Dear Friends,
In place of a more traditional article this issue, I offer
you my interpretation of the beloved Al Cheit
confessional prayer. None of these sins apply to any
particular person. We do not read the Al Cheit
with a checklist in mind, saying to ourselves, “Yep, did
that one,” or “Nope, I’m not guilty of that.”
Instead, the point of the Al Cheit is that we Jews are all
responsible for one another, and we are
simultaneously responsible for each other’s moral conduct.
Our response to sin should not be
judgment, but rather a desire to help and heal. I have
organized this version of the Al Cheit
into three sections: Sins against other people, sins against
God, and sins against ourselves. Having
said that, any sin against our fellow human being or against
ourselves is also a sin against God, hence
the prayer’s formula: For the sin we have committed against
You. . .
Sins against Others
For the sin we have committed against You by treating our
fellow human beings as instruments for
our own convenience or pleasure.
For the sin we have committed against You by rejecting
children who have intermarried.
For the sin we have committed against You by judging the
innocent.
For the sin we have committed against You by spreading
gossip.
For the sin we have committed against You by sending rude
email messages.
For the sin we have committed against You by
allowing old grudges to fester.
For the sin we have committed against You by allowing sports
to trump Religious School and
services.
For the sin we have committed against You by ignoring the
sick.
For the sin we have committed against You by not
volunteering.
For the sin we have committed against You by ignoring the
plight of the poor and homeless.
For all of these sins, whether we committed them
knowingly or unknowingly, in public or in
private, Selach lanu, Mechal lanu, Kapper lanu. Forgive us,
Pardon us, Grant us atonement.
Sins against God
For the sin we have committed against You by eating treif
chicken and beef in our own kitchens
when kosher meat is so readily available.
For the sin we have committed against You by eating unkosher
meat in restaurants when we could
just as easily order the fish.
For the sin we have committed against You by not attending
services.
For the sin we have committed against You by not fasting on
Yom Kippur even though we are
physically able to do so.
For the sin we have committed against You by looking at
degrading images.
For the sin we have committed against You by desiring money
above all else.
For the sin we have committed against You by using the words
shiksa, sheigitz, goy, and shvartze.
For the sin we have committed against You by using the words
nigger, faggot, and retard to refer
to blacks, homosexuals, and the mentally challenged.
For the sin we have committed against You by denying our
children and grandchildren the miracle
of Shabbat candles, Kiddush, dinner and birkat hamazon.
For the sin we have committed against You by ignoring our
role in defending the future of the
Jewish people.
For all of these sins, whether we
committed them knowingly or unknowingly, in public or in
private, Selach lanu, Mechal lanu, Kapper lanu. Forgive us,
Pardon us, Grant us atonement.
Sins against Ourselves
For the sin we have committed against You by
wasting our precious time surfing the Internet.
For the sin we have committed against You by rotting our
minds with way too much television.
For the sin we have committed against You by abusing illegal
or prescription drugs.
For the sin we have committed against You by denying
ourselves the opportunity to reach our
goals and aspirations.
For the sin we have committed against You by allowing guilt
and shame to paralyze us.
For the sin we have committed against You by not furthering
our Jewish education.
For the sin we have committed against You by not taking care
of our physical health.
For the sin we have committed against You by not visiting
Israel and buying Israeli products.
For the sin we have committed against You by remaining
clinically depressed when we could so
easily find help.
For the sin we have committed against You by buying luxuries
and then claiming that we don’t
have enough to give to charitable causes.
For all of these sins, whether we
committed them knowingly or unknowingly, in public or in
private, Selach lanu, Mechal lanu, Kapper lanu. Forgive us,
Pardon us, Grant us atonement.
Naomi, Josh, Sari and I wish you a shanah tovah u’metukah, a
sweet and happy New Year!
Rabbi Eli Garfinkel
