Transformation through Reconciliation, Prayer and T’zedakah: The Unetaneh Tokef in a Time of Pandemic ELUL + @ Temple Beth Am

(44)
But T'Shuvah, T'fillah, and Tz'dakah have the power to transform the harshness of our destiny.

(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it...

Neither repentance nor the Day of Atonement atone for any save for sins committed between man and God, for instance, one who ate forbidden food, or had forbidden coition and the like; but sins between man and man, for instance, one injures his neighbor, or curses his neighbor or plunders him, or offends him in like matters, is not ever absolved unless he makes restitution of what he owes and begs the forgiveness of his neighbor. And, although he make restitution of the monetory debt, he is obliged to pacify him and to beg his forgiveness. Even he offended not his neighbor in aught save in words, he is obliged to appease him and implore him till he be forgiven by him. If his neighbor refuses a committee of three friends to forgive him, he should bring to implore and beg of him; if he still refuses he should bring a second, even a third committee, and if he remains obstinate, he may leave him to himself and pass on, for the sin then rests upon him who refuses forgiveness. But if it happened to be his master, he should go and come to him for forgiveness even a thousand times till he does forgive him.

When the (public) prayers begin (on a fast day) we assign as to lead the community in prayer one who is an elder, well versed in the prayers, who has children, and whose house is empty (of food), so that the leader's heart is fully engaged by the prayers…

(2) Behold, I stand here... Accept my prayer as the prayer of one who is mature and experienced [in prayer], and as one who is respected, whose beard is full-grown, whose voice is pleasant, and whose awareness is connected with all people.

§ In connection with the previous discussion concerning charity distribution, the Gemara cites a baraita in which the Sages taught: Money for the charity fund is collected by two people and distributed by three people. It is collected by two people because one does not appoint an authority over the community composed of fewer than two people. And it is distributed by three people, like the number of judges needed in cases of monetary law, since the distributors determine who receives money and who does not, as well as how much each person receives.