Forgiveness

==== Judaism ====
{{See also|Repentance in Judaism}}
<!-- This section is linked from [[Judaism]] -->

In [[Judaism]], if a person causes harm, but then sincerely and honestly apologizes to the wronged individual and tries to rectify the wrong, the wronged individual is encouraged, but not required, to grant forgiveness:

{{quote|It is forbidden to be obdurate and not allow yourself to be appeased. On the contrary, one should be easily pacified and find it difficult to become angry. When asked by an offender for forgiveness, one should forgive with a sincere mind and a willing spirit&nbsp;... forgiveness is natural to the seed of Israel.|[[Mishneh Torah]], ''[[Teshuvah]]'' 2:10}}

In Judaism, one must go "to those he has harmed" in order to be entitled to forgiveness.<ref name="Yom Kippur">{{cite web | year = 2006 | url = https://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm | title = Yom Kippur | website=Judaism 101|access-date = 2006-04-26 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160823211009/http://www.jfst.se/wp-content/uploads/Luach-2015-2016.pdf | archive-date = 2016-08-23 }}</ref> One who sincerely apologizes three times for a wrong committed against another has fulfilled their obligation to seek forgiveness.<ref>[[Shulchan Aruch]] OC 606:1</ref> This means that in Judaism a person cannot obtain forgiveness from [[God in Judaism|God]] for wrongs they have done to other people. This also means that, unless the victim forgave the perpetrator before he died, [[Thou shalt not kill#Jewish doctrine|murder]] is unforgivable in Judaism, and they will answer to God for it, though the victims' family and friends can forgive the murderer for the grief they caused them. The ''[[Jewish prayer|Tefila]] Zaka'' [[Jewish meditation|meditation]], which is recited just before [[Yom Kippur]], closes with the following:

{{quote|I know that there is no one so righteous that they have not wronged another, financially or physically, through deed or speech. This pains my heart within me, because wrongs between humans and their fellow are not atoned by Yom Kippur, until the wronged one is appeased. Because of this, my heart breaks within me, and my bones tremble; for even the day of death does not atone for such sins. Therefore I prostrate and beg before You, to have mercy on me, and grant me grace, compassion, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all people. For behold, I forgive with a final and resolved forgiveness anyone who has wronged me, whether in person or property, even if they slandered me, or spread falsehoods against me. So I release anyone who has injured me either in person or in property, or has committed any manner of sin that one may commit against another [except for legally enforceable business obligations, and except for someone who has deliberately harmed me with the thought ‘I can harm him because he will forgive me']. Except for these two, I fully and finally forgive everyone; may no one be punished because of me. And just as I forgive everyone, so may You grant me grace in the eyes of others, that they too forgive me absolutely.}}

Thus the "reward" for forgiving others is not God's forgiveness for wrongs done to others, but rather help in obtaining forgiveness from the other person.

Sir [[Jonathan Sacks]], chief rabbi of the [[List of Chief Rabbis of the United Hebrew Congregations|United Hebrew Congregations]] of the Commonwealth, summarized: "it is not that God forgives, while human beings do not. To the contrary, we believe that just as only God can forgive sins against God, so only human beings can forgive sins against human beings."<ref>{{cite web|first=Jonathan|last=Sacks|date=2006-01-07 |url=http://www.chiefrabbi.org/thoughts/vayigash5766.pdf |title=The force of forgiveness|website=Covenant and Conversation |access-date=2009-02-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319205218/http://www.chiefrabbi.org/thoughts/vayigash5766.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-19 }}</ref>

Jews observe a Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, on the day before God makes decisions regarding what will happen during the coming year.<ref name = "Yom Kippur" /> [[Ten Days of Repentance|Just prior]] to Yom Kippur, Jews ask forgiveness of those they have wronged during the prior year (if they have not already done so).<ref name = "Yom Kippur" /> During Yom Kippur itself, Jews [[Ta'anit|fast]] and pray for God's forgiveness for the [[Jewish views on sin|transgressions]] they have made against God in the prior year.<ref name = "Yom Kippur" /> Sincere [[Repentance in Judaism|repentance]] is required, and once again, God can only forgive one for the sins one has committed against God; this is why it is necessary for Jews also to seek the forgiveness of those people who they have wronged.<ref name = "Yom Kippur" />