Viduy: Why We Confess in Plural

Why do we say we have sinned rather than I have sinned? One of the most distinctive features of the Yom Kippur confession (Viduy) is that it is written entirely in the plural. We have been guilty. We have betrayed. We have stolen. Even if you personally have not committed a particular sin on the list, you recite it along with everyone else. This is not a mistake or an oversight. It is one of the most profound ideas in Jewish thought.

The Two Confessions

The Yom Kippur liturgy contains two main confessions, recited multiple times throughout the day.

Ashamnu is the shorter confession, an alphabetical list of sins expressed in single words or short phrases. Ashamnu, bagadnu, gazalnu: We have been guilty, we have betrayed, we have stolen. It continues through the Hebrew alphabet, covering a wide range of human failings in concise, powerful language. The alphabetical structure ensures completeness: no category of sin is left unaddressed.

Al Chet is the longer, more detailed confession. It lists specific sins in pairs, organized by category: sins committed through speech, through action, through thought, in business dealings, in relationships, and more. Each line begins with Al chet shechatanu lefanecha, For the sin that we have sinned before You. The breadth of the Al Chet list is remarkable, covering everything from dishonesty in business to judging others unfavorably to hardening the heart.

Why Plural?

The use of the plural is rooted in one of Judaism's most important principles: kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, all of Israel is responsible for one another. Jewish tradition teaches that the Jewish people form a single spiritual organism. When one person sins, it affects the entire community. When one person does good, it elevates everyone.

By confessing in the plural, we express several things. First, communal responsibility: even if I did not personally commit a specific sin, I am part of a community in which that sin exists. Perhaps I could have done more to prevent it. Perhaps my silence or inaction contributed to an environment where such behavior could occur. Second, humility: confessing in the plural prevents the arrogance of thinking I am better than others. We stand before God together, acknowledging that none of us is perfect. Third, solidarity: by sharing in the confession, we lift the burden of shame from individuals. No one has to stand alone with their failures. The community bears the weight together. Fourth, privacy: the plural form protects individuals from having to publicly confess specific sins. Everyone says the same words, regardless of which sins are personally relevant.

How Many Times Do We Confess?

The Viduy is recited ten times over the course of Yom Kippur: once during the afternoon Mincha service before Yom Kippur begins, and then during each of the five Yom Kippur prayer services (Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and Neilah), both in the silent Amidah and in the repetition. The repetition is significant because the same confession gains different meaning at different points in the day. The Viduy said at the beginning of Yom Kippur, when you are well-fed and comfortable, feels different from the Viduy said during Neilah, after 24 hours of fasting, when your defenses are down and your heart is open.

The Art of Confession

Viduy is not meant to be a rote recitation. The Sages encourage us to pause at the sins that are personally relevant and to feel genuine remorse. Some people gently tap their chest over their heart with a closed fist as each sin is mentioned, a physical gesture that connects the words to the body and to genuine feeling.

Effective confession involves three elements: recognition (acknowledging the sin), remorse (feeling genuine regret), and resolution (committing to change). Simply saying the words without any internal engagement misses the point. The purpose of Viduy is not to make you feel bad but to make you honest, and from that honesty, to enable real change.

Personal Confession

While the communal Viduy is recited in the plural, Jewish tradition also encourages personal, private confession. During the silent Amidah, you can add your own specific confessions in your own words. This is the place for the very personal, individual reckoning that the communal confession deliberately avoids. Many people find this private moment the most meaningful part of their Yom Kippur experience.

The Power of Words

There is something transformative about saying sins out loud, even in the context of a communal recitation. Psychologically, articulating a failing makes it real in a way that mere thought does not. It takes the vague sense of I could do better and turns it into a specific, named reality. This is the first step of genuine change: naming what needs to change.

Jewish tradition understands the power of speech. Words create reality. God created the world through speech. By using our power of speech to confess, we begin the process of dismantling the negative patterns and creating new, healthier ones.

For more on Yom Kippur, see our guides to preparing for the fast, the five afflictions, and Neilah.