Today's source sheet, in addition to drawing from My People's Prayerbook also draws from Rabbi Dr. Ellie Kaunfer's teaching. Much appreciation to him for his deep wellspring of Torah.
הֲשִׁיבֵֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ לְתוֹרָתֶֽךָ
וְקָרְ֒בֵֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתֶֽךָ
וְהַחֲזִירֵֽנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' הָרוֹצֶה בִּתְשׁוּבָה:
Bring us back to Your Torah, our Parent
Draw us near to Your service, our Sovereign;
and turn us back, in perfect repentance before You.
Blessed are you, HaShem, who desires/takes pleasure in repentance
Hashiveinu avinu l'torahtecha
v'karveinu malkeinu la'avodatecha v'hachazireinu bitshuvah shleima lfanecha.
Baruch atah hashem, harotzei bitshuva
Questions:
- What exactly are we asking for here?
- Who is the active party here? G-d? People?
- What would you have expected?
- The two things we ask to be returned to are 'Your Torah' and 'Your service', why these two things? What even are they, do you think? What might you have expected to see instead of them? What makes them special? How might they compliment and contrast one another?
- What does it mean to you to say G-d 'desires' or 'enjoys' teshuvah?
סְלַח לָֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ כִּי *חָטָֽאנוּ
מְחַל לָֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ כִּי *פָשָֽׁעְנוּ
כִּי מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵֽחַ אָֽתָּה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' חַנּוּן הַמַּרְבֶּה לִסְלֽוֹחַ:
Pardon us, our Parent, for we have *sinned,
forgive us, our Sovereign, for we have *transgressed;
for You are forgiving and pardoning.
Blessed are You, HaShem, gracious One who is abundant in forgiving.
Slach lanu avinu, ki *chatanu,
Machal lanu malkeinu, ki *fashanu.
Ki mochel v'soleiach atah.
Baruch atah hashem, chanun hamarbeh lisloach
Questions:
- What exactly are we asking for here?
- At the *, there is a custom of knocking on one's chest, like the confessional on Yom Kippur, if this custom is unfamiliar to you, what do you make of it?
- The third line ("for you are forgiving...") seems to be explaining G-d's nature to G-d! Why might the praying person say something like this?
Questions for both blessings:
- Why do you think these blessings are in this order? Why might the be after the blessing for knowledge?
- Each of these blessings start with a couplet and each invoke the familiar phrase "avinu malkeinu" "our parent (lit. Father), our sovereign (lit. King). Why this imagery, do you think? And why do you think they've been linked with each other in this poetic way?
This is as far as I hope you'll get to!
Feel free to read on, but make sure you've had your fill of the above.
(ו) דִּרְשׁ֥וּ ה' בְּהִמָּֽצְא֑וֹ קְרָאֻ֖הוּ בִּֽהְיוֹת֥וֹ קָרֽוֹב׃ (ז) יַעֲזֹ֤ב רָשָׁע֙ דַּרְכּ֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אָ֖וֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֑יו וְיָשֹׁ֤ב אֶל־ה' וִֽירַחֲמֵ֔הוּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ כִּֽי־יַרְבֶּ֥ה לִסְלֽוֹחַ׃ (ח) כִּ֣י לֹ֤א מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי֙ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם דְּרָכָ֑י נְאֻ֖ם ה'׃ (ט) כִּֽי־גָבְה֥וּ שָׁמַ֖יִם מֵאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֣ן גָּבְה֤וּ דְרָכַי֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַ֖י מִמַּחְשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃
(6) Seek the LORD while [G-d] can be found,
Call to [G-d] while [G-d] is near. (7) Let the wicked give up their ways,
The sinful person their plans;
Let them turn back to the LORD,
And [G-d] will have mercy on them;
To our God,
For [G-d] freely forgives. (8) For My plans are not your plans,
Nor are My ways your ways
—declares the LORD.
9) But as the heavens are high above the earth,
So are My ways high above your ways
And My plans above your plans.
(מו) כִּ֣י יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֗ךְ כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין אָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יֶחֱטָ֔א וְאָנַפְתָּ֣ בָ֔ם וּנְתַתָּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וְשָׁב֤וּם שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הָאוֹיֵ֔ב רְחוֹקָ֖ה א֥וֹ קְרוֹבָֽה׃ (מז) וְהֵשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ אֶל־לִבָּ֔ם בָּאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבּוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְשָׁ֣בוּ ׀ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּאֶ֤רֶץ שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חָטָ֥אנוּ וְהֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ (מח) וְשָׁ֣בוּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבָם֙ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁב֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם וְהִתְפַּלְל֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ דֶּ֤רֶךְ אַרְצָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתָּ וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־[בָּנִ֥יתִי] (בנית) לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃ (מט) וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מְכ֣וֹן שִׁבְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃ (נ) וְסָלַחְתָּ֤ לְעַמְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְאוּ־לָ֔ךְ וּלְכׇל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּשְׁעוּ־בָ֑ךְ וּנְתַתָּ֧ם לְרַחֲמִ֛ים לִפְנֵ֥י שֹׁבֵיהֶ֖ם וְרִחֲמֽוּם׃
(46) “When they sin against You—for there is no person who does not sin—and You are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to an enemy land, near or far; (47) and then they take it to heart in the land to which they have been carried off, and they repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying: ‘We have sinned, we have acted perversely, we have acted wickedly,’ (48) and they turn back to You with all their heart and soul, in the land of the enemies who have carried them off, and they pray to You in the direction of their land which You gave to their ancestors, of the city which You have chosen, and of the House which I have built to Your name— (49) oh, give heed in Your heavenly abode to their prayer and supplication, uphold their cause, (50) and pardon Your people who have sinned against You for all the transgressions that they have committed against You. Grant them mercy in the sight of their captors that they may be merciful to them.
(ו) וּמָ֨ל ה' אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃...(ח) וְאַתָּ֣ה תָשׁ֔וּב וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּק֣וֹל ה' וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃
(6) Then your God יהוה will open up your heart and the hearts of your offspring—to love your God יהוה with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live...(8) You, however, will again heed יהוה and obey all the divine commandments that I enjoin upon you this day.
(ב) שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד ה' אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃ (ג) קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־ה' אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כׇּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃ (ד) אַשּׁ֣וּר ׀ לֹ֣א יוֹשִׁיעֵ֗נוּ עַל־סוּס֙ לֹ֣א נִרְכָּ֔ב וְלֹא־נֹ֥אמַר ע֛וֹד אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ יְרֻחַ֥ם יָתֽוֹם׃ (ה) אֶרְפָּא֙ מְשׁ֣וּבָתָ֔ם אֹהֲבֵ֖ם נְדָבָ֑ה כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ב אַפִּ֖י מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
(2) Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
For you have fallen because of your sin. (3) Take words with you
And return to the LORD.
Say to [G-d]:
“Forgive all guilt
And accept what is good;
Instead of bulls we will pay
[The offering of] our lips.-a (4) Assyria shall not save us,
No more will we ride on steeds;
Nor ever again will we call
Our handiwork our god,
Since in You alone orphans find pity!” (5) I will heal their affliction,
Generously will I take them back in love;
For My anger has turned away from them.
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
השיבנו ה' אליך אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא השיבנו ה' אליך, אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא שובו אלי ואשובה אליכם (מלאכי ג ז), אמרה לפניו רבש"ע, שלנו היא, שלך היא, שובנו אלקי ישענו והפר כעסך עמנו (תהלים פה ה).
"Take us back, O Hashem, to Yourself, And let us come back (Lamentations 5:21)": “Return us to You” – Israel said before the Holy Blessed One: return us, YHVH, to You. The Holy Blessed One said: Return to me and I will return to you (Mal 3:7). Israel said to the Master of the Universe: Is it ours? It is yours! “Return us, God of our salvation, and revoke Your anger from among us.” (Psalms 85:5) [trans. Kaunfer]
(יא) לְמַֽעַן־שִׁמְךָ֥ ה' וְֽסָלַחְתָּ֥ לַ֝עֲוֺנִ֗י כִּ֣י רַב־הֽוּא׃
(11) As befits Your name, O LORD,
pardon my iniquity for it be great.
ר"י בר יקר עמוד מו
ולפיכך אמר כי חטאנו אע"פ שהיה צריך לומר אף כי חטאנו סלח לנו דאמ' במדרש תלים...
Therefore it said: “for we have sinned”. Even though it should have said: Even though we have sinned, forgive us – as it says in Midrash Tehillim (see below)
- R”I bar Yakar, p. 46
רבי שמואל בר נחמני עלה מבבל לשאול ג' דברים. מצא את רבי יוחנן שר הבירה אמר לו...ושוב אמר לו מאי דכתיב (דניאל ט ט) לה' אלקינו הרחמים והסליחות כי מרדנו בו. היה לו לומר כי שמרנו תורתו. אמר לו ר' יוחנן יפה כתוב בנוהג שבעולם פועל שהוא עושה עם בעל הבית באמונה ונותן לו שכרו מה טובה יש לו ואימתי מחזיק לו טובה בשעה שאינו עושה עמו באמונה ואינו מעכב שכרו כלל לכך כתיב לה' אלקינו הרחמים והסליחות כי מרדנו בו.' מה רבו צרי:
R. Shmuel bar Nahmani went up from Babylon in order to ask three things. He found Yonatan Ish Ha-Birah, and said to him…again he said to him: What is the meaning of the verse: “To HaShem our God is mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against [G-d] (Dan 9:1).” Shouldn’t he have said: “…for we have kept [G-ds] Torah.”?
Yonatan responded: “It was written well. It is the way of the world that when a laborer deals faithfully with their employer, and their employed pays them their wage, what reason is there for the laborer to be grateful to their employer? When ought they be grateful to them? When they do not deal faithfully with their employer, and yet their employed does not withhold any of their wages. This is why it was written: “To HaShem our God is the mercy and the forgiveness, for we rebelled against [G-d].” (Daniel 9:9)
(טז) מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה שְׁבַ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ אִ֣ישׁ בָּח֔וּר אִטֵּ֖ר יַד־יְמִינ֑וֹ כׇּל־זֶ֗ה קֹלֵ֧עַ בָּאֶ֛בֶן אֶל־הַֽשַּׂעֲרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יַחֲטִֽא׃ {פ}
(16) of all this force—700 picked men—were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
תוספתא מסכת יומא (כפורים) (ליברמן) פרק ב הלכה א
...וחכמים או'
עונות אילו הזדונות
פשעיהם אילו המרדים
חטאתם אילו השגגות ...
T Kippurim 2:1, ed. Lieberman, p. 229
The sages say:
“avonot” are sins done on purpose
“pisheihem” are rebellions
“hatatam” are sins done by mistake…
[Pesha] is the term that characterizes the worst possible sin: open and wanton defiance of the Lord.
-- Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus 1-16, p. 1034
(יט) סְלַֽח־נָ֗א לַעֲוֺ֛ן הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּגֹ֣דֶל חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם וְעַד־הֵֽנָּה׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
(19) Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt.” (20) And יהוה said, “I pardon, as you have asked.
“[W]hatever it [salach] means it is exclusively a divine gift. Only God can be the subject of salah, never man….it does not convey the pardon or forgiveness that man is capable of extending... Thus when God extends to man His boon of salah, He thereby indicates His desire for reconciliation with man, to continue His relationship with him – in Israelite terms, to maintain His covenant...when God responds ‘salahti,’ it can only mean that the covenantal promise of Israel’s continuity on its Promised Land is assured…"
– Jacob Milgrom, “Vertical Retribution,”
....הַמּוֹכֵר שְׁטַר חוֹב לַחֲבֵירוֹ וְחָזַר וּמְחָלוֹ מָחוּל
...one who sells a promissory note to another, and the seller went back and forgave the debtor his debt, it is forgiven
(כא) זְכׇר־אֵ֣לֶּה יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֣י עַבְדִּי־אָ֑תָּה יְצַרְתִּ֤יךָ עֶֽבֶד־לִי֙ אַ֔תָּה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א תִנָּשֵֽׁנִי׃ (כב) מָחִ֤יתִי כָעָב֙ פְּשָׁעֶ֔יךָ וְכֶעָנָ֖ן חַטֹּאותֶ֑יךָ שׁוּבָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י כִּ֥י גְאַלְתִּֽיךָ׃
(21) Remember these things, O Jacob
For you, O Israel, are My servant:
I fashioned you, you are My servant—
O Israel, never forget Me. (22) I wipe away your sins like a cloud,
Your transgressions like mist—
Come back to Me, for I redeem you.