Welcome to Embrace Shabbat.
The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (119b) teaches:
כׇּל הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְאוֹמֵר ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״, שְׁנֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת הַמְלַוִּין לוֹ לָאָדָם מַנִּיחִין יְדֵיהֶן עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ ״וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר״
Anyone who prays on Erev Shabbat and recites ״,וַיְכוּלּוּ״ the two angels who accompany the person place their hands on his head and say to him: “Your iniquity (עון) has passed and your sin (חטא) has been atoned.”
עון refers to sins that a person did on purpose and חטא refers to the sins that a person did accidentally. When one recites ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״ in Kiddush on Friday night, their purposeful and accidental sins are removed. The obvious question is: what is the connection between saying ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״ in Kiddush on Friday night and one’s sins being atoned?
The Iyun Yaakov, the commentary on the Ein Yaakov, cites a number of explanations:
- The Kol Bo (chapter 35) teaches that if a person has evidence that he can use as testimony but refuses to give the information in court, he is subject to punishment, as the passuk teaches: אִם־ל֥וֹא יַגִּ֖יד וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲוֺנֽוֹ, if he does not give information, then he is subject to punishment (Vayikra 5:1).
Accordingly, the Jewish people have knowledge that G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh and if they refuse to publicize this testimony, they are branded as sinners. Conversely, if they do promulgate this testimony, their sins will be forgiven. (In fact, some have the custom to recite וַיְכוּלּוּ in pairs, in accordance with the concept that two witnesses are needed to testify in court.) When a person recites Kiddush, they testify to the fact that G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.
- When one testifies that G-d created the world, they will be naturally inclined to do Teshuva, and therefore their sins will be forgiven.
- Due to the rule of מלך שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול, a king who relinquishes the honor due to him, his honor is not relinquished, G-d should not be able to forgive the sins of the Jewish people. A king cannot give up on his honor because it is not up to him to forgive; the entire country will fall apart.
However, Gemara Kiddushin teaches that HaKadosh Baruch Hu owns the entire world, and therefore He can forgo His honor. Yet, the only way that a person can take advantage and tap into this power is if he believes in G-d’s control over the entire world. By reciting Kiddush on Friday night, a person testifies to the fact that G-d created the world and can do anything He wants, and that “empowers G-d” to forgo His honor. By reciting ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״, one’s sins are forgiven.
- If not for Shabbat, a person would continue to work, benefit, and profit throughout the weekend. However, because of the commandment of Shabbat, he stops himself. כל המעביר על מידותיו, מעבירין לו על כל פשעיו, one who goes against his middot, [G-d] overlooks all of his sins. When a person stops working on Friday afternoon, cuts his business short, and goes against his nature, his sins are forgiven.
- The Sefer Eitz Yosef asks: why does it say וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ, your purposeful sins were removed [in the past], וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר, and your accidental sins will be atoned [in the future]?
The Rabbis teach that G-d protects a tzaddik. Therefore, when a person sins accidentally, it is because his soul was previously tainted from prior deliberate sins.
It is very hard to protect oneself from sinning Shabbat- there are so many opportunities for Chilul Shabbat! The angels come to reassure a person that when they recited ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״ on Erev Shabbat, they were purified from all of the purposeful sins that they committed.
That, in turn, will ensure that וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר, they will be protected from accident sins in the future. וְסָר עֲוֹנֶך- because your sins b’meizid were removed, וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר, there will be no mistaken sins in the future.
Erev Shabbat is a time of purification, forgiveness and atonement. B’ezrat Hashem, we will be able to tap into this power when reciting Kiddush with kavanah on Friday night, concentrating on the fact that G-d created the world. Every once in a while, a person should take the time to translate Kiddush into English for their family, so that they can understand the power of the words and be proper witnesses, thereby ensuring that their sins will be forgiven.
Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat Shalom.