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Judaism teaches that human beings are not basically sinful. We come into the world neither carrying the burden of sin committed by our ancestors nor tainted by it. Rather, sin, chet , is the result of our human inclinations, the yetzer , which must be properly channeled.
- Elevating Sin
The repentance of the Day of Atonement is the repentance of...
- Is Forgiveness Necessary
Rather, if the offender has [resolved all material claims...
- What is Sin
It is sickness of soul, unhappiness with what we are doing...
- The High Holidays
Although the High Holidays — the two days of Rosh Hashanah...
- Yetzer Ha‑Tov
The most universalist of Jewish holidays, Sukkot is the...
- Selichot: Prayers of Repentance
Selichot, prayers for forgiveness, are ancient prayers...
- Elevating Sin
- Missing The Mark
- Definition
- Three Classes
- Sin and Yom Kippur
The Hebrew word for sin is chet, which literally means "missing the mark." According to Jewish beliefs, a person sins when he or she strays away from making good, correct choices. It is believed that a person's inclination, called yetzer, is an instinctual force that can send people astray and lead them into sin unless one deliberately chooses othe...
For Jews, sin enters the picture when bad instinct leads us into doing something that violates one of the 613 commandments described in the Torah. Many of these are obvious transgressions, such as committing murder, injuring another person, committing sexual transgressions, or stealing. But there are also a considerable number of sins of omission—t...
There are three kinds of sin in Judaism: sins against God, sins against another person, and sins against yourself. An example of a sin against God might include making a promise you don't keep. Sins against another person might include saying hurtful things, physically harming someone, lying to them, or stealing from them. Judaism's belief that you...
Yom Kippur, one of the most important Jewish holidays, is a day of repentance and reconciliation for Jews and is held on the tenth day of the tenth month in the Jewish calendar—in September or October. The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are called the Ten Days of Repentance, and during this time Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they might ...
The Hebrew Bible uses several words to describe sin. The standard noun for sin is ḥeṭ (verb: hata), meaning to "miss the mark" or "sin". [4] The word avon is often translated as "iniquity", i.e. a sin done out of moral failing. [5] The word pesha, or "trespass", means a sin done out of rebelliousness. [6]
In Judaism, a sin is understood as a moment of temporary “insanity” rather than a permanent stain on our soul, which always remains irrevocably good and G‑dly. Noted psychologist R. Dr. Abraham Twersky once shared a valuable lesson from his childhood:
- Mendel Kalmenson
Sin, says Torah, is an act of folly. The soul loses its head, and in a moment of irrationality and cognitive confusion does something that is contrary to its own true desire. So sin can be transcended, when the soul recognizes and acknowledges the folly of its transgressions and reasserts its true will.
- Yanki Tauber
Sin in Four Dimensions. Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Courtesy of MeaningfulLife.com. The Midrash recounts the following dialogue on the significance of sin: Wisdom was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor? Wisdom replied: “Evil pursues iniquity” (Proverbs 13:21). Prophecy was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor?
It is sickness of soul, unhappiness with what we are doing with our lives, to ourselves and to others who share our life: the unhappy misapplication of our talents and energies in directions that bring us no sense of fulfillment, no feeling of achievement or joy in living.
