Editing Aveirah (section)

== The Atonement ==
In the time of the Beis Hamikdash, one needed to bring a korban (sacrifice) to atone for the aveirah, and for certain very severe aveiros, there was a death penalty administered by a court of 71 chachamim (sages). But after the destruction, the Men of the Great Assembly instituted prayer as a substitute for sacrifices, as it is written, "Let our lips substitute for bulls." And twice a day, in the Shacharis and Maariv prayers, we say Tachanun, in which we ask Hashem for atonement and forgiveness for all the not-good deeds that we do.

The way to atone for aveiros is through "teshuvah," meaning to return to Hashem after the separation caused by the aveirah. The way to do teshuvah consists of two parts:

'''First:''' Sur meira - regret for the past and the decision not to transgress the aveirah that one committed.

'''Second:''' Asei tov - to begin to do and increase in good deeds and mitzvos.