The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash

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by Rav David Silverberg

Twice in the Rambam’s Hilkhot Teshuva he discusses the unique status of the Aseret Yemei Teshuva (“Ten Days of Repentance” – the period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur) with respect to repentance. First, in the second chapter (halakha 6), the Rambam establishes the special power of teshuva during this period. He writes, “Although teshuva and pleading are always effective, during the ten days from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur they are especially potent and are immediately accepted.” The source for this concept, the Rambam adds, is a verse in Sefer Yeshayahu (55:6): “Search for the Lord when He is present.” According to Chazal, this refers to the period of the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, when God is “present” – He draws nearer to us, to accept our teshuva and prayers.

One chapter later (3:3-4), the Rambam once again makes reference to this period, focusing on the critical importance of these days with respect to divine judgment. The Rambam here discusses the judgment that takes place on Rosh Hashanah and continues – at least for the beinonim (those with equal merits and sins) – until Yom Kippur. Since our fate is determined on Yom Kippur, the Rambam writes, the custom developed to increase our performance of mitzvot and kindness during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva and to arise early for special prayers. He notes in this context that the shofar sounded on Rosh Hashanah is meant to serve as a “wake-up call” to arouse us all to teshuva, so as to avoid harsh judgment on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Why does the Rambam speak of the uniqueness of the Aseret Yemei Teshuva in two different chapters and in two different contexts? Why does he not combine these two discussions into a single section on the topic of the Ten Days of Repentance?

The answer, as developed by Rav Yair Kahn in a VBM shiur on this topic (available in the VBM archives, at http://vbm-torah.org/roshandyk/10days.htm), involves the different types of teshuva the Rambam addresses in these two chapters. Rav Soloveitchik zt”l claimed that just as there is a mitzva to perform teshuva for specific sins, so is there a more general requirement of teshuva, to change directions and improve the overall quality of one’s religious life. The second chapter of Hilkhot Teshuva, where the Rambam speaks of the unique potency of teshuva during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, begins by defining “teshuva gemura” – complete teshuva. The Rambam establishes that one achieves complete teshuva when he finds himself in the same situation in which he committed his sin and now exercises self-control and refrains from the forbidden act. In this context, he speaks of the special power of the Ten Days of Repentance. This chapter, Rav Kahn explained, deals with the first and more familiar category of teshuva – repentance for a specific transgression. It addresses the person who struggles with himself to overcome a particular tendency to commit a particular misdeed. The period of Aseret Yemei Teshuva is uniquely suited for this process, as the Almighty draws near and invites us to return and repent.

In the third chapter, by contrast, the Rambam discusses God’s overall assessment of the human being and of the world at large. This chapter deals not with the sinner who acknowledges his sin and seeks atonement, but rather with the one who needs the “wake-up call” of the shofar, the person who slumbers in his complacent delusions of piety. The shofar of Rosh Hashanah beckons us to conduct a thorough process of introspection, it warns of the judgment we must face and of the deficiencies for which we will be held accountable.

It turns out, then, that this period of Aseret Yemei Teshuva serves a dual function. Firstly, it assists those who seek to repent for particular sins of which they are aware. But in addition, it is meant to shatter our complacency and urge us to find ways to improve our overall spiritual condition, preparing us for the final phase of judgment on Yom Kippur.

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According to the Rambam (beginning of Hilkhot Teshuva), the Torah obligation of teshuva – “repentance” for a sin – entails specifically “viduy” – verbal confession. What exactly must one declare to fulfill this obligation? The Gemara in Masekhet Yoma (87b) establishes that the basic formula of viduy consists of three words: “Aval anachnu chatanu,” which for the moment we will translate as, “However, we have sinned.” This text is codified by the Rambam in Hilkhot Teshuva (2:8) as well as by the Rama, in his glosses to the Shulchan Arukh (O.C. 607:3).

The question, of course, arises as to the meaning behind the first of these three words – “aval.” How can we begin a declaration with the word “however,” or “rather”? In fact, in the text that we use nowadays in the viduy service, we incorporate these three words as part of an entire paragraph, in which we declare, “Please, may our prayers come before You… for we are not brazen and stiff-necked to say before You… ‘We are righteous and have not sinned.’ Rather, we have sinned.” In this text, we specifically mention that we do not consider ourselves righteous and free of sin, but we rather acknowledge the fact that we have sinned. But the Gemara implies that strictly speaking, the mere declaration of “aval anachnu chatanu” suffices. What would the word “aval” mean at the very beginning of the viduy proclamation? Indeed, due to this problem, the commentary to the “Avodat Yisrael” siddur claims that earlier portion of the viduy proclamation that we say has very early roots and is included in the crux of viduy.

In truth, however, as Rav Yitzchak Mirsky points out in his “Hegyonei Halakha” (p. 172), we find already in the Torah a number of statements beginning with the word “aval.” In fact, one such verse very closely parallels our context, the viduy declaration. When Yosef’s brothers come to Egypt to purchase grain, and the viceroy – who, unbeknownst to them, was actually Yosef – wrongly accuses them of having come to spy the land, they recognize that the current crisis serves as punishment for their mistreatment of Yosef. They exclaim, “Aval asheimim anachnu al achinu” – “Indeed, we are guilty on account of our brother” (Bereishit 42:21). Both Rashi and Targum Onkelos interpret the word “aval” to mean “truthfully,” or “indeed.” It expresses firm and resolute belief in what is about to be said. Accordingly, the word “aval” at the beginning of the three-word formula of viduy serves to reaffirm our awareness of guilt. It means that we acknowledge wholeheartedly, without any hesitation or doubts, that we are guilty before God. We come before Him without any excuses, but rather with full recognition of the fact that we have transgressed and could and should have acted differently.

A different approach perhaps arises from Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch’s commentary to that verse in Bereishit. Rav Hirsch writes, “ ‘Aval’ always opposes a previous supposition, darkens what previously had seemed clear and definite. [Rav Hirsch here seeks to establish an etymological relationship between ‘aval’ and the word ‘afel’ – darkness.] As the brothers say ‘aval’ here, previously up till now they must not have considered themselves guilty.” According to Rav Hirsch, we need not resort to an alternate translation of the word “aval.” In this verse, too, “aval” means “but” or “however.” When used at the beginning of a statement, “aval” signifies a change of heart, a new revelation that dispels previous assumptions and fundamentally changes one’s perspective. The brothers here declare that everything they had thought until now concerning their treatment of Yosef was in error. This is the connotation of “aval.”

This understanding of the word “aval” can very easily be applied to the text of viduy, as well. The mitzva of viduy requires that we divest ourselves of our deluof innocence, that we change our outlook on ourselves and our behavior. We are to see things differently than we had previously seen them. We are not as innocent and guiltless as we have perhaps thought until now. “Rather, we have sinned.” Like Yosef’s brothers in Egypt, we are to allow the uneasy feeling of shame and guilt to take the place of the comfortable feeling of confidence and assurance that we have likely felt until this point.

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The Gemara comments in Masekhet Horiyot (12a), “A person who wants to know whether or not he will last the year should light a candle during the ten days in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in a house where no wind blows. If the light endures, we know that he will last the year.”

At first glance, the Gemara here appears simply to give a person the opportunity to know ahead of time whether he will survive throughout the coming year. Needless to say, however, there has never been (to the best of my knowledge) a widespread practice among the Jewish people to light candles in wind-proof homes during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva in order for people to determine whether they will live another twelve months. And why would this serve as the indicator? Clearly, this passage must be understood on a deeper level.

Rav Yitzchak Stollman, in his “Minchat Yitzchak” (vol. 4, p. 239), suggests that the Gemara here speaks allegorically of the way to extend the inspiration and growth achieved during this period throughout the rest of the year. We are told that if a person wants to “last the year,” meaning, if he wants to see to it that the effects of the Yamim Noraim will endure, he must fortify his “home” against the “winds” blowing outside. “Wind” in Midrashic literature often refers to negative influences and ideological trends that abound in the world. These “winds” threaten to extinguish the “flame” that we kindle during the season of Yamim Noraim. Even if a person succeeds in purifying himself and correcting the flaws in his conduct and personality, external forces can extinguish and undermine all his efforts. If we allow ourselves to come under the influence of ideas and norms that oppose Torah values, even our most sincere efforts at teshuva will not endure throughout the year.

The Gemara therefore advises a person to avoid these “winds.” Our efforts towards spiritual growth require opposing the pervading ideas and values of the society around us. If we are prepared and able to withstand these pressures, then the spiritual flame kindled at the beginning of the year will continue to burn in our homes throughout the ensuing months, as well.

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Towards the end of the shemoneh esrei prayer in the special ne’ila service recited on Yom Kippur, we describe Yom Kippur as “ketz mechila u-slicha al kol avonotenu” – “the end of pardon and forgiveness for all our iniquity.” Similarly, the Rambam, in his Hilkhot Teshuva (2:7), defines this day as the “ketz mechila u-slicha le-Yisrael” – “the end of pardon and forgiveness for Israel.” What exactly does this mean? We generally think of forgiveness as an all-or-nothing concept: one is either forgiven, or not forgiven. This phrase, however, seems to imply that only on Yom Kippur can we achieve “final” or “total” forgiveness, whereas on other times when we perform teshuva we cannot necessarily expect this degree of pardon. How exactly does this work?

Rav Yitzchak Hutner, in his “Pachad Yitzchak” (Yom Kippur, 21:12), suggests an approach by drawing a parallel between Yom Kippur and the final Day of Judgment as described by the prophets. In his illustration of this frightening Day of Judgment, the prophet Malakhi (3:5) declares that God will serve as an “eid memaher” – literally, a “hurried witness.” God will not delay in testifying against those who have betrayed Him, but will rather prosecute and punish them at once. Rav Velvele Soloveitchik explains in the name of his father, Rav Chayim of Brisk, that on this Day of Judgment God will annul the divine attribute of “erech apayim” (“slow to anger”). Although this characteristic of God is included among the Thirteen Attributes declared in Sefer Shemot (34:6), the prophet Malakhi informs us that the time will come when God will no longer act in this manner. There will be a final Day of Judgment when God can wait for man no more, and must therefore exact retribution quickly, without delay.

Rav Hutner suggested that on a microcosmic level, a similar suspension of the “erekh apayim” attribute occurs each year on Yom Kippur. It marks the final day of judgment, when God will delay His sentencing no longer. For this very reason we have an obligation to repent on Yom Kippur: God will not delay His anger beyond this point, so our only hope of escaping harsh judgment is to perform teshuva on this day. But the immediacy of judgment on Yom Kippur works in the opposite direction, as well. Generally, when a person performs teshuva, his atonement does not come immediately. A trial period is necessary to determine whether or not he has truly repented. On Yom Kippur, however, the Almighty does not wait any longer, neither for the unrepentant sinner to repent, nor for the repentant sinner to prove himself worthy. Yom Kippur is the “ketz mechila u-slicha” – the final day of forgiveness, when God judges Am Yisrael based on their current standing, without allowing for or requiring a delay in judgment.

In this vein, Rav Hutner explains another, otherwise ambiguous passage in the Rambam’s Hilkhot Teshuva (2:6): “Even though repentance and crying is always effective, in the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is especially effective and is accepted immediately.” In distinguishing between the power of teshuva throughout the year and its unique power during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, the Rambam points specifically to the issue of immediacy. Generally, a person’s atonement hangs in abeyance during his trial period, when he must prove himself worthy of divine compassion. During this special time of year, however, God will accept our efforts at teshuva and improvement regardless of their outcome. If we sincerely apply ourselves and work towards improvement, He will look favorably upon our efforts and willingly accept our prayers.

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One of the special rituals that took place on Yom Kippur during the times of the Mikdash is that of the “se’ir ha-mishtale’ach,” or the “scapegoat.” The kohen gadol would take two goats and draw lots to determine which would be sacrificed as a sin offering to God and which – the “mishtale’ach” – would be sent into the wilderness and cast off a cliff, symbolic of the “destruction” of Benei Yisrael’s sins.

The mishnayot in Masekhet Yoma outline the precise procedure of the Yom Kippur rituals, and they mention (end of sixth chapter, beginning of seventh) that once the kohen gadol hears that the goat reached the wilderness, he would leave the Temple courtyard and conduct a public Torah reading. The Gemara (very end of sixth chapter) indicates that the Tannaim debated when precisely the kohen gadol would begin the Torah reading: when the goat reached the wilderness, or when it was cast off the cliff. According to one view, the kohen gadol could calculate the amount of time needed to carry the goat from Jerusalem to the desert, and at that point begin the Torah reading. The other view, however, maintains that only once the goat was thrown could the kohen gadol read the Torah. The Tosefot Yeshanim (68b) note that this debate will affect yet another issue, concerning the special piece of red string the kohen gadol attached to the se’ir ha-mishtale’ach. Earlier (67a), the mishna said that the person who brought the goat to the wilderness would cut off a piece from the string and tie it to a rock in front of him. He did this because this string would turn white once atonement had been achieved, symbolic of Benei Yisrael’s purification. Since atonement occurred only once the goat fell into the ravine, the person would keep a piece with him so that he could see it miraculously turn white. This assumes, of course, that the ceremony is formally concluded and atois achieved only once the goat is cast off the cliff. However, the Tosefot Yeshanim comment, according to the view that the mitzva is fulfilled once the goat reaches the wilderness, the person carrying the goat need not cut the string, because it would turn white immediately upon his arrival in the wilderness.

The Rambam, however, appears to take a different approach. On the one hand, he writes (Hilkhot Avodat Yom Ha-kippurim 3:8), “Once the goat reached the wilderness, the kohen gadol left… to read the Torah,” implying that the se’ir ha-mishtale’ach ritual concluded once it reached the wilderness. And yet, in the previous halakha, the Rambam explicitly requires that the person carrying the goat cut the string so that he can see it turn white after he casts the goat from the cliff. This clearly implies that the ritual is completed only once he throws the goat, and not immediately upon his arrival in the wilderness. How can we reconcile these seemingly contradictory statements by the Rambam?

Rav Soloveitchik zt”l (“Kovetz Chiddushei Torah,” pp. 120-122) suggested that the mitzva of se’ir ha-mishtale’ach consists of two components, one of which reaches completion once the goat reaches the desert, and another that remains unfulfilled until the goat is cast off the cliff. One obligation, the Rav explained, involves the general Yom Kippur service led by the kohen gadol. As the verse states in Parashat Acharei-Mot (Vayikra 16:21), “Aharon… shall send [the goat] through a designated man to the wilderness.” Among the kohen gadol’s responsibilities in the Yom Kippur service is to send the se’ir ha-mishtale’ach to the wilderness. But as the verse clearly indicates, this requirement is fulfilled once the goat reaches the wilderness; as far as the kohen gadol’s obligation is concerned, the goat need not be cast into the ravine. This explains why, as the Rambam implies, the kohen gadol begins reading the moment the goat reaches the desert. He cannot begin the Torah reading until after his obligation is fulfilled, since this reading, as we mentioned, occurred outside the azara (Temple courtyard), and the kohen gadol had to remain in the azara throughout the sacrificial service of Yom Kippur. He therefore had to wait until his obligation with regard to the goat is fulfilled, which occurs once it reaches the desert. He need not, however, wait for the goat to be cast off the cliff, since his obligation entailed merely sending the goat out to the desert.

The second component of this mitzva does not involve the kohen gadol, but rather constitutes an independent obligation that the goat achieve atonement on behalf of Am Yisrael by being thrown off a cliff. This obligation emerges from a different verse in Parashat Acharei-Mot (Vayikra 16:22): “The goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region.” This is not part of the kohen gadol’s obligations in the avodat Yom Kippur, but rather a separate mitzva that Am Yisrael earn atonement via the se’ir ha-mishtale’ach. This is achieved only once the person carrying the goat casts it off the cliff, and thus only at that point does the red string turn white, miraculously proclaiming Benei Yisrael’s purification from sin.

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Over the course of the Yom Kippur service in the Beit Ha-mikdash, the kohen gadol would perform tevila (immersion in a mikva) five times. When the mishnayot in Masekhet Yoma (and the relevant section of our Yom Kippur prayers) speak of these tevilot (immersions), they always use the phrase, “yarad ve-taval, ala ve-nistapeg” – “he went down [into the mikva] and immersed; he then ascended [from the mikva] and dried himself.” (See, for example, the mishna on 31b.) The question arises, is there any significance to the kohen’s drying himself after tevila? Does this phraseology imply that the kohen gadol was required to dry himself after immersion, or is this mentioned simply because people generally dry themselves after immersing in water?

The Mishneh Le-melekh (on Hilkhot Avodat Yom Ha-kippurim 2:2) notes that this phrase appears elsewhere in the mishnayot, as well, in the first mishna of Masekhet Tamid. The mishna there mentions that a group of on-duty kohanim would sleep in the azara (courtyard) of the Beit Ha-mikdash. If one of these kohanim would experience a semenal emission, the mishna writes, he would immediately go to the underground mikva beneath the azara and immerse. There, too, the mishna employs this phrase – “ala ve-nistapeg.” Interestingly, however, as the Mishneh Le-melekh perceptively observes, the Rambam appears to distinguish between the kohen gadol’s tevilot on Yom Kippur and the tevila by the kohen sleeping in the azra. With regard to the letter, the Rambam omits the mishna’s reference to drying (Hilkhot Beit Ha-bechira 8:7), whereas regarding the kohen gadol’s immersions, the Rambam cites the entire phrase (Hilkhot Avodat Yom Ha-kippurim 2:2). This subtle distinction strongly suggests that the Rambam considered it obligatory for the kohen gadol to dry himself after tevila. Otherwise, he would have omitted any reference to drying, just as he did in Hilkhot Beit Ha-bechira.

Why would the kohen gadol be required to dry himself after immersion?

The Mishneh Le-melekh suggests that any water remaining on the kohen gadol’s body would constitute a chatzitza (interruption) between his body and his garments. As the Rambam codifies in Hilkhot Kelei Ha-mikdash (10:6), even the smallest object or thin substance is deemed a chatzitza and renders the kohen’s service invalid. For this reason, the Rambam adds, the kohen would not wear arm tefillin while performing the service, as this would interrupt in between his arm and his special priestly garments. (The shel rosh, however, was situated in front of, rather than under, the kohen’s turban, and thus did not create a problem.) Thus, the Mishneh Le-melekh suggests, the kohen gadol was halakhically required to remove the water from his body after tevila, for the water would otherwise constitute a chatzitza and invalidate the entire service. Interestingly enough, the Chida, in his Birkei Yosef (O.C. 27), applies the Mishneh Le-melekh’s comments to the laws of tefillin, as well. He claims that one must ensure that his arm and head are perfectly dry before putting on tefillin, for otherwise the water would constitute a chatzitza in between his body and his tefillin.

Rav Meir Arik, in his “Tal Torah” (Yoma 31), suggests a much different explanation, namely, that the kohen gadol had to dry himself so as to avoid violating the prohibition against bathing on Yom Kippur. The immersion itself obviously did not violate this prohibition, since the Torah forbids only washing for purposes of enjoyment, and these tevilot were performed only as part of the ritual service of Yom Kippur. Once, however, the kohen gadol completed the tevila, he has fulfilled his obligation, and thus any enjoyment he experiences from the water on his body would violate this prohibition.

The work “Le-horot Natan” (teshuvot, 2:46) also suggests this approach, and on this basis he reaches an important halakhic conclusion. If, indeed, it was forbidden for the kohen gadol to remain wet after performing tevila, then apparently the prohibition against rechitza (bathing) on Yom Kippur forbids not only actively washing oneself, but also simply enjoying the sensation of wet skin. Accordingly, a person who showers or bathes immediately prior to the onset of Yom Kippur would be required to dry himself before Yom Kippur begins. Seemingly, this should also apply to situations where Halakha permits washing on Yom Kippur, such us upon waking in the morning, after using the washroom, and when the kohanim wash before birkat kohanim. In all these situations, it would seem, one would, according to this theory, be required to dry his hands immediately. As the “Le-horot Natan” notes, however, the poskim make no mention of such a requirement. Rav Yisrael Meir Erlanger of London (in the journal “Kol Torah,” Tishrei, 5764) also mentions that this understanding of the kohen gadol’s requirement to dry himself after tevila shoulyield an obligation to immediately dry one’s hands when he washes on Yom Kippur. He does not, however, arrive at a conclusive ruling on the matter.

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The famous final mishna of Masekhet Yoma (85b) records Rabbi Akiva’s exclamation: “Fortunate are you, Israel! Before whom are you purified, and who purifies you? Your Father in Heaven!” Rabbi Akiva proceeds to cite two verses to substantiate this idea, that it is God before whom we are purified: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean” (Yechezkel 36:25); “The Lord is the mikva [ritual bath] of Israel” (Yirmiyahu 17:13). Many commentaries have asked why Rabbi Akiva felt compelled to cite two passages. Does not each one independently suffice to prove his point, that God “purifies” Benei Yisrael from their sins?

Rav Tzvi Rabinovitch of Kovna is cited as explaining that Rabbi Akiva here refers to the two-stage process of teshuva. The first verse he quotes, from Sefer Yechezkel, speaks of the Almighty sprinkling purifying waters upon the sinful nation to purify them. This image appears to refer to the waters of the para aduma (made from ashes of the red heifer) which a kohen would sprinkle on a person who had become tamei through contact with a corpse. As the Rambam explicitly rules (Hilkhot Para Aduma 12:1), the purifying waters need not cover the person’s entire body; in fact, so long as a drop of water comes in contact with some part of the individual’s body, the sprinkling is effective. Rav Rabinovitch claimed that this verse thus describes the first stage in the process of teshuva, when a person does not yet become fully “purified.” The second and final stage, which Rabbi Akiva extracts from the verse in Sefer Yirmiyahu, involves a mikva. One who had become tamei through contact with a corpse must not only be sprinkled by the waters of the para aduma, but also immerse his entire body in a mikva. This symbolizes complete purification, the complete elimination of all the effects of sin from his soul. Rabbi Akiva thus celebrates the fact that God accompanies Benei Yisrael throughout their entire process of teshuva. It is He who stirs us to take the initial steps towards repentance, and He assists us in achieving the ultimate goal of complete purification.

A different approach to Rabbi Akiva’s remarks is taken by Rav Yosef Shaul Nathanson, in his “Divrei Shaul.” He claims that the two verses correspond to the two clauses in Rabbi Akiva’s exclamation: “Before whom are you purified”; “who purifies you.” The first phrase describes those who purify themselves, who make a proactive, concentrated effort to perform teshuva and earn atonement and purification. The second phrase – “who purifies you” – refers to those people who do not take the initiative to perform teshuva, and must therefore be aroused to repentance by the Almighty (such as through punishment, Heaven forbid). Indeed, the verse from Yechezkel speaks of God casting purifying waters upon Benei Yisrael; they do not initiate the process themselves, and must therefore wait for God to force this process upon them. Yirmiyahu, by contrast, draws an analogy to a mikva, into which a person enters voluntarily to earn purification. This would then refer to proactive teshuva, to those who understand the need for purification and undertake this process through their own initiative. Rabbi Akiva thus underscores the fact that Am Yisrael will ultimately earn purification, either through its own concerted efforts, or after suffering hardship as punishment for their wrongdoing.

One point, however, remains somewhat unclear, even after all this discussion. What prompted this enthusiastic remark of Rabbi Akiva? Why and in what context did he exclaim, “Fortunate are you, Israel,” lauding the great gift of teshuva?

A fascinating approach to this mishna is cited in the name of the work, “Orach Yesharim.” The previous mishna had established the well-known principle that Yom Kippur has the power to atone only for sins committed against the Almighty. If a person had committed an offense against a fellow human being, however, Yom Kippur cannot earn him expiation unless the victim grants forgiveness. Rabbi Akiva, however, held a slightly different view, a position taken by the work, “Chovot Ha-levavot” (in “Sha’ar Ha-Teshuva”). In principle, Yom Kippur cannot earn atonement for sins committed against one’s fellow unless he receives forgiveness. However, according to this view, if a person repents completely and wholeheartedly, God will see to it that anyone he had wronged will forgive him. In effect, then, one can, indeed, earn atonement for all sins – including those committed against other people – even without specifically asking forgiveness. Rabbi Akiva thus responds to, and takes issue with, the previously mentioned position, exclaiming, “Fortunate are you Israel,” for we have the ability to earn complete atonement through the “purifying” process of teshuva. Just as a mikva completely erases the person’s status of impurity, so can teshuva earn a person total expiation, provided, of course, that he indeed “purifies himself” before the Almighty, that he undergoes a significant change of heart and sincerely commits himself to improving his conduct.

(Sources taken from Rav Shmuel Alter’s “Likutei Batar Likutei” to Masekhet Yoma)

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