Siman 338

Even though we distance ourselves from causing the ill person distress, and for this reason we wrote in siman 335, section 10, that one does not mention the matter of confession to him, nevertheless, our sages, of blessed memory, commanded us (Shabbat 32a) that if they see that he is leaning toward death – they tell him to say the confession. And even though perhaps he will be distressed by this, nevertheless, it is impossible for him to die without confession, as this is a great principle and a merit for the soul to bring it to the life of the World to Come. And the proof: for all those executed by the death of the beit din confess before their death, even though we are not as concerned for their benefit, and all the more so for an ordinary Israelite. And behold, Achan, who trespassed against the ban, and through him many of Israel fell, and despite all this, Joshua said to him, "give thanks," meaning: confess yourself, and through this you come to the life of the World to Come.

Therefore, we are obligated to tell him to confess. And in everything we can do to put his mind at ease—the obligation is upon us to put his mind at ease. And thus we say to him: "Do not fear the confession! For many have confessed and did not die, and many who did not confess died. And everyone who confesses has a portion in the World to Come." And if he is so weak that he cannot confess with his mouth—he should confess in his heart. And if he knows how to confess, to say "Ashamnu" and "Al Chet" and the like—all the better. And if he does not know how to confess, we say to him: "Say: May my death be an atonement for all my iniquities." And this is a short confession. And we do not say these things to him in the presence of the unlearned, nor in the presence of women, nor in the presence of children, lest they cry and break his heart. And it is certainly a transgression to cry in his presence and cause him distress, and one must drive out the women and the children when they cry while the sick person is still alive.

The main thing is to ensure that he says the vidui while he is still of sound mind, for when he is not of sound mind—it is nothing. And the vidui is a great principle, as we derive in the Sifrei: "And that soul shall be guilty and they shall confess"—this is a paradigm for all the dying, that they require vidui, see there. And the short version of "may my death be an atonement for all my iniquities" is in the Mishnah in Sanhedrin (Sanhedrin 43b). And there is a book composed by one of the great ones named "Ma'avar Yabbok" which is established upon the recitations of the sick person and the verses that they say over him. And there are places where those standing over him act according to what he wrote there.

And our early teachers wrote that they have a tradition from the pious and men of deed, that the essence of the confession of the deathbed patient is thus, that he should say: "I acknowledge before You, Hashem my G-d and G-d of my fathers, that my healing and my death are in Your hand. May it be Your will before You that You heal me with a complete healing. And if I die – may my death be an atonement for all the sins, iniquities, and transgressions that I have sinned, and that I have committed iniquity, and that I have transgressed before You. And grant my portion in Gan Eden. And merit me to the World to Come that is hidden for the righteous." Thus far his words. And it is obvious that if he wishes to extend even further – even like the confession of Yom Kippur – the permission is in his hand.