Vidui in Judaism | Rabbi Shai Finkelstein | September 2nd 2025

to dedicate this show and really this entire semester um is sponsored by um is sponsored in the memory of Sylvia David by their families. Okay. So uh because of the times of upcoming you know it's coming uh Shana and Yonipur it's not PES so you know people don't get too excited uh it's only a day of judgment and day of forgiveness it's not not a big deal right so um I thought that we should discuss one of the major uh commandments which is vidi confession so we'll talk about some of the halot through the halot we will obviously discover the hashkaf and then hopefully we will get insight into uh one of the most important things that we need to do during and also during the year too. So the says the following. By the way, today we will deal more with the and how it developed. Okay. So the of confession begins when. So when is that exactly? >> Do I get >> So that's >> that's the and then this is uh this is when what does okay so let's just leave it like that because we will see obviously a dispute Okay. So the first says what one confession when however when saw it I don't know a week later 3 years later I don't know they said they claimed no you should confess before you eat and drink which means before right why maybe your mind will be you know you will get little crazy in the even though you confess before you ate you need to do what another one now and why because maybe you committed some kind of a sin okay during the suda you didn't bench properly so therefore do another another uh vidui but the second vidi is that part of what We spoke about or that's another one which means one before the meal, one after the meal and one. Okay, don't answer yet because be careful. There is a debate here. So you don't want to align yourself yet with someone that maybe the is not like him, right? So wait, so even though you confess during night time you will do it in the morning time. So you also will have a confession where time you also have time also you need to do it. So five times so itself you have five times. So we have arit mafa that's wonderful but what about the other two one before the meal and one after the meal that it might be a new entity or part of where do you place the vi where do you say the confession So an individual says it after you you finish dvening basically that's exactly what we do right exactly what we do as individuals we recite we recite vidi at the end of d for us and the says it in the middle of says So you basically eat of second and you finish it what 1 minute before 5 minutes before yip begins and then after you accepted upon yourself yonipur which is when technically right I know what you're thinking but that's not what Rashi says he is not talking about what he's talking about what when you mar that's the time for what for however the Ramban so Russia was 11th century in France so Ramban is 13th century in Spain and then moved So he quoted what we read before. Okay. So no nothing new here. Now it seems to be based if you are really meticulous with the sentences themselves. It says the vidi that we are talking about it's not the vidi that you say when during it's a different vidi so first proof is what it says that he should what make confession before he eats and drink he still need to do another one after He ate and he drank. And then it says also you need to confess when meaning if it was identical the language should have been what? Even though he confessed when before he ate and and and drank before he eats and drink he needs to what? to create a confession to make confession when so from the fact that he does not say it like that it means what you're talking about another confession and it brings another proof when it says that the commandment to confess when it's become dark it's after he ate and drank [Music] But decided, you know what? Let's add another confession before the meal because maybe in the meal things can go wrong. says the Ramban that when we spo when we speak about that you need to make a confession after meaning. So when they establish the idea that you need to make a confession before you eat and drink and then after you eat and drink, it does not mean to come to omit the confession that you need to do and to align it with what with the evening confession but rather one before the meal, one after the meal and then one. So really how many times you need to confess according to that? Seven times. What? >> Why did he do three times error? >> Two. Twice. Twice. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Very good. Why? Why? Now, by the way, you see the Ramban goes out of its way to try to prove it, right? We didn't see it in Rashi. Obviously, the Ramban goes out of its way to bring proofs that there is another vidi before Yom Kipur. Now obviously there are some halak ramifications but even more than ramifications it seems to be that there is something hashkafic there right it seems to be that according to the raan this vid before you enter yum kipur has some kind of a special quality let's continue says if the talmud wants to say that you need to confess during orvit Then the knows how to say that. So from the fact that the says it means this is not the same one. So now the final proof is what says we are talking about what means we speak about two things. Part A, the confessions that you do. Part B, all the confessions that you have when two different things. Don't mix them. That's what the Ramban said. So, we're not going to have a test on all his proofs, but he basically says the there is another prior to he says now it's bolded. told you it's not only it's also I want you to enter in with a confession and why do I want to do it so close to what to answer so you don't have much time to What? >> Sin >> to sin. Believe me, we are very quick. Yeah. Right. We we can do it very quickly. But think about it. You come, you say it, you do confession. Is a somewhat of a confession and then immediately they start. So you it's I mean you can always find time to sin, but it's really try to what to bring it as close as you can. Now this is very interesting by the way. Who drinks wine in Sudam of Sik? Not even the wine snubs. Okay, I don't know anyone who drinks wine in Sudam does not mean does not exist. But I don't really think that people drink wine during Sudam of S. So but in his time people drank wine. Okay. Water was not exactly their uh beverage of of choice. >> The what? >> It was contaminated. >> Right. Right. And water was for animals, >> right? Wine for us. So he says >> the what? >> He doesn't call it yet. I called it fazaka. I I'm I'm calling it he called it we will get there. Yeah. So then he says so even though he confessed before the meal so he needs to repeat the confession. So he makes this confession before he enters and the confession that you do during mar time. It's obvious that's part of what of basically he says you start the confessions of itself on which is the and in order to come into Yonipur and we trying to limit the time that you can commit sins. We will do one more time a mash before you go into Yonipo. Okay. The Ramban continues. This is a long ram. Oh now you understand just in term in terms of the methodologia you know what is methodologia >> okay >> methodology okay the ramban does two things it's very interesting most of the scholars of in the middle ages will do that when they create something new that was not there before and it's a new interpretation because until now really like like for example rashi in the 11th century in France he basically says what the confession after the meal It's identical to what to the confession that you do during mif. There is no an additional one. Ramban comes along and says you everyone who explained the like that is what is not correct. Okay. You misunderstood it. There is another confession. So he proved it what? From being meticulous in the language itself and from some textual proofs. Now that's wonderful. But we can all argue says Ramban, I found another TAN source that align with my opinion. The tota tota is like the Mishna in terms of the status. It's a tanic source, but it was composed. Some people say before the Mishna, some people say at the time of the Mishna, and some people say a little bit after the Mishna. Okay? And in a way, they are all right. It depends. There are some toph that uh Tashma and many others proved that was what we call toakuma. It was an ancient tanic source which was probably even before the Mishna and the Mishna in a way derived its laws from it. Some of it was at the same time of the Mishna and some of it was a little bit later because we know that in the toa we have one of the Rav Rav was on the last generation of first generation. So he was in but he was he's not in the Mishna anywhere but he's in the tofa and sometimes you can see that the tota in a way took the Mishna and expanded on it. So obviously you know it depends on the toa you need to really learn every toa and every in a different way. Okay. So he says, so he found in the it says they are the following. Yeah. So, what's the proof here? It says it perfectly clear before the meal after the meal. So obviously there is another confession which is after the meal which is not says for so he says here is my proof don't argue with me there is one before the meal one after the meal close to and then I'm well aware says the it's really he identifies the confession after the meal we eat. He says sorry but I have no idea where you got that from. He says Rashi says that there is only one confession on which is what and then we start with and he says and all the all the other name agree with Rashi but what I wrote Now first the courage not >> courage omits he has his own interpretation the he has proofs he doesn't say oh I feel like they are wrong or I think no he showed from the text itself a b he found toa so he says they might not know about the tofta or maybe they misunderstood it. I'm telling you what I'm telling you is and then it says so he's obviously inspired by this everyone can say amen that's wonderful but that's what the Ramban says. So the Ramban goes against all theim and he says from now on you need to have another confession before you enter. What about the >> second most people? Yeah, >> I was thinking about the concept of the ninth being somehow connected with the sense that there's some connected with some sort of connected with related >> yeah it's maybe not necessarily with the confession okay but maybe says the my obviously inic authority 12th century says the following yakipur So it's a time for for everyone for the individual for the public for the community and it's a time for what? For atonement and forgiveness to therefore everyone must do what? and to confess on okay I'm not going to deal with the first and a half sentence because that itself can be different okay especially when the himself inval says which means the is confession but when he talks about it he says when he will do okay what does it mean okay but so we're not dealing with that I'm more interested in the confessions. So, so now he's going to define the of confession on. So one confession is before the meal because what we are afraid that you will choke and you will die without confession. So it's not about okay it's not about what that he will get drunk this is about getting choked okay so you don't want to choke to death without making a confession before Okay. What can you learn from the Rambam? The the what your family the Ram the Rambam says exactly like all the other ising. Now why did I bring that ramban? Because the Ramban knew the Rambam. How do I know it? First 12th century versus 13th century. A B the writings of the Rambam already infiltrated into Spain. C the Ramban himself wrote commentary on the Rambam. So we definitely know that he saw him and he saw and even though the Rambam is a a tremendous authority the Ramban a century later basically says he was also wrong. He only takes one and you talk about he doesn't take one >> because the the Rambam did not write an interpretation on the in that sense he basically what he claims the Ramban says that the first one to originate that mistake is Rashi and the Rambam now I'm not sure the Rambam saw Rashi by the way that's probably also probably the answer will be not that he didn't see Rashi now you will ask me how did he learn without rashi You can ask Rashi how did he learn without rashi. Okay. So you can learn without rashi. A little bit complicated. The what? >> The what? >> Rashi was rashi. Yeah. Okay. So that's what the ram says. So now we move to the 16th century. So you need to confess before says the so the individual says it in you know at the end of his dvening and says it in the middle of his dvening says the m Yeah, we don't does not repeat the video. Okay. Now take a look at the there are some postkisers that they claim that there is a to confess again after the meal before and it's worthy or it's worthwhile or it's advisable to what to take this stringency on you and then so by the way he quotes the okay it's more of a little bit of a mystical walk that you need to accept the zaka by the way do you know this to that zaka Why not >> they wake up for you think they need to do it again? By the way, I'll tell you another thing. The also most of them do not have a they don't have to. They don't have to. They don't have to. And they continue to celebrate Rosha Shana and Yonipur and get excited. Okay. Um so basically the Mishnab and we see some kind of anic evolution. It's very interesting. That's why I also mentioned to you the years Rashi 11th century set up the bar. Basically we don't have another vidi after food after the meal you go to arvit for two centuries at least it was like that ramban comes along and says that's not true. It's not it's wrong. I have proofs. Okay. Even though the Ramban says what he says and he says people said what forget it the 16th century passing like the Rambam sure he's not going to consider the Ramban I mean he considered him but he rejected him the Mishna comes along and he brings the schlah and he says two things at the time of the schla they said that it's ara that you should accept And in the beginning of the 20th century, okay, it's become what at zaka that how many of you >> miss it? Oh wow. I thought it that would be that like know we do everything we can in order not to miss it. >> There never is enough time, right? The timing with the Sudam of second just like in the middle of the Sudam of second. But the idea is is that we all try to say it, right? We all try to say it. We all understand that it's not hala, but we all try to say now this is by itself can be a yes. >> I'm not surprised. Not surprised. By the way, very many men read it and they don't understand what are they talking about. Right? They didn't do any of the sins that are mentioned there. Right? So the I say women I understand you fully understand you. By the way, there's also also very men more about and things like that. Can't say anything about it. I didn't write it. Yeah. So now it might be that look what the Ramban talked about. He did not talk about he spoke about confession. We deviated from it in a way. Why? Because on one hand we didn't want to passing like the Ramban against everyone else. And on the other hand it's really nice to do another one. you know before you go into Yon Kipur and really when you go through it as a man okay you basically and even some a little bit even for a woman when you go really through all the limbs and the part and of the body parts and your thoughts and everything and you say I did all those sins and how can I I can't believe that I did something like that God you gave me wisdom why did I do that and then you try to do chuva which is there is something there which is very moving but we no one here will So we need to find some kind try to find some some kind of a compromise. Yes. >> They start off saying it makes a difference when it comes to you can add one. So I don't understand. >> No no it's hard to add more. No no everyone agree. >> No no no. Everyone agree there is one before you eat and then the only question is do we have one more after the meal before you enter yipur raan says yes says no comes along the boy and says in the name of the schlah we should accept it upon ourselves in the time of the schla I don't know what they did if they did a real confession or they already planned to compose this idea of he says that's 21st century 20th century we called it and that's what we do and how was the addition >> they didn't make it an obligation they didn't make it an obligation basically they said look the ramban's opinion is important enough for us to adopt now without going to say confession because most of the name reject him therefore let's just replace it with something meaning we will keep the content or the purpose but we're not going to want to keep the language. Okay. There is a difference is therefore means what and this is the that we have which means we continue the and you can see we're talking more about not I don't want to call it mysticism versus because the Ramban did not made the because of mysticism he made the because of what let's now let's quote unquote follow the money the Ramban says what he explained why he's so obsessed with another confession. He was obsessed with another confession. Why? Because he says you he wants you to enter Yonipur with minimum time to commit sins and to come as pure as you can. That's it. Mean there is no he basically says and that's what the tota wanted you to do. That's what the Brighter wanted you to do. Russia's explanation just deviated. >> Okay. Who who wrote your >> loy? I will not even going to make it up. I guess we can Google it or chip and he might know or she or it or they or will I what is the chip? So, so it's interesting the says that which means to make to do a real confession. It says to hold like the who composed it. I know there is one video of saying but that's not so uh we can try to find out but it will be interesting because it will tell us a little bit about the time for sure. It is what the other um it's very similar in content talking about you know [Music] he talks about all the parts of the of the all the body parts it's very similar very similar yeah >> like that that the composer Phil is trying to split the difference between the Ramban and everybody else because he's saying you should do a confession but Not saying do the regular video. >> Yeah. Some kind of a compromise to keep the content but to change it from the regular video. Okay. 17th century Saloni Greece. That's an interpretation of the Yes. So that's 20th century. So you got an answer. >> Yeah. So if if it's true and he did it so you're talking about the 20th century. So now you understand that in the time of the schla they probably said the confession itself and in the 20th century comes along the who was a contemporary of and he says you know what let's make it and everyone loves it. >> We have a boxer from before that time. I think we need to check that. >> You have a what? We have a boxer from before that time. >> Oh, okay. Please. So, next week now you got yourself homework. So, uh we need it for next week. That will be very interesting. Okay. So, so 1654 Greece. So, we're talking about 17 to 18th century. He says it's clear. So he says that what Rashi says obviously comes to exclude what the Ramban says. Not not that Rashi came to exclude the Ramban but in Rash's interpretation you can obviously understand that he does not hold like the Ramban. And then he says that the bet of Ysef Caro in the 16th century basically testified that what that the Ramban was rejected. No one is following the Ramban here in Jerusalem. So you understand that made aliyah that before we mar says we here in which is we And this is a pis or that was composed by the which is what which is vidi in order to fulfill the ram's opinion. So he says, "I have a question on the Ramban." The Ramban original Ramban I'm not talking about Ramban says you need to do what after you finish the meal what do you need to do says he says how can you do that we see that always confession comes with the vid that you do before the meal you do it during time all the have something to do with how come that you just you finish Sudam of second and you start going to do. So that's his problem with the Raan. Now he has a problem with Rashi as well. So he says I don't understand Rashi either. Rashi says why do I need to make a confession after I ate because and that's what and why because something maybe happened during the meal says that's nothing to do with it why do I need to make a confession because that's when the day begins right and we have five that has nothing to do with the meal it seems to be like rashi let's say in the meal I didn't do anything. So I don't need to make the confession. So he says that's nothing to do with each other. You definitely will need to make a confession even if you didn't do any. Why? Because that's the day. That's the essence of the day. So he says the reef and the ro had a different ga. What was there? Even though he made a confession before he ate and he drank. So he says the is what? That even though you confess before you ate, you need to confess after you ate. And even though you you confess you need to confess that sounds little bit like surprise surprise he says and that's a good a good for this is not a good for this is a good gear for the raan that's exactly what the ramban says in the name of the tofta so I'll leave it the way it is I just wanted I'm not going to deal with this with the question on him. I just wanted to bring him in order to show you what the Sparadim did in order to replace quote unquote the Ramban's opinion. A and B how and this is something very interesting. How come that for bare four centuries people ignored the Ramban and surprise surprise around the 17th century Petan >> the Ramban it's an interesting thing >> it's also interesting that Spardin would go after the Ashkenazi Raman rather inspired the Ramba. >> Ah okay. So what they did is that they didn't replace it. They just created some kind of a replica that it's not Mamash Ramb. Okay. What do you what can you you I know you are not historians or maybe there are few historians here but what can we learn from it about I will call it the evolution of Yum Kipur in the eyes of the public. Is my question clear? Yes. No. Meaning the Ramban says 13th century. He says, "Look guys, we need to come to Yonipur Pure. We need to minimize the time for people to talk too much. Let's say there is another confession before you go to Shu." And you do it because we want to bring you to your Yokipo as as as pure as I can, as close as I can. Minimize time and move on to Kidra and Mar. That's what he said in the 13th century. For four centuries, he was rejected. Rejected. People didn't pay any attention to him. PTO in Israel 17th century Pardim comes along. Later on Ashkanazim comes along. What can we learn about the attitude or the approach towards young people? >> Is that the only thing that was ignored of his? >> Oh, no. No. Many things that he said were ignored. But no, no. But here >> it's like I'm taking in another term that box music was forgotten in a closet, misplaced, and it was Mendlesson who brought it out and it was like, "Oh my god. is it was just a choice to ignore this part. >> No, it at the beginning it was a a discussion a discussion in Talmudic interpretation. Ramban claimed that all the Talmudists were wrong in their interpretation. his interpretation is most of the says to the Raan we don't think so okay then ina because you look at you look at the framework of most are against him so we're going to reject him then p is being renewed he's being uh resurrected yes >> I think it has to do with the expulsion in Portugal movement of Jews um and uh a way of one of the many ways of coping with the competition and exposure. >> Uhhuh. So that's will be more 15th century. So we need to see with the faradim that 1492 was the explosion. Right. >> Right. don't see the impact until >> many decades later. >> Okay. There is something interesting that when we talk about and I think we'll do um next week we'll start the the next topic but even in the hala itself pure halaka you see that the the movement towards yon kipur in terms of that it's becoming the holiest day which by the way it's not true what is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar Shabbat it comes every Not yonipur. Yonipur is called Shabbat Shabbaton. Okay, little mini Shabbat. We have the opportunity to reach the most holiness day holy day on when? Every week. Okay. However, but became the holiest day. Jews who are not necessarily observant, you will find them in shu on Yokipu, not going necessarily to find them on Shabbat. So when you understand a bit history of halaka, you can see that sometimes because of a need to make yungipur more relevant and to I would say to strengthen it with more and more elements of of vid of all sorts of things like that. It becomes what? You start bringing opinions that were forgotten. But basically, you add the content that you want for Yomipur. What do I mean by that? Here it's a brilliant way. The does not say that now the is like the Ramban and you need to have seven times confession before the meal, after the meal. No, we still have the framework of what one before the meal. However, mash few minutes before yum kipu enter I need to get you a Jew to the mood. I need to get you to what? To this climate to this environment of Yonipu. I don't want you to come to Yung Kipur like you come on a Friday evening, you know, wet hair, you know, trying to find your shirt, you know, coming from a No, no, no, no, no. I want you to come beonipur and therefore I'm going to create confession. Now I can't go and call it confession because that's against all the rishim. I mean besides the rambunan what I'm going to do I'm going to create a a replacement I'm going to call it fazaka I'm going to call it whatever it is but I will bring the content of the vidui and to some extent I will tell you at least for men that zaka is much more understandable than the alet because I can give you a test here and I'll give you some alet and it will be interesting to see what's your interpretation. Okay, without the English mau that tells you what it is and a list of things that you did or you didn't do, it's much more complicated. The zaka is mash very detailed and very clear. So to sum up what we did today, we saw different interpretations of the Talmudic paragraph. We saw the very courageous stand of the Ramban. We saw that he was rejected but then was resurrected to some extent and the resurrection we suggested had something to do with the need call it the need in later centuries. It might be because of a traumatic calamity and event such as the Spanish explosion and other things. And it came to what we know now or really started with the in the 17th century with or the 20th century that we know today. Okay, one request. Please keep it. If you want it for next week, highly recommend it. Take it home, bring it, keep it because it will not be here next week.