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Text Excerpt
ומנין שב״אנא״? נאמר כאן ״כפרה״, ונאמר להלן בחורב ״כפרה״. מה להלן ב״אנא״, אף כאן ב״אנא״. ומנין שב״שם״? נאמר כאן ״כפרה״, ונאמרה בעגלה ערופה ״כפרה״. מה להלן ב״שם״, אף כאן ב״שם״.
And from where is it derived that the confession must begin with the word please? It is stated here: Atonement, and it is stated there, just before Moses’s plea following the sin of the Golden Calf at Horeb: “Perhaps I may secure atonement for your sin” (Exodus 32:30). Just as there, the prayer includes: “Please, this people is guilty of a great sin” (Exodus 32:31), so too here, the term please should be used. And from where is it derived that the Yom Kippur confession includes the name of God? It is stated here: Atonement, and it is stated with regard to the heifer whose neck is broken: “Atone, O God, for Your nation of Israel whom You redeemed, and do not let guilt for the blood of the innocent remain among Your people Israel, and they will be atoned of bloodguilt” (Deuteronomy 21:8). Just as there, with regard to the heifer, the name of God is mentioned, so too here, the name of God is mentioned.
אמר אביי: בשלמא חורב מעגלה ערופה לא יליף — מאי דהוה הוה. אלא עגלה ערופה תיליף מחורב? וכי תימא הכי נמי, והתנן: ״הכהנים אומרים: כפר לעמך ישראל״, ואילו ב״אנא״ לא קא אמר. קשיא.
Abaye said: Granted, the obligation to include the name of God in the confession at Horeb cannot be derived from the heifer whose neck is broken, since what was, was. The sin of the Golden Calf predated the mitzva of the heifer. However, you should derive that the confession in the ritual of the heifer whose neck is broken requires use of the term: Please, from Horeb, where Moses employed that term. And if you say that is so, and the term: Please, should be employed, didn’t we learn in a Mishnah that the priests say: “Atone, O God, for Your nation, Israel” (Deuteronomy 21:8), while the Mishnah does not state the term please. Apparently, the formula of confession during the ritual of the heifer is not derived from Horeb. The Talmud says: It is indeed difficult why that is not derived.