INTRODUCTION:

In the Sephardi tradition, Selichot is observed every weeknight of the month of Elul. In the Ashkenazi tradition, it takes place the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah. The Selichot service includes singing songs on the theme of teshuvah, asking for forgiveness as we lead into the High Holy Day season. This program invites you to listen to modern music on the themes of apologies and forgiveness and evaluate them for their meaning! 

MATERIALS:

• Comfy seating 
• Beverages and snacks 
• Speakers 
• TV for lyric videos OR printed copies of the song lyrics  

PROGRAM OUTLINE (60+ minutes):

• Get Cozy (3 minutes)  
• Identify Maimonides’ Steps to Teshuvah (7 minutes)  
• Listen and Evaluate (50+ minutes)  

Get Cozy (3 minutes)  

• Grab a drink and some snacks, settle into the couch/onto pillows on the floor. 

Identify Maimonides’ Steps to Teshuvah (7 minutes) 

• Read the below text by 12th century Rabbi and Scholar, Maimonides (Moshe ben Maimon). Then, briefly discuss the questions below until you feel like you have an understanding of his steps to teshuvah. 

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah 2:1-5

רמב״ם משנה תורה הלכות תשובה ב״א-ה

[Who has reached] complete Teshuvah? A person who confronts the same situation in which he sinned when he has the potential to commit [the sin again], and, nevertheless, abstains and does not commit it because of his Teshuvah alone and not because of fear or a lack of strength…  What constitutes Teshuvah? That a sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart, never to commit them again…    Similarly, he must regret the past…[He must reach the level where] He who knows the hidden will testify concerning him that he will never return to this sin again…    He must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart.  Anyone who verbalizes his confession without resolving in his heart to abandon [sin] can be compared to [a person] who immerses himself [in a mikvah] while [holding the carcass of an unkosher] lizard in his hand. His immersion will not be of avail until he casts away the carcass.    Among the paths of repentance is for the penitent to  a) constantly call out before God, crying and pleading;  b) to perform charity according to his potential;  c) to separate himself far from the object of his sin;  d) to change his name, as if to say “I am a different person and not the same one who sinned;”  e) to change his behavior in its entirety to the good and the path of righteousness; and   f) to travel in exile from his home. Exile atones for sin because it causes a person to be submissive, humble, and meek of spirit.

אי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדו דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. לֹא מִיִּרְאָה וְלֹא מִכִּשְׁלוֹן כֹּחַ…    וּמַה הִיא הַתְּשׁוּבָה. הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲזֹב הַחוֹטֵא חֶטְאוֹ וִיסִירוֹ מִמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ וְיִגְמֹר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֵׂהוּ עוֹד    וְכֵן יִתְנַחֵם עַל שֶׁעָבַר…וְיָעִיד עָלָיו יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּב לְזֶה הַחֵטְא לְעוֹלָם…    וְצָרִיךְ לְהִתְוַדּוֹת בִּשְׂפָתָיו וְלוֹמַר עִנְיָנוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁגָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ:..כָּל הַמִּתְוַדֶּה בִּדְבָרִים וְלֹא גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ לַעֲזֹב הֲרֵי זֶה דּוֹמֶה לְטוֹבֵל וְשֶׁרֶץ בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁאֵין הַטְּבִילָה מוֹעֶלֶת לוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיךְ הַשֶּׁרֶץ…    וְצָרִיךְ לִפְרֹט אֶת הַחֵטְא…מִדַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה לִהְיוֹת הַשָּׁב צוֹעֵק תָּמִיד לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם בִּבְכִי וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים וְעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ וּמִתְרַחֵק הַרְבֵּה מִן הַדָּבָר שֶׁחָטָא בּוֹ וּמְשַׁנֶּה שְׁמוֹ כְּלוֹמַר אֲנִי אַחֵר וְאֵינִי אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁעָשָׂה אוֹתָן הַמַּעֲשִׂים וּמְשַׁנֶּה מַעֲשָׂיו כֻּלָּן לְטוֹבָה וּלְדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וְגוֹלֶה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ. שֶׁגָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגּוֹרֶמֶת לוֹ לְהִכָּנַע וְלִהְיוֹת עָנָו  :וּשְׁפַל רוּח

1. What are the necessary elements for complete teshuvah? Can you list them out? 

2. What meaning do you make of these elements? Why might the steps Maimonides outlines be necessary for changing one’s behavior? 

Listen and Evaluate (50+ minutes) 

• Listen to the following playlist: The 25 Greatest Apology Songs (or make your own!).  
• Hand out copies of lyrics or pull them up on YouTube on your TV so everyone can follow along to the words as well as the music.  
• After each song, pause and discuss:  
  • What does this song make you feel? What does it make you think about? 
  • Do the words convey a sense of true apology? 
  • Does the sound of the music itself invite you to think about apologies and forgiveness? 
  • Does this song meet Maimonides’ requirements for complete teshuvah? What elements are present? Which are missing? 
• Take your time through this activity – listen as long as you want, to as many songs as you want!