Posts

Showing posts from August, 2018

The 16 expressions of forgiveness

The 16 different expressions of forgiveness, extended explanation. Translation by Rabbi Mendy Greenstein  Kapara - atonement, “atone for your nation Israel. כפרה - כפר לעמך ישראל . When you are in debt to get forgiven for it you need to give a כופר נפש , a payment of your soul. This is  judgment that descends upon you and a difficulty you go through in order to atone. A direct exchange for atonement all at once. Thus, on Yom “Kippurim” we ask for complete forgiveness in the merit the five עינוים afflictions we subject ourselves to.  Slicha - forgiveness, by the golden calf, “and Hashem says, I have forgiven, as you said” סליחה - ויאמר ה׳ סלחתי כדבריך . The idea is forgiveness for now, but the punishment is still in the wings and has not gone away. Even if there is punishment for now, to affect the forgiveness, it is not over. Just as by the golden calf it states וביום פוקדי ופקדתי , “on the day I remember (to punish you for a sin) I remember (to punish you for t