Tuesday, October 4, 2011

An English Version of the Viduy

One of the most important Mitzvot we perform on Yom Kippur's is the Viduy (see here ).


The Viduy (=confession) describes the sins and transgressions we might have committed and for which we express regret and decide to keep ourselves away from.


In the Viduy we clearly say and admit our transgressions, in the same way that one who is addicted to alcohol articulates his admission saying: "I'm an alcoholic", as one of the firsts step toward his cure.


The Viduy also helps us remembering and identifying the wrongdoings that we might have forgotten, or that we might have unconsciously suppressed or that we might simply not have in mind, because we have already got used to them.


Unlike other Tefilot, it is absolutely imperative to understand the meaning of the words we are saying in the Viduy. Or else, regret and contrition (=Teshuba) for our transgressions, cannot take place. Therefore, it is not only permitted, butmandatory to say the Viduy in the language one understands, if one does not know Hebrew.


We say the Viduy several times on Yom Kippur and we say it in plural (see here).


The Viduy is written in Hebrew alphabetical order.


The following text ( VIDUY IN ENGLISH ) is a brief version of a Viduy, which will hopefully help the reader to understand the meaning and ideas expressed in the Viduy, and B'H inspire him or her to achieve a higher level of Teshuba.


This text could be used in Yom Kippur alongside with other versions of the Viduy.





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