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MUST ONE PUBLICIZE ONE’S SINS?

In the previous section, we saw that with regard to many types of sins, one must ask for forgiveness from the person who
was wronged. The Gemara and commentaries also discuss whether an obligation ever exists to publicize one’s sins in order
to receive atonement.

ב דומע ופ ףד אמוי תכסמ ,ילבב דומלת . 14
!חילצי אל ויעשפ הסכמ )חכ ילשמ( ביתכו האטח יוסכ עשפ יושנ ירשא )בל םילהת( ביתכ ,ימר בר :הדוהי בר רמא
תוריבעב - ןאכ :ןמחנ בר רמא היבוט רב ארטוז בר .םסרופמ וניאש אטחב - אה ,םסרופמ אטחב אה :אישק אל
.םוקמל םדא ןיבש תוריבעב - ןאכ ,וריבחל םדא ןיבש
Masechet Yoma 86b
Rav Yehuda said that Rav raised a contradiction: It is written: “Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is hidden” (Tehillim 32:1), implying that it is inappropriate for one to reveal his sins, and it is written:
“He who hides his transgressions shall not prosper” (Mishlei 28:13). This is not difficult. Here it is referring to
a publicized sin; there, it is referring to a sin that is not publicized. Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav Nachman
said: Here, it is referring to sins a person commits against another; he must publicize his repentance so that
those who hear him may persuade the other to forgive him. There, it is referring to sins a person commits against
God, in which case he need not repent publicly.

Although this Gemara gives two possibilities of how to resolve the contradiction, the Rambam only cites one of them as
halacha.

ה הכלה ב קרפ הבושת תוכלה ,ם”במר . 15
םנמא םהל רמואו םירחאל וריבח ןיבל וניבש תוריבע הלגמו םהל ויעשפ עידויו םיברב הדותיש בשל לודג חבשו
ןיא ויעשפ הסכמ אלא עידומ וניאו האגתמה לכו ,םחנתמו בש םויה ינירהו ךכו ךכ ול יתישעו ינולפל יתאטח
תוריבעב לבא וריבחל םדא ןיבש תוריבעב םירומא םירבד המב ,חילצי אל ויעשפ הסכמ רמאנש הרומג ותבושת
ויאטח טרופו אוה ךורב לאה ינפל בש אלא ,םליג םא ול איה םינפ תוזעו ומצע םסרפל ךירצ וניא םוקמל םדא ןיבש
.האטח יוסכ עשפ יושנ ירשא רמאנש ונוע הלגתנ אלש ול איה הבוטו םתס םיבר ינפל םהילע הדותמו וינפל
Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva 2:5
The penitent who confesses in public is praiseworthy, and he should inform them about his iniquities, and reveal
the sins between himself and his neighbor to others, saying to them: “Although I have sinned against that man,
and I have done such and such to him, but today I am repenting and remorseful.” But anyone who is arrogant
and does not reveal, but covers up his sins, his repentance is not complete, as it is stated: “He that conceals
his sins shall not prosper” (Mishlei 28:13). But that is said only concerning sins between man and man, but
concerning sins between man and God, the penitent need not publicize them, and [on the contrary] it would
be impudent of him to reveal them. Rather, he should repent before God, blessed is He, and he should detail his
sins before Him, and then make a public confession upon them in an unspecified manner [e.g., “I have sinned”].
And it is for his own good that his sins are not revealed, as it is stated: “Blessed is he whose transgression is
forgiven, whose sin is covered (Tehillim 32:1).

ןנברמ אברוצ רופיכ םוי תוכלה · 65