Q&A: Repentance
Repentance
Question
What is the Rabbi's view regarding the following:
1. Fasting, and a fast of speech, in general and as part of repentance in particular
2. Voluntary prayers in general and for repentance in particular — nowadays everyone says that voluntary prayers are forbidden because we cannot concentrate properly, which sounds a bit hard to accept, especially since the source regarding prayer is: "Prayer is mercy, and one may pray in whatever manner one wishes."
3. What may one say in a voluntary prayer and supplications, etc.? For example, may one repeat selichot / supplication prayers / etc. (reuse relevant passages from the prayer book that were designated for specific times and say them)? I would be happy for advice/an idea if you have one. In addition, is there any problem specifically right before Yom Kippur (say, on the eve of Yom Kippur)
reusing, as a voluntary prayer, in addition to personal requests of course, prayers and confessions from Yom Kippur / the eve of Yom Kippur / the afternoon prayer of the eve of Yom Kippur?
Answer
- I didn't understand. What do you mean, what is my view? Is it proper to repent? If the fast helps you with that, then excellent. If not, then there is no point to it.
- I didn't understand the question.
- Again, whatever helps you. You can reuse whatever you want, according to the rules of Jewish law.
Discussion on Answer
I don't understand what is absurd here. You want to repent, so repent. A prayer that you will not concentrate on does not help for anything. If you are sure that you will concentrate, then by all means, pray. But one can also repent without voluntary prayers, so I do not understand this whole strange discussion.
What I'm saying is something very simple. Personally, it helps me a lot to pray a separate prayer, distinct from the daily prayer, and this is part of the repentance process. So now the question is whether I am allowed to pray the Amidah as a voluntary prayer, or whether, since I probably will not manage to concentrate on everything, it is forbidden? After all, my whole purpose is request, supplication, and repentance, and this is part of what will help me.
I also said something very simple. And it is written above.
I'll be brief and ask again, since you didn't answer this: if I want to pray a voluntary prayer (for the reasons I mentioned above) and I am not sure that I will concentrate, am I allowed to?
2. Nowadays they say that it is forbidden to pray voluntary prayers since we do not succeed in concentrating properly. Do you hold that it is really forbidden to pray? After all, part of the reason I want to pray is that it is part of my repentance process, and therefore I am offering a voluntary prayer (of course adding personal things). Saying such a thing feels a bit absurd to me, especially in light of the original rationale regarding prayer, that "prayer is mercy, and one may pray in whatever manner one wishes." So I somewhat feel as though I don't care about these "nonsenses" that say one may not pray a voluntary prayer, because my goal is to repent + to pray to God, and it sounds silly to forbid that.
3. What are the rules of Jewish law on this matter? For example, is it forbidden to say the Thirteen Attributes? This whole concept also sounds bizarre.