Selach Lanu - Etz Yosef

Introduction to first two clauses:

In this beracha, we ask Hashem for forgiveness. Our relationship with Hashem is a blend of Him being our compassionate Father in Heaven and simultaneously as our Ruler and King.

We say this sentiment in Mussaf to Rosh Hashana:

Therefore, since the way one approaches ones father to ask for forgiveness differs than the way one would approach a king to ask for a pardon for breaking the law, so too, we ask Hashem for forgiveness in two ways, using different verbiage, to accommodate for this difference in His "roles" towards us.

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Why do we refer to Hashem by the title of "our Father" when asking for forgiveness (selicha)?

The Tur, by connecting the dots between two different pesukim, explains why.

The first passuk, discussing Yeshayahu's urging Klal Yisrael to teshuva, says:

The Tur accounts uses the first passuk to set the base of a passuk which is discussing "forgiveness", and in that passuk the word "mercy" is found.

The second passuk pairs "mercy" with a "father."

Using the transitive property, "forgiveness" is a term that fits in the context of a "father."

What emerges from here, is that Hashem's mercy towards us in forgiving our sins, is likened to a loving father forgiving his child's mistakes.*

Why do we use the term "chatanu" to describe how we sinned?

The reason is because the word "chet" (the root of chatanu) is used in the same context as the term we use for "forgiveness"(selach) in a passuk in Melachim.

The passuk is was said by Shlomo HaMelech when he dedicated the Beis HaMikdash. After thanking Hashem for fulfilling the desire of his father Dovid HaMelech to build the Beis HaMikdash, he goes on to make many pleas from Hashem. One of his pleas is that He forgive Klal Yisrael's sins when they do teshuva before Him.

In the above explanation, we translated "Forgive us Our Father for we have sinned."

Avudraham brings an alternate inflection to read, "Forgive us Our Father even though we have sinned."

Here, we switch up the title we give Hashem as well as the terminologies for "sin" (from chet to pesha) and "forgiveness" (from selicha to mechila).* What do all of these terms mean and why are they paired together?

Avudraham offers an explanation for this clause, (which also sheds light on the terminologies used in the first clause.)

The key is this:

1. "Chet" denotes a minor infraction, whereas "Pesha" denotes a more grievous offense.

2. "Selicha" denotes a gentle request to pardon a sin, whereas "Mechila" denotes a valiant effort at a sincere attempt at reconciliation from an exacting person to accept ones apology.

With this in mind, he can explains the differences between the two clauses.

In the first clause, we are asking forgiveness from our Father, and just like ones father is (usually) forgiving if his son would affronts him, and considers the degree of a deliberate offense as though it was unintentional (which translates into the category of "chet"), therefore the intensity of the forgiveness needed to ask from him is also lower (translating to the category of "selicha").

However, in the second clause we are asking forgiveness from our King, and with a king the opposite is true. Even an unintentional offense is treated with the gravity of an intentional offense (speeding tickets are handed out under wither condition!), therefore we ask beseech Hashem forgive (translating to the category of "mechila) our serious transgressions (peshanu).*

In the above explanation, we translated "Forgive us Our King for we have sinned."

Avudraham brings an alternate inflection to read, "Forgive us Our King even though we have sinned."