על חטא שחטאנו לפניך בתמהון לבב
“For the sin which we have committed before You with a confused heart.”

QUESTION: In the Tochachah — Admonition — we are told that for violating Torah, “Hashem will strike you with madness and with blindness ubetimhon leivav — confusing of the heart” (Devarim 28:28). What sin does one commit through this?

ANSWER: Faith and belief in Hashem is the basic tenet of our religion. A Jew must believe in Individual Divine Providence and that there is a “Master to this palace.” Nothing occurs by chance or accident. One is not to question why the righteous suffer nor why the wicked are successful. Similarly, to credit the wonders of the world as acts of nature and not the doing of Hashem is heresy.

Skepticism about G‑dliness is a grave iniquity, and it is an evil condition that induces man to sin against Hashem. Since a confused heart leads a person to skepticism about Hashem and his Providence, we ask for forgiveness for sins committed through timhon leivav.

(סדור אוצר התפלות - עיון תפלה)