The Tosefta on the High Priest’s Confession

2:1. How does he confess? “Please, God,¹ I have transgressed, I have rebelled, I have sinned before You, I and my family. Please, God, please atone for the transgressions, and for the rebellions, and for the sins that I have transgressed, rebelled, and sinned before You, I and my family. As it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant: for on this day atonement shall be made for you to purify you of all your sins; you shall be purified before the Lord (Leviticus 16:30), and it says: and he shall confess over it all the transgressions [‘avonot] of the children of Israel, and all their rebellions [pish‘ehem], all their sins [ḥat’otam] (Leviticus 16:21).” This is the statement of R. Meir. The sages say: ‘Avonot are the willful sins, pish‘ehem are the rebellions, ḥat’otam are the unwitting sins. Now, once he has confessed the willful sins and the rebellions, should he then go back and confess the unwitting sins? Rather, how does he confess? “Please, God, I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have rebelled before You,” etc. And they respond after him: “Praised be God!” For we thus find that this is the manner of all those who confess: David said: We have sinned with our fathers, we have transgressed, we have dealt wickedly (Psalm 106:6); Solomon said: We have sinned, and have transgressed, and have rebelled (1 Kings 8:47); Daniel said: We have sinned, and have transgressed, and have done wickedly (Daniel 9:5). Why, then, does Moses say: forgiving transgression and rebellion and sin² (Exodus 34:7)? Rather, once he confesses over the willful sins and the rebellions, they become like unwitting sins before God; and this is how he would confess: “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have rebelled before You.” [ . . . ]

4:13. The mitzvah of confession applies on Yom Kippur eve, at nightfall. However, the sages said that a person should confess before he eats and drinks, lest his mind become distracted while eating and drinking. Even though he confessed before he ate and drank, he must confess after eating and drinking, in case some mishap occurred during the meal. And even though he confessed after eating and drinking, he must confess in the evening prayer. And even though he confessed in the evening prayer, he must confess in the morning prayer. And even though he confessed in the morning prayer, he must confess in the additional prayer. And even though he confessed in the additional prayer, he must confess in the afternoon prayer. And even though he confessed in the afternoon prayer, he must confess in the Ne‘ilah [closing] prayer, in case some mishap occurred at any point throughout the whole day.

14. Where does one recite it? After the [Amidah] prayer, and the one who passes before the ark recites it in the fourth blessing. R. Meir says: One prays seven blessings and concludes with the confession; and the sages say: One prays seven blessings, and if he wishes to conclude with the confession, he may do so. One must detail the sin; this is the statement of R. Judah ben Peteira, as it is stated: Please,this people have sinned a great sin (Exodus 32:31). R. Akiva says: It is not necessary. If so, why does it state: and they have made for themselves a god of gold (Exodus 32:31)? Rather, this is what the Omnipresent was saying: Who caused them to make for themselves a god of gold? I did, as I gave them an abundance of gold.

15. Those things a person confessed on the previous Yom Kippur he need not confess again on the next Yom Kippur, unless he violated them again. If he has violated them again, he must confess them. If he did not violate them and yet he confessed them, regarding this it is stated: like a dog returning to its vomit [so is a fool who repeats his folly] (Proverbs 26:11). R. Eliezer ben Jacob says: He is praiseworthy, as it is stated: for I know my transgressions [and my sin is ever before me] (Psalm 51:5).