked, we wouldn’t have understood what the person is so special. But the Almighty is better than us, one cannot tell the Almighty what to do. He decided so, so it’s interesting.
Innovation: Almost a Tzidduk HaDin on Man’s Greatness – and from this comes forgiveness
I take it on. It’s almost a tzidduk hadin on the fact that He makes a person so great. But with this also comes the forgiveness. Therefore, when one contemplates, it’s not simple that the Almighty needs very important people, because one understands that people are so important, therefore if people sin it’s terrible. Come here, with Sodom begins the whole story. The Almighty decided, yes, He needs people. Seriously, You now have a problem that they did something wrong? He did that. Therefore, You must forgive him. It’s so.
Speaker 2:
Yes, but no, I see it a drop differently, like that here is a great contradiction. We see people for their foolishness and lowliness, and here the Almighty wants that the small person should be “la’amod lefanecha.” It must be, the language of teshuvah is indeed a foolish fool, but that’s what he was yesterday. Today, now suddenly he became the “emesh hayah,” and now he suddenly became the person who can be “la’amod lefanecha.” Therefore, it means that one had to give Yom Kippur, which is “keitz lechol chala’einu,” that the lowly person should be able to be “la’amod lefanecha.” In order that, the Almighty gave us this day that there should be an end.
Discussion: What does “keitz” mean – deadline or end of sins?
Speaker 1:
Yes. Keitz means the end of sins, right? It fits very well with the Rambam’s that the first thing is to stop the sins. “Keitz avonotenu u’mechilah.” I always thought, the Rambam brings the language in Hilchot Teshuvah, the language that Yom Kippur is “keitz u’mechilah.” I thought that keitz means a deadline. A whole year one can sin, and at some point comes the teshuvah, and one must forgive.
Speaker 2:
Ah, ah. You mean to say that the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah are the days of teshuvah, and now is the end. Okay.
Speaker 1:
But it can mean “keitz lechata’einu,” like the end. Also forgiveness. There is from the person’s side an end, and from the Almighty’s side a forgiveness. I thought that one translates it “keitz u’mechilah.” You say that one translates “keitz” which is a forgiveness for all our sins. You can say it both ways. But the Rambam there brings “keitz u’mechilah u’selichah.” He doesn’t say keitz lechata’enu, it would have been implied separately, therefore what you think so. It fits very well with the next verse, “lema’an nechdal me’oshek yadeinu,” our hands should stop stealing, “v’nashuv elecha b’lev shalem,” very good, that forgiveness is a part of the end of the sins and the beginning of doing the laws of righteousness. And the two words bring out the Rambam’s entire teshuvah.
Continuation of Ne’ilah Nusach: “Dirshu Hashem b’himatzeo”
“Kachkatuv ‘dirshu Hashem b’himatzeo,’” seek the Almighty when He is found, “kera’uhu biheyoto karov,” which he means apparently to hint at the fact that these days are the days when He is biheyoto karov, when the Almighty easily forgives and the Almighty accepts prayers. “Ya’azov rasha darko v’ish avon machshevotav v’yashuv el Hashem virachameihu v’el Elokeinu ki yarbeh lislo’ach.”
Now is a good time when the Almighty is found and close, it’s a good time that everyone should stop with his sins and one can now become again a tzaddik because the Almighty forgives. “V’atah Elokeinu selichot tov u’meitiv chanun v’rachum erech apayim v’rav chesed,” the Almighty who is erech apayim He holds in His anger at the wicked, “v’rav chesed marbeh lehashiv,” when He accepts people in teshuvah or He returns people in teshuvah, “rotzeh bitshuvatan shel resha’im v’ein atah chafeitz bemitatam.”
Shene’emar, the verse as one sees that the Almighty doesn’t seek that the wicked should die, rather He gives the wicked a chance to do teshuvah, as it says “chai ani ne’um Hashem Elokim,” the Almighty swears, “im echpotz b’mot harasha,” do I want the wicked to die, “ki im b’shuvo midarko v’chayah,” what I want is only that he should do teshuvah and live. “Shuvu shuvu midarcheichem hara’im v’lamah tamutu beit Yisrael,” return and don’t die, why should you die, it’s a shame.
And one concludes with “Hashiveinu” You should return us in teshuvah, “v’kablenu” You should accept us in teshuvah, “mechol lanu u’selach k’godel chasdecha,” and one continues to “Yihyu leratzon imrei fi” of the end of Shemoneh Esrei. This apparently he means by the individual, the shaliach tzibbur goes to “mechol la’avonoteinu,” until here is the prayer of Yom Kippur, very good, the Almighty forgave all sins and already, this is the end.
Innovation: Connection to the Creation of Man and Rosh Hashanah
I had some innovation to say about this, I don’t remember anymore what it was, ah, I’ll say like this, it occurred to me, why is there a law of Rosh Hashanah? One learned that it is a remembrance of the first day. Because then He created Adam, and the Almighty promised, as the verse says, that just as He forgave Adam who sinned on that day, He will forgive the Jews every year.
It could be that the view that speaks so much about “atah hivdalta enosh merosh” here at Yom Kippur, also has to do with this, which in Chassidut is explained, which is a continuation to the creation of Adam, then the Almighty was so to speak cooling down Adam, and in the picture of this view is that there must come a Yom Kippur, because not, even Adam HaRishon you see, what is the greatest proof that Adam is Adam?
Rosh Hashanah as Remembrance of the First Day – Creation of Adam HaRishon
One learned that it is a remembrance of the first day, because then one created Adam, and the Almighty promised, as He forgave Adam who sinned on that day, He will forgive the Jews every year.
Shovavim Fasts and the Sin of Adam HaRishon
It could be a view that speaks so much about the 54 fasts in Shovavim, that it also has to do with this, the secret of the sin of Adam HaRishon, it’s a continuation to the creation of Adam, then the Almighty was so to speak recognizing Adam.
And in this is built a view that there must come a Yom Kippur, because not, even Adam HaRishon you see, what is the greatest proof that a person needs teshuvah? Because the first person also sinned.
The Influence of Learning Rambam in the Nusach of Yom Kippur
I’m certain that when one learns Rambam in the nusach of Yom Kippur, comes down some influence, it should be for everyone kaparah, mechilah, mechilah u’selichah v’kaparah, a good blessed year.
Atzeret as the Beginning of the Year
Yes, and also the Gemara says that Atzeret is a bit of Rosh Hashanah, Atzeret is, it’s a beginning of the year for kelipah, yes. Nice.