Divrei Moredchai – Rosh Hashana Second Day (How should we remember sin?)

Rabbi Mordechai Friedfertig ^ | 2001-2003 | Rabbi Mordechai Friedfertig

[AlbionGirl]

How do we relate to a person who has sinned and repented? Jewish Law is very clear on this question. The Mishnah in Bava Metzia (4:10) rules that it is forbidden to remind someone of their past sins after they have done Teshuvah. You may never say to someone, "Hey, I remember when you used to eat pork!" or "Remember how much you used to love golfing on Shabbat?" No matter what their purpose, such statements fall into the category of "Ona'at Devarim - hurting another person with words" (see also Rambam, Hilkhot Teshuvah 7:8). But what about reminding yourself of your own past transgressions? Are we permitted to think or talk about sins for which we have already repented? Or, would doing so be considered a form of Ona'at Devarim - hurting ourselves with thoughts or words? Surprisingly enough, recalling one's own past sins is not forbidden; it is, in fact, encouraged. In Hilkhot Teshuvah (2:8, based on Yoma 86a), the Rambam rules that even after one repents for sins, and is forgiven for them, one should do Teshuvah for these same transgressions every Yom Kippur. This means you must remind yourself every year, over and over again, of your old sins. This is pretty amazing. What about starting over with a clean slate? What about becoming like a newborn child? Why does the Halakhah advise us to relive shameful parts of our past instead of putting them behind us?

[AlbionGirl]

This is really excellent, as so much of Jewish thought is and has always been.

[DManA]

This means you must remind yourself every year, over and over again, of your old sins. I don't.