SweetLambo
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Judaism[edit]
See also: Repentance in Judaism and Sins between man and
his fellow(Judaism)
In Judaism, if a person causes harm, but then sincerely and
honestly apologizes to the wronged individual and tries to
rectify the wrong, the wronged individual is religiously
required to grant forgiveness:
"It is forbidden to be obdurate and not allow yourself to be
appeased. On the contrary, one should be easily pacified
and find it difficult to become angry. When asked by an
offender for forgiveness, one should forgive with a sincere
mind and a willing spirit. . . forgiveness is natural to the
seed of Israel." (Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah 2:10)
In Judaism, one must go to those he has harmed in order to
be entitled to forgiveness.[16] [One who sincerely
apologizes three times for a wrong committed against
another has fulfilled his or her obligation to seek
forgiveness. (Shulchan Aruch) OC 606:1] This means that in
Judaism a person cannot obtain forgiveness from God for
wrongs the person has done to other people. This also
means that, unless the victim forgave the perpetrator
before he died, murder is unforgivable in Judaism, and they
will answer to God for it, though the victims' family and
friends can forgive the murderer for the grief they caused
them. The Tefila Zaka meditation, which is recited just
before Yom Kippur, closes with the following:
"I know that there is no one so righteous that they have
not wronged another, financially or physically, through deed
or speech. This pains my heart within me, because wrongs
between humans and their fellow are not atoned by Yom
Kippur, until the wronged one is appeased. Because of this,
my heart breaks within me, and my bones tremble; for even
the day of death does not atone for such sins. Therefore I
prostrate and beg before You, to have mercy on me, and
grant me grace, compassion, and mercy in Your eyes and in
the eyes of all people. For behold, I forgive with a final and
resolved forgiveness anyone who has wronged me, whether
in person or property, even if they slandered me, or spread
falsehoods against me. So I release anyone who has injured
me either in person or in property, or has committed any
manner of sin that one may commit against another [except
for legally enforceable business obligations, and except for
someone who has deliberately harmed me with the thought
‘I can harm him because he will forgive me']. Except for
these two, I fully and finally forgive everyone; may no one
be punished because of me. And just as I forgive everyone,
so may You grant me grace in the eyes of others, that they
too forgive me absolutely." [emphasis added]
Thus the "reward" for forgiving others is not God's
forgiveness for wrongs done to others, but rather help in
obtaining forgiveness from the other person.
Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew
Congregations of the Commonwealth, summarized: "it is not
that God forgives, while human beings do not. To the
contrary, we believe that just as only God can forgive sins
against God, so only human beings can forgive sins against
human beings."[17]
Jews observe a Day of Atonement Yom Kippur on the day
before God makes decisions regarding what will happen
during the coming year.[16] Just prior to Yom Kippur, Jews
will ask forgiveness of those they have wronged during the
prior year (if they have not already done so).[16] During
Yom Kippur itself, Jews fast and pray for God's forgiveness
for the transgressions they have made against God in the
prior year.[16] Sincere repentance is required, and once
again, God can only forgive one for the sins one has
committed against God; this is why it is necessary for Jews
also to seek the forgiveness of those people who they have
wronged.[16]
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