Selichot 2022
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Share(ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יהוה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יהוה ׀ יהוה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃(ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה...
(6) יהוה passed before him and proclaimed: “יהוה ! יהוה ! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,(7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin...
The 13 Attributes of Mercy:
1. The Lord! (Adonai)–God is merciful before a person sins! Even though aware that future evil lies dormant within him.
2. The Lord! (Adonai)–God is merciful after the sinner has gone astray.
3. God (El)–a name that denotes power as ruler over nature and humankind, indicating that God’s mercy sometimes surpasses even the degree indicated by this name.
4. Compassionate (rahum)–God is filled with loving sympathy for human frailty does not put people into situations of extreme temptation, and eases the punishment of the guilty.
5. Gracious (v’hanun)–God shows mercy even to those who do not deserve it consoling the afflicted and raising up the oppressed.
6. Slow to anger (ereh apayim)–God gives the sinner ample time to reflect, improve, and repent.
7. Abundant in Kindness (v’rav hesed)–God is kind toward those who lack personal merits, providing more gifts and blessings than they deserve; if one’s personal behavior is evenly balanced between virtue and sin, God tips the scales of justice toward the good.
8. Truth (v’emet)–God never reneges on His word to reward those who serve Him.
9. Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations (notzeir hesed la-alafim)–God remembers the deeds of the righteous for thebenefit of their less virtuous generations of offspring (thus we constantly invoke the merit of the Patriarchs).
10. Forgiver of iniquity (nosei avon)–God forgives intentional sin resulting from an evil disposition, as long as the sinner repents.
11. Forgiver of willful sin (pesha)–God allows even those who commit a sin with the malicious intent of rebelling against and angering Him the opportunity to repent.
12. Forgiver of error (v’hata’ah)–God forgives a sin committed out of carelessness, thoughtlessness, or apathy.
13. Who cleanses (v’nakeh)–God is merciful, gracious, and forgiving, wiping away the sins of those who truly repent; however, if one does not repent, God does not cleanse.
(The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions)
Which attribute surprises us?
Which attribute do we particularly resonate with this High Holy Day season?
Which attribute do we hate?
Which attribute do we need right now?
(א) אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל ׀ נְאֻם־יהוה אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃ וְנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתָּ֙ חַי־יהוה בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֛וֹ גּוֹיִ֖ם וּב֥וֹ יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃ {ס} כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יהוה לְאִ֤ישׁ יְהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְאַֽל־תִּזְרְע֖וּ אֶל־קֹצִֽים׃הִמֹּ֣לוּ לַיהוה וְהָסִ֙רוּ֙ עׇרְל֣וֹת לְבַבְכֶ֔ם אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם
(1) If you return, O Israel —declares the LORD— If you return to Me,
If you remove your abominations from My presence and do not waver, And swear, “As the LORD lives,” In sincerity, justice, and righteousness—nations shall bless themselves by you. And praise themselves by you, For thus said the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up the untilled ground, and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise your hearts to the LORD, Remove the thickening about your hearts O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
What is the 'thickening about your heart'?
Is this notion of returning, of tshuva, an aspect of mercy? Does it fit into one of the above categories?
הָאוֹמֵר, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. אֶת זוֹ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יהוה תִּטְהָרוּ (ויקרא טז), עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
With regard to one who says: I will sin and then I will repent, I will sin and I will repent, Heaven does not provide him the opportunity to repent, and he will remain a sinner all his days. With regard to one who says: I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone for my sins, Yom Kippur does not atone for his sins. Furthermore, for transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases the other person. Similarly, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya taught that point from the verse: “From all your sins you shall be cleansed before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30). For transgressions between a person and God, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases the other person.
אֵי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. לֹא מִיִּרְאָה וְלֹא מִכִּשְׁלוֹן כֹּחַ.
What is complete teshuvah? One who once more had in it in their power to repeat a violation, but separated themselves therefrom, and did not do it [the violation] because of teshuvah, not out of fear or lack of strength.
How do we interpret this statement from Maimonides?
What does tshuva, returning, mean to us?
What are we taking into this period of reflection? Are we focusing on God, or ourselves? How can we find a balance between the two that is right for us?
