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Why must we re-confess sins on Yom Kippur even when we haven't repeated them? The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s requirement reveals a fundamental principle: forgiveness is never earned or deserved, but always remains an act of Divine kindness. The Sar Mashkim's repeated mention of his sins to Pharaoh models this attitude—recognizing that being pardoned doesn't mean one merited the pardon.
The shiur opens with an analysis of the Sar Mashkim's statement to Pharaoh: "My sins I remembered today" (Bereishis 41). While the immediate context explains he's apologizing for failing to mention Yosef earlier, a deeper question emerges: why does he refer to his "sins" in plural and bring up Pharaoh's original anger that landed him in jail? That episode was already resolved—why mention it now when discussing Yosef's ability to interpret dreams? This question leads to a fundamental halacha (הלכה) from the Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchos Teshuvah. The Rambam rules that even sins confessed on a previous Yom Kippur must be re-confessed the following year, even if one has remained in a complete state of teshuvah and has not repeated the sin. The Rambam brings the pasuk "Vechata'i negdi tamid"—"and my sin is always before me"—as the source for this requirement. This halacha seems counterintuitive: if someone did proper teshuvah and vidui (confession), and Hashem (ה׳) granted forgiveness, why must the sin be brought up again? The sin was eradicated through the proper process; the person hasn't sinned again; why the need for repeated confession?
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Bereishis 41 (Parshas Mikeitz)
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