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What does viddui (confession) really mean — self-flagellation or recognition of indebtedness? Drawing from the parsha's language of me'ilah (betrayal of trust), the shiur shows that viddui means recognizing how much Hashem (ה׳) has done for us and how much we owe Him, not guilt-ridden self-punishment. Christian-style guilt leads to a clean slate and license to sin again; Jewish viddui leads to obligation and changed behavior.
Rabbi Zweig opens by explaining that the Hebrew word "viddui" comes from the same root as "hoda'ah," which has three distinct meanings: confession, thanksgiving (as in "modeh ani"), and legal admission of debt ("hoda'as baal din"). This linguistic connection reveals the Torah (תורה)'s conception of confession as fundamentally different from the Christian model of self-flagellation and guilt. The shiur contrasts two models of confession. The Christian model treats sin as worthlessness requiring punishment; after sufficient self-flagellation, the person feels cleansed and paradoxically gains license to sin again, having "paid the price." The Jewish model treats sin as "asham" — indebtedness. The focus shifts from "I am worthless" to "I owe you" — from self-absorption to recognition of an injured party.
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Ki Savo (Vayikra parallel: confession after robbery)
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