Parshat Tetzaveh, (Exodus 30-1:30-10)-2/8/2014

The parshah ends with a description of Yom Kippur, where Jews repent and atone for approximately 25 hours.

Sometimes I am sorry for things I have done. Today I was sorry for something I wrote to someone, and for something I said to someone. It is so hard to know, at the time, if I say things to appear smart, or to be helpful. In both cases, I did not know the people. If I said the same thing to my family or friends, it would be fine ... because they could deal with it ... and might be helpful ... but I should shut up with strangers.

The Buddhists have a similar once a year ceremony to atone where they write their bad deeds on a piece of paper and throw it in a fire.

In Proverbs, we find:

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” —Proverbs 28:13

I like the idea that Jews do not see themselves as "sinners" but rather attach sin to their actions. This seems quite healthy to me.