As some of you know, it was Yom Kippur recently, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.  It’s a day you spend sitting in synagogue at one of the five continuous services reflecting on your actions over the past year and trying to ignore the desire to go eat something, or go do anything that isn’t spending eight straight hours  recalling all the times you were just a dick to someone. Yom Kippur is a time when you stop thinking about what people have done to you to justify your behaviour, or who was right or wrong, but what you, and you alone, did.

Religion gets  a bad rep, but I wanted to post what I always found to be the most powerful (and guilt-inducing) prayer recited in my synagogue on Yom Kippur, one that I tend to think of throughout the year when I’ve messed up. By the time you reach Yom Kippur, you’re supposed to have  already gone and tried to make up with people, and the day is just the forgiving bit. But I hope that some of you might find Al Cheyt, as it’s known, a useful reminder to consider the impact that you may have had on the lives of others, and and a pointed prompt to go make amends.

Just saying “sorry” will get you quite far with most people.  :-)

Happy new year!

 

For the sin we have committed before You for foolish speech
And for the sin we have committed before You by misusing our minds.

For the sin we have committed before You by the demands of business.
And the sin we have committed before You by using violence.

For the sin we have committed before You by bribery.
And for all the sins we have committed before You by compulsion.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we have committed before You by speaking slander.
And for the sin we have committed before You by showing contempt.

For the sin we have committed before You by financial greed.
And for the sin we have committed before You by tempting others.

For the sin we have committed before You by gossip.
And for all the sins we have committed before You by choice.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we have committed before You by plotting against others.
And for the sin we have committed before You by hard-heartedness.

For the sin we have committed before You by being arrogant.
And for the sin we have committed before You by giving in to despair.

For the sin we have committed before You by giving way to our own evil.
And for all the sins we have committed before You secretly.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we have committed before You by over-eating and -drinking.
And for the sin we have committed before You by hurting others

For the sin we have committed before You by rejecting parents and teachers.
And for the sin we have committed before You by misusing sex.

For the sin we have committed before You by allowing ourselves to be used for evil.
And for all the sins we have committed before You openly.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we have committed before You by hatred without cause.
And for the sin we have committed before You by envy.

For the the sin we have committed before You by betraying trust.
And for the sin we have committed before You by false pride.

For the sin we have committed before You by judging others too readily.
And for all the sins we have committed before You unconsciously.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we have committed before You by fraud and falsehood.
And for the sin we have committed before You by perjury.

For the sin we have committed before You by despising You.
And for the sin we have committed before You by denying our religious duty.

For the sin we have committed before You by insincere confession of sin.
And for all the sins we have committed before You consciously.

For all these sins, forgiving God, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.