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“And G-d spoke to Moshe after the death of the two children of Aharon when they came close before G-d and they died” (Vayikra 16:1). The Torah then…
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“For the sin we sinned before You, b’ones u’beratzon, under duress and willingly. So begins the litany of al chets, the double acrostic listing of…
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“How majestic was the kohen gadol as he left the Holy of Holies in peace, without injury…like the kindness that is placed on the bridegroom’s face…
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“With the approval of Hamakom, the Omnipresent, and with the approval of the congregation, in the convocation of the court above, and in the…
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“We work and get reward and they work and do not get reward?” This statement, said when one completes a Talmudic tractate, articulates a…
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“In a place where ba’alei teshuva stand there, not even the fully righteous can stand” (Brachot 34b). This teaching is generally…
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“It was on the next day…” (Shemot 18:13). Apparently, something of significance had happened on the previous day, yet the Torah makes no mention of…
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Our society worships greatness. Whether it be athletes, rock stars, actors or successful business leaders, they are showered with wealth and…
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Integral to the teshuva process is the act of vidui, confession. One can intellectually know one has done something wrong; one can even feel…
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“For the sin that we sinned before you with the evil inclination”. The double alphabetic acrostic of the al chet lists a…
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“Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: the majority [of people sin] regarding theft, a minority regarding adultery, and all with lashon hara…
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The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 619:6) quotes a custom to remain in shul through the night of Yom Kippur, singing songs of praise to G-d.…
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“There are those who acquire their world in one moment” (Avodah Zara 18a). One action can define a life. While some people have to work…
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“On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed.” No two holidays are as thematically connected as Rosh Hashanah and Yom…
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The two central and most important tefillot of Yom Kippur are the yud gimmel middot harachamim, the 13 Attributes of mercy, and the al chets, the…
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The Jewish people had sinned, and their future stood in the balance. G-d's initial plans to destroy the people were…
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"Rav Yochanan said: Were it not written in the text, it would be impossible for us to say such a thing; this verse teaches us that the Holy One…
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"The gates of repentance are always open". Yom Kippur is predicated on the possibility of teshuva at all times for all people[1…
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One of the hallmarks of the Western world is its inclusiveness. Great attempts are made to make all feel included, no matter their ability or their…
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It is quite rare to read parshat Acharei Mot on Shabbat Hagadol. In non-leap years, it is generally parshat Tzav that is read on Shabbat Hagadol. And…
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In trying to develop the potential of man, the Mussar movement[1] developed two different approaches to the sinning of man. One school of…
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“For the sin we committed by wronging a neighbour, for the sin we committed by bribery, for the sin we committed in our business dealings”. On and on…
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“Seek out G-d when He can be found, call upon Him when He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Our Sages interpret this verse as referring to the Aseret Yemei…
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The death of the righteous atones, our Sages teach, and it is for this reason that during Mussaf of Yom Kippur, just after recounting the special…