AVOIDING REGRETS BY LISTING SINS IN ADVANCE

Is it better to sin and repent or to avoid sinning? 

Considering our sins effect others, I think the latter is better.  On Yom Kippur, Hebrew prayers of repentance are said communally. Everyone's sin effects the community. Thus everyone is accountable to everyone as well as God. 

Below is a list of sins read outloud as a congregation. None of us should be so stiff necked to say they have not sinned. On a personal, individual level, God knows our sins.  

Rejecting the "stiff-necked" denial of sin through public and communal confession is also a safeguard against isolation. By reciting it aloud together, we weave our individual failings into the shared fabric of the community, acknowledging how one person's "hard-heartedness" or "deceit" ripples outward, wounding relationships and the collective soul. It's a radical act of vulnerability: no one stands alone in repentance, and thus no one bears the burden by themselves.

When it comes to true repentance, "remorse" isn't just a footnote—it's the spark that ignites true teshuvah (repentance). In the Jewish tradition, the process of repentance demands gut-deep regret for the wrong done. Otherwise, confession risks becoming rote theater.

Listing Sins In Advance

I propose that Yom Kippur repentance prayers can be used as a forward reminder of the sins to avoid in the coming year. Avoid regrets by guarding our ways in the future. Here are the Yom Kippur Penitence Prayers. Read them and weep: 

The Viddui (Confession)

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, features central penitence prayers known as *Viddui* (confession).

The Viddui comprises two main parts: the shorter *Ashamnu* (an acrostic listing of sins) and the longer *Al Chet* (a detailed enumeration of sets of transgressions.

Ashamnu (Short Confession)

This opening section humbly acknowledges human frailty:

Our God and God of our fathers, let our prayer come before you, and do not ignore our supplication.  For we are not so brazen-faced  and stiff-necked to say to you, Adonai, our God, and God of our fathers,  “We are righteous and have not sinned.” But, indeed, we and our fathers have sinned.  

Then is the list of sins is organized as Hebrew alphabetical acrostic:

We have been guilty (*Ashamnu*).  

We have betrayed (*Bagadnu*).  

We have stolen (*Gazalnu*).  

We have spoken slander (*Dibarnu dofi*).  

We have perverted (*He'evinu*).  

We have committed iniquity (*V'hirsha'nu*).  

We have been presumptuous (*Zadnu*).  

We have committed robbery (*Chamasnu*).  

We have twisted (*Tafalnu sheker*).  

We have counseled evil (*Ya'atznu ra*).  

We have lied (*Kizavnu*).  

We have scoffed (*Latznu*).  

We have rebelled (*Maradnu*).  

We have scorned (*Ni'atznu*).  

We have been perverse (*Sararnu*).  

We have been wicked (*Avinu*).  

We have transgressed (*Pasha'nu*).  

We have oppressed (*Tzararnu*).  

We have been stiff-necked (*Kishinu oref*).  

We have been impious (*Rasha'nu*).  

We have corrupted (*Shichatnu*).  

We have abhorred (*Ti'avnu*).  

We have gone astray (*Ta'inu*).  

We have led astray (*Tita'enu*).

Can you relate?  

These are really categories of sins. Our personal details might come to mind. Wait, there's more.

Al Chet (Long Confession)

This expands on specific sins, categorized in sets of 10–13, each ending with a plea for pardon. 

First Set:

For the sin which we have committed before You under duress or willingly.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by hard-heartedness.  

For the sin which we have committed before You inadvertently.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You with an utterance of the lips.  

For the sin which we have committed before You with immorality.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You openly or secretly.  

For the sin which we have committed before You with knowledge and with deceit.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You through speech.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by deceiving a fellowman.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by improper thoughts.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by a gathering of lewdness.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by verbal [insincere] confession.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by disrespect for parents and teachers.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You intentionally or unintentionally.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by using coercion.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by desecrating the Divine Name.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by impurity of speech.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by foolish talk.  

For the sin which we have committed before You with the evil inclination.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You knowingly or unknowingly.  

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

Second Set:  

For the sin which we have committed before You by false denial and lying.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a bribe-taking or a bribe-giving hand.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by scoffing.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by evil talk [about another].  

For the sin which we have committed before You in business dealings.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by eating and drinking.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by [taking or giving] interest and by usury.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a haughty demeanor.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by the prattle of our lips.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a glance of the eye.  

For the sin which we have committed before You with proud looks.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You with impudence.  

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

Third Set:

For the sin which we have committed before You by casting off the yoke [of Heaven].  

And for the sin which we have committed before You in passing judgment.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by scheming against a fellowman.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a begrudging eye.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by frivolity.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by obduracy.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by running to do evil.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by tale-bearing.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by swearing in vain.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by causeless hatred.  

For the sin which we have committed before You by embezzlement.  

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a confused heart.  

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

Additional Biblical References (Korbanot Section):  

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a burnt-offering.  

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a sin-offering.  

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a varying offering [according to one's means].  

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a guilt-offering for a certain or doubtful trespass.  

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of lashing for rebelliousness.  

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of forty lashes.  

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of death by the hand of Heaven.  

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of excision and childlessness.  

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of the four forms of capital punishment executed by the Court: stoning, burning, decapitation and strangulation.  

For [transgressing] positive and prohibitory commandments, for the sins for which we deserve death by the hand of Heaven or by the hand of the court, for all of them, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

These prayers are typically recited in Hebrew during services, but translations aid personal reflection. Variations exist across traditions (e.g., Sephardic liturgy may differ slightly). 

That just about does it. If this list leaves out any of your sins, just add them yourself. 

For My Christian Friends

Jesus frequently called for *metanoia*—a profound change of mind and heart, turning away from sin toward God's kingdom. 

"From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 4:17, ESV). Similarly, in Mark's Gospel: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15, ESV).

Jesus warned repeatedly of the consequences of unrepentance: "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, ESV).

Like Judaism, there was a communal aspect in teaching on forgiveness. Jesus tied repentance to reconciliation: "Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him" (Luke 17:3-4, ESV).

While Jesus didn't use the modern term "confession" in a ritual sense, he taught extensively on acknowledging sin, seeking God's forgiveness, and extending it to others. 

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus instructed: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12, ESV). He elaborated: "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:14-15, ESV).

Jesus taught that if withhold forgiveness, forgiveness will be withheld from us. 

Where Forgiveness Gets Tricky

Must we forgive those who do not seek forgiveness? Judaism in Christianity have slightly different views on this question. Erica Kirk demonstrated a profoundly Christian approach.  This gets into the psychological benefits of forgiveness to the injured party. Sometimes the person who hurt you is deceased, so they can not offer an apology. And just because one suffers from an injury, doesn't mean it was the result of a sin. Which in turn begs the question of whether we should apologize for something we don't think is wrong?

I will leave there. We are into Sukkot. That is a far more joyful holiday. 

I WANTED TO SEE

"The Resurrection" by Polish artist Bartosz Keska

One of the stops on our trip to Italy was to the Turin Cathedral (Piazza San Giovanni), known as the "Chapel of the Holy Shroud." There is also a museum entirely focused on the facts and history of the aledged burial linens of Jesus. 

A Mystery within a Miracle

The Shroud is a nested miracle; it is a miracle within a miracle. It is practically a miracle that a ~2000 year old cloth relic with actual blood stains even exists to be seen to today. The shroud is actual, irrefutable evidence of the crucifixion, death, burial and ressurection of Jesus (Yeshua). It is a truly a miracle how it was created. Even the atheist scientists who analyzed the shroud describe it as such! It is also a mystery since the only explanation that a team of the best scientists from around the world have developed for how the image on the shroud was created is not reproducible to this day. 

The STURP (Shroud of Turin Research Project) was a significant 1978 scientific investigation of the Shroud of Turin, a linen cloth believed by many to bear the image of Jesus Christ. Considerable analysis since then has only further added to the credibility of the Shroud. 

For Our Time

The shroud is literally the most studied relic in the world. Yet, until literally the times we live in, the information, technology and scientific knowledge has not existed to fully understand how miraculous the shroud truly is. 

What has taken ~2000 years to figure out, two Jewish men understood the moment they saw it. As it says in the book of John in the Gospels: with one look, the Apostles John and Peter, understood immediately the implications. 

John 20:4-9 -- Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

One Jewish Apostle needed more convincing. He is referred to as "Doubting Thomas."

John 20:26-29 -- A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Our private tour guide for the cathedral and the museum 

Our personal tour guide at the museum, Marinella, was very knowledgeable and intelligent. She also seemed very pragmatic and level headed. I figured that she would have formed an opinion about the shroud, and I was curious what she thought, so I asked her for it. Marinella looked at me with an expression that suggested to me that what she was about to say was off-script and after consiserable thought. She started by saying, "Do you really want to know what I think?" I replied, "YES, I do." Then she looked at me and said with conviction the answer I wanted to hear: "I don't think the shroud was for then, and the people at the time of his crucifixion. I think the shroud is for now. I believe it has been miraculously preserved for these times, when the knowledge and technology would exist so that people would be able to know the ressurection really happened." 

Having done enough of my own studying and thinking, I couldn't agree more. 

In other words, Marinella was echoing Jesus as quoted by the Jewish Apostle Mark:

Mark 8:12 -- And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

Their are many people who go to synagogues and churchs with doubts or who don't know what to believe. Their are also total unbelievers, atheists. Those people that are sure that Jesus never rose from the dead, let alone the whole purpose for shedding his blood. For them, I think the Shroud is the Sign of Jonah. It is as Jesus said in the books of Matthew and Luke: 

Matthew 12:38-42 -- Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here! The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, because she came from so far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!”

I traveled to Turin to hear what my guide told me. I hoped to hear first hand from a certified guide and expert whether they concluded what I already have.

It is said that the definition of, "Faith is the belief in the Unseen," specifically in Hebrews 11:1. The generation in Jesus’s time never got to see the shroud. I believe that was deliberate. The burial linen was taken away and hidden for ~1300 years after his crucifixion. By who is speculation. I and others think by Nicodemus, or perhaps Joseph of Arimathea. Where it was hidden is speculation. How exactly it came to Turin is assumed to be by the Crusaders, and there is evidence to think that. How it survived three fires with no damage to the actual image is amazing.

Ask Yourself

What if Jesus meant the shroud for these times? What if it was waiting for the generation after the rebirth of Israel and technical experts who could study and analyze the shroud to determine it's authenticity? What are the implications if we are the "evil and adulterous generation" that Jesus prophecied of. 

I didn't travel to see the shroud for any of these reasons. I didn't learn anything that changed my essential understanding. I did get to see some fascinating things, such as the actual camera that took the first photograph of the shroud and revealed in a darkroom the image that was encoded on the cloth waiting to be discovered. There were many special objects to see in the cathedral and museum.

I did get to be in the room with the burial linens of Jesus. The same clothes that John and Peter saw which contained the AB blood of Jesus. That is the moment they believed and "understood that he must rise from the dead."  

All of that was a tremendous experience, however I didn't need to see the shroud to know the important facts and implications. I went for my wife Mary. She was like Thomas. I haven't asked Mary what she thinks now. Perhaps I will at lunch today, after she gets back from church. 

Mary thought she was making the arrangements to specifically visit Turin for me.  But she was right, I couldn't come all the way to Italy, the country we last visited on our honeymoon 40 years ago, and not visit the Shroud.  

Epilogue:

I have written several blog posts concerning the Shroud. If you'd like to learn about it you could start by clicking on this link. 

Speaking of the times, and the coming of the Messiah, Pastor Nathan, who was raised an Orthodox Jew and graduated Yeshiva, has done many sermons addressing this. Click here to listen to what the prophets warned and how they relate to today. 

Habakkuk 1:1-5 -- The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

The Lord's Answer:

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 --

And the Lord answered me:

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets,

so he may run who reads it.

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.