Atonement in Judaism - in Rabbinic Judaism

In Rabbinic Judaism

In Rabbinic Judaism, atonement is achieved through some combination of

• repentance
• Temple service (e.g. bringing a sacrifice, now not possible)
• confession
• restitution
• the occurrence of Yom Kippur (the day itself, as distinct from the Temple service performed on it)
• tribulations (unpleasant life experiences)
• the carrying out of a sentence of lashes or execution imposed by an ordained court (not now in existence)
• the experience of dying.

Which of these are required varies according to the severity of the sin, whether it was done willfully, in error, or under duress, whether it was against God alone or also against a fellow person, and whether the Temple service and ordained law courts are in existence or not. Repentance is needed in all cases of willful sin, and restitution is always required in the case of sin against a fellow person, unless the wronged party waives it.

The following table, based on Maimonides (Hil. Teshuva 1:1-4), gives an outline of the requirements for atonement in sins between man and God:

The sentence of an ordained court (when available) can also substitute for Yom Kippur + tribulations + dying. It is important to note that once a person has repented, he can be close to and beloved of God, even if his atonement is not yet complete (ibid. 7:7).