An essential part of repentance
is that one feel remorse for his past failings and sincerely resolve to
improve. Thus the penitent begins by begging God to look favorably upon his
good intentions and to accept the prayers, confession, and pledges of his lips
in place of, and as more worthy than, fatted bulls as offerings, which may look
superficially impressive but are lacking in inner context. (The Artscroll
English Tanach, Stone Edition: The Jewish Bible with Insights from Classical
Rabbinic Thought [New York: Artscroll Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 2011],
868)
