Self-Incrimination and Confession: What We Know and Say about Ourselves 

The mitzvah of confession (viduy) is on the eve of Yom Kippur at dark. But the sages said that one should confess before eating (prior to Yom Kippur), lest one lose one's mind during the eating and drinking. And though one confesses before the meal, one must do so afterwards too, for perhaps something went wrong during the meal. And though one confessed after the meal, one must do so in the evening prayer, and again in the morning prayer and again in the additional (musaf) prayer and again in the afternoon prayer and again in the gate-locking prayer (neilah), for perhaps something went wrong over the course of the day.

(1) If a person transgresses any of the mitzvot of the Torah, whether a positive command or a negative command - whether willingly or inadvertently - when he repents, and returns from his sin, he must confess before God, blessed be He, as [Numbers 5:6-7] states: "If a man or a woman commit any of the sins of man... they must confess the sin that they committed."
This refers to a verbal confession. This confession is a positive command.
How does one confess: He states: "I implore You, God, I sinned, I transgressed, I committed iniquity before You by doing the following. Behold, I regret and am embarrassed for my deeds. I promise never to repeat this act again."
These are the essential elements of the confessional prayer. Whoever confesses profusely and elaborates on these matters is worthy of praise.

(3) With regard to the witnesses who said in their testimony to ratify their signatures in a document: We signed the document and this is our handwriting; however, we were compelled to sign, or we were minors when we signed, or we were disqualified witnesses, e.g., we are relatives of one of the parties, they are deemed credible. (Since the document is ratified on the basis of their testimony, it is likewise invalidated on the basis of their testimony)...

Rami bar Ḥama said: The Sages taught this halakha only in a case where the witnesses said: We were compelled to sign the document due to a threat to our lives. However, if the witnesses said: We were compelled to sign the document due to a monetary threat, they are not deemed credible. Why? One may not render oneself wicked (i.e., self-incriminating testimony is not accepted).

Rava says: One is considered related to oneself and therefore may not testify about oneself. Therefore, one cannot render oneself wicked by one's own testimony.

From where is this matter, that relatives are disqualified from bearing witness, derived?

It is as the Sages taught in a baraita: “The parents shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the parents; every person shall be put to death for their own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16).

Why must the verse state this first clause? If it is to teach that the parents shall not be put to death for the sin of the children, nor shall the children be put to death for the sin of the parents, this is unnecessary, as it is in any event stated: “Every person shall be put to death for their own sin.”

Rather, the statement “The parents shall not be put to death for the children” should be interpreted to mean that they shall not be put to death by the testimony of the children, and the statement “Neither shall the children be put to death for the parents” should be interpreted to mean that they shall not be put to death by the testimony of the parents.

The admission of a litigant is as 100 witnesses. When? If the litigant made their admission in response to a claim...

(1) If witnesses said to a person: We saw that you ate forbidden fat, the person is obligated to bring a sin offering (if he the sin was unwitting)...

If two witnesses say: The person ate forbidden fat, and the defendant says: I did not eat forbidden fat, Rabbi Meir deems the defendant liable to bring a sin offering. Rabbi Meir said: If two witnesses could have brought the defendant the punishment of death, can they not bring the defendant liability to sacrifice an offering (which is relatively lenient)?

The Rabbis said to him: Because the defendant can say they ate it on purpose (and be absolved from bringing a sin offering, which is only for unintentional sin), the defendant is believed over the witnesses.

(5) It is very praiseworthy for a person who repents to confess in public and to make their sins known to others, revealing the transgressions they committed against their fellows.
One should tell them: "Though I sinned against so and so, committing the following misdeeds.... Behold, I repent and express my regret." Anyone who, out of pride, conceals their sins and does not reveal them will not achieve complete repentance as [Proverbs 28:13] states: "One who conceals their sins will not succeed."
When does the above apply? In regard to interpersonal sins. However, in regard to sins between people and God, it is not necessary to publicize one's [transgressions]. Indeed, revealing them is arrogant. Rather, a person should repent before the blessed God, and specifically mention their sins before God. In public, one should make a general confession. It is to one's benefit not to reveal their sins as [Psalms 32:1] states: "Happy is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."