A Relatable Translation of the Viduy Confession

Advertisements
Advertisements

10 min read

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrintFriendlyShare

A helpful translation and application of the first section of Viduy that will make your confession more meaningful.

The Viduy confession is the centerpiece of Yom Kippur. During viduy we stand with our posture bent and bang our chests as we list and confess our sins, regretting each one and committing not to do them again. In doing so, we are wiping away past spiritual baggage as we cleanse our sins.

Below is a helpful translation and application of the first section of Viduy for the modern ear. None of what is below is aimed at replacing the classic pieces written on this; it is simply aimed at making Viduy more meaningful. After all, the Viduy is a tremendous opportunity to clean up and do away with errors and mistakes.

Ashamnu – we have become guilty, we have destroyed our sense of spirituality

  • We have exposed ourselves to things that ruin our sensitivities to spiritual growth
  • We waste time and inward focus looking at others’ lives instead of fixing our own
  • We have viewed and shared material that is unbefitting
  • We struggle to find time for the people and things that matter most in life, yet we freely waste time on meaningless things

Picture your perfect self (what you would genuinely like to be like as a person) and identify one current hindrance to this

Bagadnu – we have betrayed, we have been disloyal

  • We freely ask Hashem for things we want or lack, but we do not properly thank Him for what He has given us already
  • We fail to notice the good in others, instead we reflect our inner frustrations on them
  • We do not listen to people properly – instead we impose our interpretations of what the other person means

List ten things Hashem has given you over the past week

Gazalnu – we have robbed

  • We rob others of a truthful impression of us, we hide our real selves
  • We have used our employers’ time for our own personal purposes
  • We make organisational decisions based on our own personal conveniences
  • We brush off others’ deceitful actions as funny instead of confronting them

Which areas of life can I be more open and honest about? Can I develop the courage to share with family and others what I am currently working on in my self-development?

Dibarnu Dofi – we have spoken slander, we have spoken behind people’s backs

  • We say things about people we would never say to their faces
  • We share damaging gossip about others or happily read it
  • We dismiss others too quickly, without looking at the full picture
  • Our children hear ‘no’ or words of negativity and criticism from us far more than they hear ‘yes’ or words of encouragement and praise
  • We enjoy reading or watching people making fun of or trolling others

Can I create a positive-speech balance, most of my words are positive?

He’evinu – we have caused perversion, we have corrupted others

  • We have prioritised short-term wants and current values over Divine wisdom and mitzvos
  • We have influenced others to cut corners
  • We have not discussed spiritual matters with others enough
  • We think and talk about ourselves far too much
  • We encourage others to spend time doing meaningless things

Think of someone you can really develop and bring the best out of – and do it!

Ve’hirshanu – we have caused others to sin, we have spread wickedness

  • Is the world a better place because of us?
  • Do we try and correct others when they have made bad decisions or when they have done something wrong?
  • We prefer not to get involved rather than to stand up for what is right
  • Do we emit positive energy and optimism or negative energy and pessimism?

Who is the next struggling person I am going to commit myself to help?

Zadnu – we have sinned intentionally, and then rationalised it

  • When was the last time we truly gave up something because of what Hashem wants of us?
  • Who influences our moral decisions the most?
  • Is our value system in sync with Hashem and His Torah? Who are our role models?
  • We begin projects that are exciting at first, but we do not have the commitment to complete them – then we rationalise and justify abandoning them
  • We have shied away from making difficult and courageous moral decisions by claiming that there are grey areas

In a disagreement, adopt the other side’s viewpoint and try expressing it, before looking at your side

Chamasnu – we have extorted, we have taken advantage of those weaker than us

  • We are content with seeing people as ‘lower’ than ourselves
  • We have used other people for our projects or favours without properly appreciating them or paying them back
  • We make more of an effort with certain people because of their social status
  • We point out to others what we feel they are incapable of achieving, without building them up to achieve in areas in which they can excel

How can I see in each person a talent or achievement that I don’t have?

Tafalnu Sheker – we have attached ourselves to falsehood

  • We have exaggerated, misrepresented or lied about events
  • We have believed others’ distorted views of the world
  • We have accepted rumours or gossip too quickly, and passed them on to others
  • We have judged people too quickly without trying to understand them

How can I extract myself from online forums or platforms that are not interested in truth?

Ya’atznu Ra – we have abused trust, we have offered bad advice

  • We have been too quick to give advice without thinking it through properly
  • We aren’t understanding enough to prompt others to confide in us
  • We do not offer impartial advice, especially when we have a conflict of interest
  • We have put others in a position where they cannot say ‘no’ to our requests

Before advising others, do we care enough about their situation?

Kizavnu – we have been deceitful

  • We have promised things just to appease others
  • We have inflated things that are not of worth in life
  • We have used words that are misleading
  • We have followed the crowd, irrespective of whether what they are doing is right for us
  • We have been selectively lazy, we have been too tired when it suits us to be so

Avoid using superlatives (for example ‘very’ or ‘always’) if they are not accurate

Latznu – we have scorned and made light of serious things in life

  • We have made fun of meaningful things in order to shy away from them
  • We have thoughtlessly put others down
  • We have tolerated a society in which trampling over others is the way to get ahead
  • We have not always been proud of our Judaism, we can be willing to hide it

When did we last put long-term meaning ahead of short-term fun or entertainment, and how can we make this happen more often?

Maradnu – we have rebelled and defied Hashem

  • We know what Hashem expects of us, but we have not made a road map of how to get there
  • We have viewed mitzvos as cultural feel-good activities, instead of Divine commands to get close to Hashem
  • We have been flippant with our relationship with Hashem

Speak about Hashem with your family at your Shabbos table

Ni’atznu – we have ‘angered Hashem’ by disregarding His mitzvos

  • We have devoted lots of time to our bodies, but not enough for our souls
  • We have not taken up opportunities to study Torah when they present themselves
  • We have not shown enough reverence and respect to mitzvos

Think about all the things we spend money on over the course of a year – how many of them are meaningful and lasting?

Sararnu – we have turned away, we have ignored our responsibilities

  • We have tried to wriggle out of responsibilities in life
  • We have recoiled from accepting positions of responsibility
  • We do not take the time to develop a considered view on things – we are quick to judge and decide
  • We have been cliquey and kept to our own social circle instead of branching out and reaching out to others

Before disagreeing with someone, take a moment to work out whether they know more than you about the topic in question

Avinu – we have been perverse

  • We have done things that do not reflect our potentials
  • We have looked at and discussed lowly, undignified things
  • We assume that our way of thinking is right
  • We do not disassociate ourselves with people who post, discuss or share vulgar things

What do we do to identify and associate ourselves with our higher selves?

Pashanu – we have acted wantonly, we have denied the validity of mitzvos

  • We have cherry-picked bits of Judaism, we have half-observed the part of Judaism that we fancy
  • We have developed conflicted priorities in life
  • We do not think long enough about our values

Which mitzvah of halacha can we take on or choose to observe better this year?

Tzararnu – we have caused suffering

  • We have cause others pain and then distanced ourselves
  • We have seen others in pain but have walked past them
  • We don’t feel each other’s pain enough, preferring to focus on our own lives
  • We have not spent enough time pondering the repercussions and knock-on effects on others of decisions we make

Focus on someone: picture and feel their pain. Imagine what it is like to be in their situation.

Kishinu Oref – we have been stubborn, we have refused to see Hashem’s hand

  • We blame Hashem if things go wrong, but don’t praise Him when things go right
  • We have seen daily life as a series of coincidences instead of seeing God’s hand
  • We speak about people’s achievements in history without speaking about Hashem’s involvement and control
  • We remain in our comfort zone, deflecting attempts to grow beyond

Reflect on all the things you need to go right in your average day and how many of them you are genuinely in control of

Rashanu – we have been wicked

  • We do not see ourselves as having a mission to spread goodness in the world
  • Sometimes we do not see the world as having objective Divine morals – we see them as matters of choice and convenience
  • We have flaunted our sins and publicised them
  • We have brushed off our mistakes instead of learning from them

Look back learn from something you did that you are ashamed of

Shichasnu – we have corrupted our characters

  • We have been arrogant at times
  • We have let our idealism slip away
  • We have not self-analysed

Draw a character analysis of who you are & what you want to improve

Ti’avnu – we have been abominable

  • We have lost our self-image too quickly
  • We have got angry when things did not go our way
  • We have not realised what impacts our characters

How do we best filter out what we are exposed to?

Ta’inu – we have strayed, we have drifted further from Hashem

  • We lost sight of our goals and we do not accept when we are criticised
  • We limit religion to particular days and places
  • We do not share our religion with others enough

Pick a friend who you can work on yourselves together with

Titanu – You have let us stray

  • We do not call out to Hashem for spiritual help
  • We don’t feel bad that we have used freewill to distance ourselves from Hashem
  • We do not feel lacking when we ignore our relationship with Hashem

Ponder the ‘pain of the Shechinah’ when His children don’t appreciate all He does for them

These are our sins gone. Now let’s remember all the positive things about ourselves and see how they can express themselves this year!

Click here to comment on this article
guest
4 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Dovid
Dovid
7 days ago

Why do sephardim say it daily but not ashkenazim?

Irwin Mann
Irwin Mann
5 months ago

Viduy also alchet the confessional poems are to me the most esteemed and spiritual text of all because theythey highlight the need for self imoproivmewnt and slef discovery.Not only do they ask the most spiritual growth but they are the expound very clearly what we overlook or underempahasize what we beed to improve on. They give the most spiritual traction possible.They protect against giving lip service. so commonly done. I blieve we need more mechanisms thAT FOI\STER FOLLOWUPin order to really internalize LIFECHANGING HABITS Your annotations REACH MEmuch MORE THAN earliier versions and the more instances of annotation the richer is the unnderstanding i LOVE THIS APPROAch as it reallymake me think and soul search. Every year (as well as every reading provides fresh insights

Orrin Kom
Orrin Kom
5 months ago

I will be the fool who comments first...maybe others will then contribute. This interpretation helps me personally because it refines the focus on my own flaws. If I concentrate on those, I can let go some of my rage at Gd's apparent silence not only during the persecution of Jews, but also during the oppression of other people.

I know that as a defective human being, I am not qualified to pass judgement on HaShem. What I know and how I feel sometimes, however, are not the same thing.

Many thanks for this list.

Dvirah
Dvirah
5 months ago
Reply to  Orrin Kom

There’s a story of the man who prayed: Lord, this year you brought on your world famine, earthquake and storms. I’ll forgive your sins if you forgive mine.

EXPLORE
LEARN
MORE
Explore
Learn
Resources
Next Steps
About
Donate
Menu
Languages
Menu
oo
Social
.