This week on Shabbat Shuva, Parshas Vayeilech, we read from Hoshea, perek 14, as part of the haftarah. These are some of Hoshea the prophet's most famous words as he openly rebukes the Jewish people, telling them to do teshuva, which keeps us on theme during the Aseret Yimei Teshuva between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
The first two pesukim of the haftarah are:
וּשָׁבה ִיְשָׂרֵ֔אל עד יָֹקוה אֹלֶ֑קיָך כּי כַ֖שְׁלָתַּבֲּעוֶֺֽנָך
ק֤חוּ ִעָמֶּכ֙ם דָּבִ֔רים ו֖וּשׁבוֶּאל־ְיָֹקוה אְמ֣רוֵּאָ֗ליו כּל־ִתָּ֤שּׂא עוֺן֙ וַקח־֔טוֹב וְּנַשְׁלָּ֥מה פ֖רים שָׂפֵֽתינוּ
If we focus on the language of these pesukim, the question arises: Why in the first pasuk does Hoshea say "ad Hashem" and in the second pasuk he says "el Hashem"?
Generally, we say there are two kinds of sins: Bein adam l'makom, between us and Hashem, and bein adam l'chaveiro, between us and other people. In order to be forgiven for the first kind of sin, we pray, repent, and cry out to Hashem. But the only way we can be forgiven for the latter kind of sin is to have to ask for forgiveness from the person we wronged.
There is a Mishna in Masechet Yoma 85b which explains that the day of Yom Kippur itself atones for all of our sins bein adam l'makom, but in order for it to atone for our sins bein adam l'chaveiro, we first need to clear the air with the people who we hurt and wronged. Many commentaries analyze the language of the Mishnah to imply that none of our sins, including those between us and Hashem, will be atoned through Yom Kippur until we resolve our sins bein adam l'chaveiro. Every time we sin towards our fellow man, we are also sinning towards Hashem, and Hashem won't forgive us if we haven't been forgiven by our fellow Jews.
The word "ad" is often translated as "to," but can also be understood as "before." So Hoshea's prophecy can mean "shuva Yisrael" – "repent to Israel (our fellow Jews)," "ad Hashem Elokecha" – "Before we repent to Hashem our G-d." We cannot ask for forgiveness from Hashemuntil we have done so from our fellow Jews. The following pasuk then says "kchu imachem devarim" – "take with you words" in order to resolve conflicts and wrongdoings amongst our fellows, and "veshuvu el Hashem," only then can we return and repent to Hashem for the sins we have committed toward Him.
