<html><head><base href="http://www.aishdas.org/asp/"></head><body bgcolor="white" text="black">
<div style="text-align: justify;">Caveat: Most of these entries are extrapolations from something I learned. In this case, the entry is a <span style="font-style: italic;">chidush</span> on top of an earlier <span style="font-style: italic;">chidush</span>.<br /><br />In Mesilas Yesharim, the Ramchal describes the various types of <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'ah</span> (awe / fear). (This is the topic of an <a href="http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2005/05/yirah.shtml">earlier entry</a>.) The first is (1) <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as ha'onesh</span>, fear of punishment. This is in distinction to true <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as shamayim</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Yir'as Shamayim</span> comes in two forms: (2) <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as hacheit</span>, fear of the sin itself and its impact on our relationship with Hashem; and (3) <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as haromemus</span>, awe of the magnitude of Hashem, compared with our limited selves.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Vidui</span>, we ask for three things: <span style="font-style: italic;">selichah</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">mechilah</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">kaparah</span>. According to Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch these are in descending order -- <span style="font-style: italic;">selichah</span> is full repair of the sin, whereas <span style="font-style: italic;">kaparah</span> is the containment of its punishment. I would like to suggest an explanation of the terms consistent with the Avudraham's position that they are an <u>ascending</u> sequence.<br /><br />According to his opinion, <span style="font-style: italic;">selichah</span> is being pardoned from any due punishment.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mechilah</span> is forgiveness. There are no ill feelings remaining from the act.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Kaparah</span> is from the same root as "<span style="font-style: italic;">kapores</span>", the cover of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Aron</span>. It's the containment of the inclination that lead to the sin. This also explains the verse "<span style="font-style: italic;">Ki bayom hazeh yechapeir aleichem litaher eschem mikol chatoseichim, lifnei Hashem tit-haru</span> -- for on this day, it will provide <span style="font-style: italic;">kaparah</span> for you to make you <span style="font-style: italic;">tahor</span>, before Hashem you will become <span style="font-style: italic;">tahor</span>" links kapparah to taharah. <span style="font-style: italic;">Taharah</span>, purity, is freedom from adulterations, negative habits inculcated into the soul. (See my <a href="http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2005/04/tumah-and-taharah-part-ii.shtml">earlier entry on the subject of <span style="font-style: italic;">taharah</span></a>.) <span style="font-style: italic;">Kaparah</span>, then is their containment. Beyond pardon from punishment and restoration of the relationship, but a healing of the very self.<br /><br />These three stages parallel the three types of <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'ah</span> described above. <span style="font-style: italic;">Selichah</span>, pardon from punishment, is a resolution of the sinner's <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as ha'onesh.</span><br /><br />The one with <span style="font-style: italic;">yir'as hacheit</span>, someone who values His relationship with the Creator is concerned with the impact of his actions on that relationship. That concern is resolved through <span style="font-style: italic;">mechilah</span>, a restoration of that relationship.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Kaparah</span> is the containment of personal flaw. A step toward closing that gap between my finite self and the <span style="font-style: italic;">romemus</span>, the greatness of the A-lmighty.<br /></div> <br /><br />--<br><font color="gray" size="2">Posted by micha to <a href="http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2006/10/selach-lanu-mechal-lanu-kaper-lanu.shtml">Aspaqlaria</a> at 10/02/2006 09:14:00 PM</font></body></html>