Teshuvah

The 40 Days of Teshuvah (“Return”) began Sunday evening Aug 28th and continues up to and including Yom HaKippurim [The Day of Atonements]. It is a time to return to יהוה through repentance for our sins. Sin against יהוה may be atoned for through confession and a request for forgiveness. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness through the blood of יהוה Yeshua HaMashi’akh who has cleansed our sins. [Yokhanan Alef (1st John) Chapter 1; Ivrim (Hebrews) Chapter 1]

Sin committed against another person should ideally be confessed to the person whom we have wronged when we can to put the wrong right and to ask for forgiveness. [Matti 5:23-24] If you feel someone has sinned against you, you should try to go to them personally to attempt to reconcile [Matti 18:15]. The person wronged is under no obligation to grant forgiveness, however, failure to do so after repeated requests is regarded as a sin in itself. Once one has confessed and requested forgiveness from יהוה we need to make a commitment to not repeat the confessed sin.

Traditional daily prayers for the season of Teshuvah include Dani’el 9:4-19 and Tehillah (Psalm) 27.

Dani'el Chapter 9

דָּנִיֵּאל פרק ט

4 And I prayed unto יהוה my Elohim, and made confession, and said, "O Adonai, the great and awful God, who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love You and keep Your mitzvot,

וָאֶתְפַּלְלָה לַיהוה אֱלֹהַי וָאֶתְוַדֶּה; וָאֹמְרָה אָנָּא אֲדֹנָי הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְו‍ֹתָיו.

5 we have sinned, and have dealt iniquitously, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, and have turned aside from Your mitzvot and from Your ordinances;

חָטָאנוּ וְעָוִינוּ והרשענו (הִרְשַׁעְנוּ) וּמָרָדְנוּ; וְסוֹר מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ.

6 neither have we hearkened unto Your servants the Nevi'im, that spoke in Your Name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ אֶל עֲבָדֶיךָ הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבְּרוּ בְּשִׁמְךָ אֶל מְלָכֵינוּ שָׂרֵינוּ וַאֲבֹתֵינוּ וְאֶל כָּל עַם הָאָרֶץ.

7 Unto You, O Adonai, belongs tzedaka, but unto us shame of face, as at this day; to the men of Yehudah, and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and unto all Yisra'el, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where You have driven them, because they dealt treacherously with You.

לְךָ אֲדֹנָי הַצְּדָקָה וְלָנוּ בֹּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה; לְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה וּלְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּלְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקְּרֹבִים וְהָרְחֹקִים בְּכָל הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתָּם שָׁם בְּמַעֲלָם אֲשֶׁר מָעֲלוּ בָךְ.

8 O יהוה , to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You.

יהוה לָנוּ בֹּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים לִמְלָכֵינוּ לְשָׂרֵינוּ וְלַאֲבֹתֵינוּ: אֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ לָךְ.

9 To Adonai Eloheinu belongs mercies and forgivenesses; for we have rebelled against Him;

לַאדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָרַחֲמִים וְהַסְּלִחוֹת: כִּי מָרַדְנוּ בּוֹ.

10 neither have we hearkened to the voice of יהוה our Elohim, to walk in His instructions, which He set before us by His servants the Nevi'im.

וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּקוֹל יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָלֶכֶת בְּתוֹרֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְפָנֵינוּ בְּיַד עֲבָדָיו הַנְּבִיאִים.

11 Yes, all Yisra'el has transgressed Your Torah, and has turned aside, so as not to hearken to Your voice; and so there have been poured out upon us the curse and the oath that is written in the Torah of Moshe the servant of Elohim; for we have sinned against Him.

וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל עָבְרוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתֶךָ וְסוֹר לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמוֹעַ בְּקֹלֶךָ; וַתִּתַּךְ עָלֵינוּ הָאָלָה וְהַשְּׁבֻעָה אֲשֶׁר כְּתוּבָה בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי חָטָאנוּ לוֹ.

12 And He has confirmed His D'var, which He spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil; so that under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Yerushalayim.

וַיָּקֶם אֶת דבריו (דְּבָרוֹ) אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלֵינוּ וְעַל שֹׁפְטֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר שְׁפָטוּנוּ לְהָבִיא עָלֵינוּ רָעָה גְדֹלָה: אֲשֶׁר לֹא נֶעֶשְׂתָה תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶעֶשְׂתָה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם.

13 As it is written in the Torah of Moshe, all this evil is come upon us; yet have we not entreated the favor of יהוה our Elohim, that we might turn from our iniquities, and have discernment in Your truth.

כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת בָּאָה עָלֵינוּ; וְלֹא חִלִּינוּ אֶת פְּנֵי יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָשׁוּב מֵעֲו‍ֹנֵנוּ וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ.

14 And so יהוה has watched over the evil, and brought it upon us; for יהוה our Elohim is righteous in all His works which He has done, and we have not hearkened to His voice.

וַיִּשְׁקֹד יהוה עַל הָרָעָה וַיְבִיאֶהָ עָלֵינוּ: כִּי צַדִּיק יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּקֹלוֹ.

15 And now, O Adonai Elohim, that has brought Your people forth out of the land of Mitzrayim with a mighty hand, and has gotten renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

וְעַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ אֶת עַמְּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וַתַּעַשׂ לְךָ שֵׁם כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: חָטָאנוּ רָשָׁעְנוּ.

16 O Adonai, according to all Your tzedaka, let Your anger and Your fury, I pray, be turned away from Your city Yerushalayim, Your Har Kodesh; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Yerushalayim and Your people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

אֲדֹנָי כְּכָל צִדְקֹתֶךָ יָשָׁב נָא אַפְּךָ וַחֲמָתְךָ מֵעִירְךָ יְרוּשָׁלִַם הַר קָדְשֶׁךָ: כִּי בַחֲטָאֵינוּ וּבַעֲו‍ֹנוֹת אֲבֹתֵינוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְעַמְּךָ לְחֶרְפָּה לְכָל סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ.

17 Now therefore, O our Elohim, hearken unto the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplications, and cause Your face to shine upon Your Mikdash that is desolate, for Adonai’s sake.

וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל תַּחֲנוּנָיו וְהָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ עַל מִקְדָּשְׁךָ הַשָּׁמֵם לְמַעַן אֲדֹנָי.

18 O my Elohim, incline Your ear, and hear; open Your eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city upon which Your Name is called; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our tzedaka, but because of Your great mercies.

הַטֵּה אֱלֹהַי אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע פקחה (פְּקַח) עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה שֹׁמְמֹתֵינוּ וְהָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלֶיהָ: כִּי לֹא עַל צִדְקֹתֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מַפִּילִים תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי עַל רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים.

19 O Adonai, hear, O Adonai, forgive, O Adonai, attend and do, defer not; for Your own sake, O my Elohim, because Your Name is called upon Your city and Your people."

אֲדֹנָי שְׁמָעָה אֲדֹנָי סְלָחָה אֲדֹנָי הַקְשִׁיבָה וַעֲשֵׂה אַל תְּאַחַר: לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹהַי כִּי שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל עִירְךָ וְעַל עַמֶּךָ.

Tehillah 27

תְּהִלִים פרק כז

1 By David. יהוה is my light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? יהוה is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

לְדָוִד: יהוה אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא; יהוה מָעוֹז חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד.

2 When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי: צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי; הֵמָּה כָשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ.

3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise up against me, even then will I be confident.

אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי: אִם תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ.

4 One thing have I asked of יהוה , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in Beit יהוה all the days of my life, to behold the kindness of יהוה , and to visit early in His Heikhal.

אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת יהוה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ: שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יהוה כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי; לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם יהוה וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ.

5 For He conceals me in His Sukka in the day of evil; He hides me in the covert of His Ohel; He lifts me up upon a Rock.

כִּי יִצְפְּנֵנִי בְּסֻכֹּה בְּיוֹם רָעָה: יַסְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵתֶר אָהֳלוֹ; בְּצוּר יְרוֹמְמֵנִי.

6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; and I will offer in His Ohel sacrifices with a blast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises unto יהוה .

וְעַתָּה יָרוּם רֹאשִׁי עַל אֹיְבַי סְבִיבוֹתַי וְאֶזְבְּחָה בְאָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵי תְרוּעָה; אָשִׁירָה וַאֲזַמְּרָה לַיהוה .

7 Hear, O יהוה , when I call with my voice, and be gracious unto me, and answer me.

שְׁמַע יהוה קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא; וְחָנֵּנִי וַעֲנֵנִי.

8 In Your behalf my heart has said, "Seek My face"; Your face, O יהוה , will I seek.

לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי; אֶת פָּנֶיךָ יהוה אֲבַקֵּשׁ.

9 Hide not Your face from me; put not Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; cast me not off, neither forsake me, O Elohim of my Salvation.

אַל תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי אַל תַּט בְּאַף עַבְדֶּךָ: עֶזְרָתִי הָיִיתָ; אַל תִּטְּשֵׁנִי וְאַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי.

10 For though my father and my mother have forsaken me, יהוה will take me up.

כִּי אָבִי וְאִמִּי עֲזָבוּנִי; וַיהוה יַאַסְפֵנִי.

11 Teach me Your Derekh, O יהוה ; and lead me in an even path, because of them that lie in wait for me.

הוֹרֵנִי יהוה דַּרְכֶּךָ: וּנְחֵנִי בְּאֹרַח מִישׁוֹר לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.

אַל תִּתְּנֵנִי בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי: כִּי קָמוּ בִי עֵדֵי שֶׁקֶר וִיפֵחַ חָמָס.

13 If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of יהוה in the land of the living!

לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב יהוה : בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים.

14 Wait for יהוה ; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for יהוה .

קַוֵּה אֶל יהוה : חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ; וְקַוֵּה אֶל יהוה .