The Viduy Deathbed Confessional Prayer

I probably should have included this the first time, but I'll include it now. Let me begin by saying I am not Jewish, but I have an abiding respect and affection for the community. Fifteen years ago, I was privileged to be a member of a professional quartet who sang every Friday night Shabbat service at Temple Israel in Bloomfield, Michigan. Great gig, professionally and spiritually, for this Catholic woman.

This is also a disclaimer. Because I do not read Hebrew (I can only read the transliterated version of Hebrew), I may have inadvertently made mistakes. If I have, please forgive me. Any edification you might be able to provide would be welcome. Hebrew is a beautiful language, and I wish only to extol it.

So, here's the very little I know about Hebrew. Hebrew is an iconographic language without vowels. Some transliterated versions include an apostrophe where a vowel might be pronounced, and some include a vowel. The symbols are merely sounds, and again, those sounds can be transliterated in different ways. It is the reason we have multiple spellings of Hanukkah. This also accounts for the fact that the first version of the Viduy begins with "Osham-nu," and the second begins with "Ashamnu." I chose to end Ziva's recitation with "...to'inu, ti'tonu," or "...we have gone astray, we have been led astray."

In a different translation, "ni'atznu" was said to mean "we have angered G-d," which prompted me to name my story. Had I do to do it over, I think I might have gone with "to'inu," or "We Have Been Led Astray," but I still like "We Angered God."

Just for clarity, at the end of words, the plural first-person "nu" means "we have."

ASHAMNU: we have been guilty.

BAGADNU: we have betrayed.

GAZALNU: we have stolen.

DIBARNU DOFI: we have spoken falsely.

HE'EVINU: we have caused others to sin.

V'HIRSHANU: we have caused others to do evil.

ZADNU: we have had evil hearts.

CHAMASNU: we have become violent.

TAFALNU SHEQER: we have attached lies.

YA'ATZNU RA: we have advised evil.

KIZAVNU: we have lied.

LATZNU: we have scoffed.

MARADNU: we have rebelled.

NI'ATZNU: we have been scornful.

SARARNU: we have been disobedient.

AVINU: we have been perverse, that is, intentionally doing a sin to fulfill an appetite.

PASHANU: we have transgressed.

TZARARNU: we have persecuted.

KISHINU OREF: we have been stiff-necked.

RASHANU: we have been lawless.

SHICHATNU: we have corrupted

TIAVNU: we have committed abominations.

TAINU: we have gone astray.

TITANU: we have been led astray.