בס”ד
A THOUGHT ABOUT PARSHAT VAYIKRA 5785
Facts About the Sin-offering that is Describe in the Torah
This week, the Torah portion in Leviticus chapter 4 discusses the Jewish “sin-offering”, karban chatat. During the time of the Holy Temple, a Jewish person was obligated to bring this offering when he or she “inadvertently” transgressed certain of the negative Jewish commandments. From Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, Laws of Inadvertent Transgressions, 1:1,
When the Holy Temple is built and functioning,] whenever a [Jewish] person inadvertently violates one of the negative commandments that [both] involve a deed [rather than inaction, or only speech] and for which [a Jew] is liable for karet (“excision of the soul”) [if it is violated willfully], he is obligated to bring sin-offering. It is a positive commandment [for him] to offer a sin-offering for his inadvertent transgression.1
In 1:4, Rambam lists the 43 out of the 365 Jewish negative commandments that require a sin-offering if transgressed inadvertently. Obviously, this is connected with the extreme seriousness of those particular 43 sins if they would be committed willfully.
Willful sins never require a sin-offering. Sin-offerings are only valid if brought in the Holy Temple, from a sheep, a goat or a bull, depending on the category of the person. Also, the concept of a sin-offering does not apply to non-Jews. On the other hand, with only a few rare exceptions, deliberate transgressions of the other 322 negative Jewish commandments do not bring an obligation for any sacrifice. Instead, like all sins, they bring an obligation to obtain forgiveness by personal repentance, through regret, confession to G-d, and the person’s resolve not to repeat the sin. In Rambam’s listing of the Jewish commandments, this obligation to include confession to G-d in one’s repentance is positive commandment #73.
The Christianity doctrine of how forgiveness can be obtained for deliberate sins is obviously based on a total misapplication and misappropriation of the above facts, all of which are clear from a careful reading of the Torah verses.
The Biblical Teachings on Personal Repentance
At the dedication of the First Tempel, in 1 Kings 8:44-50, King Solomon offers a prayer addressing this issue. He recognizes that Jews will sin. But with the Temple built and Jewish sovereignty over their promised land, some Jews might come to mistakenly believe that the Jewish commandment for repentance could only be fulfilled in the Land of Israel, like some other of their positive commandments. In particular, if a Jewish soldier was captured in battle because his willful sins caused him to lose G-d’s protection, and he was taken to another country, he might think that G-d would not listen to his prayers of repentance in that foreign idolatrous land. Through the verses of his prayer, he assures the Jewish people that G-d listens to their prayers of repentance, wherever they might be. He also delineates the correct procedure for making their repentance, so it will be acceptable before G-d.
The Importance of Studying the Seven Noahide Laws
For Noahides, studying the Seven Noahide Laws in depth is crucial to ensure they understand what is permitted and what is forbidden. According to Jewish law, a Noahide is not punished for unintentionally violating one of their commandments—except in the case of murder, in which there can be liability to punishment for negligent homicide.
If someone transgresses a Noahide commandment that he knows is forbidden but does not fully grasp its severity, he is considered to have acted willfully and is liable to punishment.
Why Unintentional Should Be Repentend
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that even unintentional sins indicate an inner flaw.If a person commits an unintentional sin, it signals that something within them needs to be corrected.
The process of repentance is not merely about seeking forgiveness. By fostering greater awareness and vigilance, it restores one’s connection with G-d. Additionally, it provides a structured process to transform guilt into growth, as seen in Psalm 51, where King David expresses his remorse and attains inner purification.
The Power of Repentance, Prayer, and Charity
Isaiah 55:7 stresses the importance of sincere repentance:
“Let the wicked abandon his way and the sinful person his thoughts. Let him return to the L-rd, and He will have compassion on him—to our G-d, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Sincere prayer and repentance are therefore essential to maintaining a close relationship with G-d.
Additionally, Tzedakah (charity) plays a vital role in achieving atonement for sins, after repentance has been done. Proverbs 11:4 and 21:3 teach:
“Riches do not avail on the day of wrath, but righteousness saves from death.”
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
This connection between righteousness, mercy, and Divine favor is also echoed in the words of the prophet Daniel. When advising King Nebuchadnezzar to change his ways, Daniel emphasizes the redemptive power of charity and compassion:
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by almsgiving, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy prosperity.’ (Daniel 4:24)
Here, Daniel highlights that acts of chesed—kindness and generosity—especially toward the vulnerable, are not only moral imperatives but also spiritual tools that can influence one’s fate. Charity, when paired with genuine teshuvah (repentance), has the potential to prolong peace and protect against judgment.
Forgiveness in the Stories of David and Nineveh
According to Jewish tradition, an offering is not effective for intentional sins but repentance (teshuva) is aessential for atonement. David acknowledged his guilt2 in II Samuel 12:13 when he said to the prophet Nathan, “I have sinned against the L-rd.” His sincere repentance led to his forgiveness
“I have sinned against the L-rd.”
Nathan responds:
“The L-rd has taken away your sin; you will not die.”
This indicates that G-d, in His mercy, may grant forgiveness in response to sincere repentance, as seen in David’s case. However, some consequences remain, highlighting that atonement is a separate process.3
However, we also see that sins sometimes carry unavoidable consequences. The child born from David’s transgression died, illustrating that while repentance can secure divine forgiveness, some consequences must still be endured for complete purification (II Samuel 12:14-18).
Contrary to the Christian doctrine referred to above, the story of Nineveh in Jonah 3:9-10 shows the efficacy of personal repentance for non-Jews. The people of Nineveh, who were not part of the people for Israel and had no sacrificial system, received Divine forgiveness solely through sincere repentance. The king of Nineveh stated:
“Who knows? G-d may turn and relent; He may turn from His burning anger, so that we will not perish.”
Then, “G-d saw their deeds—that they repented from their evil ways. And G-d relented from the calamity that He had declared He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”
This highlights the power of repentance and returning to G-d as the means of seeking forgiveness for sins.
Maimonides’ Teachings About Repentance
We have seen that confession and prayer are essential for repentance. But how should one practically approach this process?
In Mishneh Torah, Repentance 1, Maimonides (Rambam) outlines the steps of Teshuvah:
Confession of Sin:
Anyone who transgresses a commandment of the Torah … whether intentionally or inadvertently—when he repents, and returns from his sin, [for his repentance to be effective,] he must confess before G-d… This refers to a verbal confession. This confession is a positive commandment [for Jews]. The person should say:
“I beseech You, O G-d! I have sinned; I have transgressed; I have committed iniquity against You, particularly in doing [state the specific sins]. Now, behold! I regret and am ashamed of my actions; I will never relapse into this sin again.”
A person who elaborates further in their confession is praised.
For Noahides, AskNoah’s prayer book includes a suggested “Prayer of the Repentant” by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet:
“O G-d, I have erred, sinned, and willfully transgressed before You, and I have done that which is evil in Your eyes, especially with the sin(s) of… [state specific sins].
I am sincerely ashamed of my sins, and I repent and firmly undertake not to do so again.
Please, G-d, in Your infinite grace and compassion, forgive my sins and transgressions and grant me atonement, as it is written: ‘Let the wicked abandon his way, and the sinful person his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion upon him—for He will abundantly pardon’ (Isaiah 55:7).”
Additionally, one may recite Psalm 51, a powerful prayer of repentance.
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tuvia Serber and Dr. Michael Schulman for the feedback and input.
Footnotes
- In that chapter, 1:3, Rambam lists two inadvertent sins in that category which are exceptions, in that they require a Jew to bring an adjustable guilt-offering, instead of a sin-offering. They involve particular desecrations of the sanctity of the Temple or the sanctity of sacrificial meat. ↩︎
- According to the letter of the Torah law, after the fact, David’s initial relations with Batsheva did not violate a commandment. However, the way in which he handled the situation was not righteous, and it brought disrepute upon him which desecrated the honor of his position as king of Israel. ↩︎
- See https://asknoah.org/faq/repentance-forgiveness-atonement ↩︎
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