Vidui

Yom Kippur Vidui Questions:

1. What does the word Vidui mean?
2. Why should i confess sins that i definitely have not committed?
3. What lies behind the introductory words of Al Cheit Shechotonu?
4. Why do we say two types of Vidui – Oshamnu etc. and then Al Cheit?
5. What is the main part of the Vidui?
6. How many times do we say Vidui and was is the significance of this number?
7. What is the best position to say Vidui in and why?
8. How do i do vidui on bad thoughts when this will bring me on to sinning again?
9. Why do we only say the general vidui of Oshamnu by Neila and not the detailed one of Al Cheit?
10. What is the rule with how the Al Cheit’s are split up? Why split into three?
11. We say about these sins that they should be forgiven. Three words are used for this – Selach, Mechal and Kaper. What the need for three expressions as what does each mean?

Ideas for answers on the Yom Kippur Vidui:

1. Some say it means Hoidoya, to “admit” one’s guilt to Hashem. Others say it is related to the word that means “throwing” expressing how through saying the vidui we are throwing away our sins.
2. The Rambam was asked this. The answer is that we do not appreciate the depth of judgement. Each sin has multiple levels. This can range from merely thinking about it to the sin branching out to many levels and facets. This being the case we almost certainly have transgressed on some level every sin! (ליקוטים על פרקי אבות פ”ב מ”ח במשניות ב)
3. There are three parts to introduce each sin. Al Cheit comes to show that we recognise that the sin itself and all the evil that comes with it. Shechotonu comes to say that we recognise that we were the ones that did wrong and it was due to our lowliness listening to our evil inclination. Lefonecha means that we recognise the gravity of the sin that it was done before Hashem, the King of Kings. Then we go on to detail the specific sin.
4. There is the general vidui of Oshamnu that goes according to the 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis and describe sins in general terms. This is then followed on by the Al Cheit that comes to detail specific sins.
5. It is the words that introduce Oshamun – אבל אנחנו ואבותינו חטאנו – the recognition that we are sinners.
6. We say on Yom Kipper the vidui of Oshamnu by all five tefillous twice, totalling ten times. However, the Al Cheit is omitted by Neila and therefore is only said eight times. What is the significant of these numbers?
7. Bent down without support as this expresses submissiveness.
8. Of course one must not think again and picture these images since this is repeating the sin. Instead one should focus on the words with the knowledge of what it is referring to.
10. The total Al Cheits are forty-four and go according to the 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis with two for each letter. Why are they split into three?
11. The Abarbanel brings that these represent three stages of forgiveness. Selach is asking Hashem to give up the rights to punish us. Mechal means to not even retain any resentment against us and Kaper asks to remove any effects of the sin and consider as if it has never been done.