Mishkan HaNefesh: Forgiveness

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur, p. 293

All of us have made mistakes this year and we have also made excuses. We have acted selfishly and we have behaved callously. We yearn to be better, to walk through this world in accordance with the values that we hold in our hearts. We begin that process by admitting where we have missed the mark and praying for the strength we need to return to a righteous path.

Because I was angry
Because I didn’t think
Because I was exhausted and on edge
Because I’d been drinking
Because I can be mean
Because I was reckless and selfish
Because I was worried about money
Because my marriage was dead
Because other people were doing it
Because I thought I could get away with it
Because. . .

I did something wrong.

Because I’m in pain
Because I wish I could undo it
Because I hurt him
Because I lost her trust
Because I let them down
Because I was self-destructive
Because I was foolish
Because I’m ashamed
Because that’s not who I am
Because that’s not who I want to be
Because. . .

I want to be forgiven.

God,
bring down my walls of defensiveness and self-righteousness.
Help me to stay in humility.
Please –
give me the strength to do what’s right.

Excerpts from Mishkan HaNefesh: Machzor for the Days of Awe © 2015 are under the copyright protection of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and used by permission of the CCAR. All rights reserved.