Al Chet 22

Category: Al Chet (Confession)

Hits: 5618

Exploring the Al Chet Prayer
Rabbi Shraga Simmons

22. For the mistakes we committed before You through denial and false promises.
The mark of a great person is a meticulous commitment to truth -- despite whatever hardships, embarrassment, or financial loss might be involved.

Ask yourself:
Have I lied to myself?
Have I lied to others?
Does my job ever involve having to lie?
Have I rationalized the acceptability of a "white lie?"

Al Chet # 22
44 Roots of Mistakes
by George Brock

The Sin:  The Mistakes we committed before You through denial and false promises.

• Have I lied to myself?
• Have I lied to others?
• Does my job ever involve having to lie?
• Have I rationalized the 'acceptability' of a “white lie”?

The Battle:  Speaking the truth {vs} Lying.

• Lying;  is wanting things to be any other way, than they are at that moment.
• Truth;  is that which is constant and continues forever; it's not passing thought, opinions or expectations.

• Lying or telling the Truth is our approach to life and is what determines how we experience life.
• When one does not face one's weakness; one will react to it and get 'fooled' into believing that lying will overcome one's weakness.

The Victory:  The victory over one's speech comes when- One's words are expressing the kingship of G-d; which is the ultimate goal of 'truth'.

The Goal:  The goal is to remind oneself that one's words are like a 'mirror' that reflects who he is.

• The only reason we lie about something is because we are not content with the truth we have at that moment.
• Lying occurs, when one's expectations are out of sync with reality (truth).
• One's expectations give birth to one's lying.
• Through T'shuvah- One can line up one's expectations with truth and defeat the mistakes we committed before G-d through denial and false promise.

“ The only truth one finds at the top of the mountain- is the Torah that one brings with him”.