The Hebrew term for repentance emphasized during the Rosh Hashanah season is teshuvah.
Teshuvah literally suggests “return”—a return to proper moral and spiritual alignment. In Jewish thought, it is more than feeling sorry: it involves recognizing wrongdoing, regretting it, confessing where appropriate, making amends, and resolving to change one’s behavior. The process is especially associated with the period from Elul through the Ten Days of Repentance, which begin with Rosh Hashanah and end with Yom Kippur.
Teshuvah is often confused with related Hebrew concepts. Kapparah means atonement, selichah refers to forgiveness, and tzedakah means charity or righteous giving. These may all appear in the High Holy Day season, but they are not synonyms for repentance. Classical Jewish teaching also stresses that harm done to another person requires seeking that person’s forgiveness, not only praying for divine forgiveness.