Q&A: Asking Forgiveness
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Asking Forgiveness
Question
Rabbi Michi, hello!
Why do we need to ask forgiveness from an entity outside the world, from a transcendent God? How is that better than the soul-searching a person does with the God within him?
Answer
I assume that this request is for our sake, not for His. When a person says something out loud, it gives the matter finality and resolve. So asking forgiveness is nothing more than the finishing touch on one’s soul-searching.