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What is vidui if it's not self-flagellation and guilt? The Rambam (רמב"ם) reveals that vidui is not the mitzvah (מצוה) of repentance itself, but rather an obligation that kicks in after genuine teshuvah begins. True vidui means commitment to future change, rooted in appreciation for past kindness—the same dynamic found in this week's parsha with vidui ma'aser and vidui bikurim.
Rabbi Zweig explores the true meaning of vidui (confession) by examining both the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s laws of teshuvah and the week's parsha, Ki Savo, which contains two forms of vidui that have nothing to do with confession as commonly understood. The parsha describes vidui ma'aser (declaring fulfillment of tithing obligations every three years) and vidui bikurim (reciting Jewish history when bringing first fruits—the basis of the Pesach (פסח) Haggadah). Both are expressions of appreciation and commitment, not admissions of wrongdoing. The Rambam's formulation reveals crucial insights about repentance. He states there is no mitzvah (מצוה) to repent, only to perform vidui after one has already begun repenting. This seeming contradiction teaches that genuine apology cannot be commanded—it must arise organically from within. The Rambam's double language ('when he repents' and 'repents from his sin') indicates two distinct stages of teshuvah.
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Parshas Ki Savo - vidui ma'aser and vidui bikurim
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