Forgiveness of Sins:
What Does the Term "Teshuvah" Mean in Judaism?
For Jews, the term Teshuvah (pronounced teh-shoo-vah) has a critically important meaning. In Hebrew, the word translates literally as "return," and describes the return to God and with our fellow human beings that is made possible through repentance of our sins.
The Process of Teshuvah:
Teshuvah is most frequently associated with the High Holy Days—especially the Ten Days of Repentance just prior to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement—but people can seek forgiveness for wrongs they have committed at any time. There are several stages of Teshuvah, including the sinner recognizing his or her wrongs, feeling sincere remorse and doing everything in their power to undo any damage that has been done. A sin against God may be atoned for through simple confession and request for forgiveness, but a sin committed against another person is more complicated.
If a specific person has been wronged, the offender must confess the sin to the wronged person, put the wrong right, and ask for forgiveness. The wronged party is not under any obligation to grant foregiveness, however, but failure to do so after repeated requests is regarded as sin in itself. According to Jewish tradition, by the third request, the person who was wronged is required to grant forgiveness if the offender is sincerely remorseful and is taking steps to prevent similar wrongs from happening again.
The Process of Teshuvah:
Teshuvah is most frequently associated with the High Holy Days—especially the Ten Days of Repentance just prior to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement—but people can seek forgiveness for wrongs they have committed at any time. There are several stages of Teshuvah, including the sinner recognizing his or her wrongs, feeling sincere remorse and doing everything in their power to undo any damage that has been done. A sin against God may be atoned for through simple confession and request for forgiveness, but a sin committed against another person is more complicated.
If a specific person has been wronged, the offender must confess the sin to the wronged person, put the wrong right, and ask for forgiveness. The wronged party is not under any obligation to grant foregiveness, however, but failure to do so after repeated requests is regarded as sin in itself. According to Jewish tradition, by the third request, the person who was wronged is required to grant forgiveness if the offender is sincerely remorseful and is taking steps to prevent similar wrongs from happening again.
For Jews, the term Teshuvah (pronounced teh-shoo-vah) has a critically important meaning. In Hebrew, the word translates literally as "return," and describes the return to God and with our fellow human beings that is made possible through repentance of our sins.
The Process of Teshuvah:
Teshuvah is most frequently associated with the High Holy Days—especially the Ten Days of Repentance just prior to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement—but people can seek forgiveness for wrongs they have committed at any time. There are several stages of Teshuvah, including the sinner recognizing his or her wrongs, feeling sincere remorse and doing everything in their power to undo any damage that has been done. A sin against God may be atoned for through simple confession and request for forgiveness, but a sin committed against another person is more complicated.
If a specific person has been wronged, the offender must confess the sin to the wronged person, put the wrong right, and ask for forgiveness. The wronged party is not under any obligation to grant foregiveness, however, but failure to do so after repeated requests is regarded as sin in itself. According to Jewish tradition, by the third request, the person who was wronged is required to grant forgiveness if the offender is sincerely remorseful and is taking steps to prevent similar wrongs from happening again.
