Repentance and the Day of Atonement atone only for transgressions between man and his Master,¹ for example, one who has eaten something prohibited or has indulged in prohibited cohabitation or the like. But for transgressions between man and his fellowman such as bruising or cursing or robbing and the like, one is never forgiven until he returns the thing that he owes, and appeases the other.² Even though he has returned the money that he owes him, he must appease him and seek his forgiveness,³ and even if he has enraged his friend only with words,⁴ he must pacify him and entreat him until he is forgiven. If his friend refuses and is unwilling to forgive him, he shall bring a group of people who will appeal fervently in his behalf and ask that he be forgiven. If the aggrieved is unwilling to acquiesce to them, he then shall bring a second and third group each consisting of three persons. If he is reconciled fine, if not he takes leave of him ⁵ (the aggrieved). And he who refuses to forgive is a sinner, for a man is prohibited from being so merciless as to be beyond pacification.⁶ ed. Soncino, Numbers, VI, 772. One must rather be difficult to anger and easy to pacify. And in the hour that the sinner seeks forgiveness from him he should forgive with a whole heart and eager spirit. Even if he has tormented him greatly and has sinned grievously, he shall not take vengeance nor bear any grudge.⁷

footnotes: ¹ Maimonides, Hilkhoth Teshuvah, 2:9. ² Yoma 85b. ³ Baba Kamma 92a. ⁴ Yoma 87b. ⁵ Ibid. ⁶ Midrash Rabbah, ⁷ Leviticus 19:18.