It is Elul, and the time is ripe to begin talking about repentance, teshuvah. Our portion, Shoftim, is dedicated to justice. It's interesting that while the worship is to be done in the Temple, according to our previous portion, which said to "be careful not to offer your burst offerings in any place you like, but only in the place where God choses of all your tribes (12:13-14), Justice is to be pursued everywhere: in all your gates, in all your tribes. The place where we strive for justice is, quite literally, where you are.
So to begin our thoughts about teshuvah, and justice, I want to ask you to think about cases in which you think teshuvah, repentance, is impossible - or at least requiring a super-human effort.
התם אפשר בתשובה. ודוקא בעריות שאין בהן ממזרות אבל הבא על אשת איש והוליד ממנה בן או שאר עריות שיש בהן ממזרות זהו מעוות לא יוכל לתקן כדאמר (ביבמות (דף כא)) וא"א בתשובה וה"ר חיים אומר אע"ג שהוא מעוות לא יוכל לתקן מ"מ אפשר בתשובה שצוה לו הקב"ה דלא צוה אלא לעשות לו תשובה אבל גזלן שתשובתו הוא שיחזיר הגזילה כדכתיב והשיב את הגזלה וגו' והיכא דגזל לרבים אינו יודע למי ישיב דאע"ג דאמרי' (ב"ק דף צד:) יעשה בהן צרכי רבים מ"מ לאו תשובה מעלייתא היא:
But here there is no possibility of repentance. And this is said specifically regrading the sexual sins that lead to no mamzer, but one who has intercourse with a married woman and gives birth from her, or from one of the other forbidden close relations, this is "a crooked thing cannot be made straight" (Eccl. 1:15) as it is said (Yevamot 21a) regarding teshuvah 'and behold Rabbi Chayim says that even though what is crooked cannot be made straight it is possible to do teshuvah as commanded by God, Who has commanded him to do teshuvah and sincerely repent, but a robber, whose teshuvah is dependent on returning what was stolen, as it is written "and he returns what he stole, etc." (Lev. 5:23), how can one who stole from the public know exactly from whom he has stolen to return [the property]? And even though it is said 'let him pay with [the stolen goods] the needs of the community' (Baba Kamma 94b) in any instance it is not complete teshuvah.
The Gemara never explains why teshuva is possible for one but not the other. One might even argue the exact opposite. Is teshuva really possible after adultery? One cannot just wipe away the pain inflicted on others, no matter how hard one may try. One might be upset at one who cheats, but surely it is easier to forgive someone for a monetary wrong than for a violation of one’s person—which adultery surely is.
The Tosafists (Bava Batra 88b s.v. hatam), apparently sensitive to this question, do in fact limit the power of teshuva in cases of sexual sins to those cases where one does not create a mamzer. However, should one impregnate a married woman or father a child with a close relative, teshuva would not be possible. One can do teshuva from today until the day one dies, but it will not change the status of the mamzer. In such a scenario, we invoke the verse, “Something that is crooked cannot be straightened, and something that is missing cannot be counted” (Kohelet 1:10); there are some mistakes that just cannot be undone, try as we may (see Mishna Chagigah 1:6-7).
While Tosafot does not say so, presumably such an inability to do teshuva would extend to murder, and most likely murder’s spiritual partners, embarrassing another in public and lashon hara. Even if one retracts his slander, many who heard the original inappropriate words will never hear the retraction. And can that feeling of embarrassment ever be wiped away?
Teshuva, according to this analysis, is a function of the long-term impact of one’s action. The standard formulation of remorse, confession and a commitment to do better in the future can only do so much. Rav Soloveitchik notes that Yom Kippur is a day of judgment both for the living and the dead – the impact of one’s actions today may be felt for hundreds of years to come. This is both a powerfully inspiring[1] and powerfully frightening thought, where man is judged not so much by what type of person he is, but by his impact on others. It is this notion that is the basis for the recital of kaddish, where the parent becomes the inspiration and thus, gets credit for the children faithfully going to shul each and every day.
The Tosafists quote a second view that even in the case where one fathers a mamzer, teshuva is still possible. The Gemara’s claim that one can do teshuva in matters of arayot is universal. It may be true, Tosafot admits, that the results of one’s actions cannot be undone; yet teshuva is not dependent on undoing the results of sin – at least regarding sexual immorality, arayot. It’s too late to undo what has been done, and “all G-d can command” is sincere remorse. The Torah asks no more.
Yet sincere remorse is not enough when dealing with theft. Here, the Torah demands “that he shall return the stolen, that he stole”. Since this is next to impossible, teshuva is not possible. While one can express true remorse if one has violated Shabbat, eaten non-kosher, even spoken lashon hara or created a mamzer, when it comes to monetary wrong, remorse means little if the monies are not returned. Having cheated the public, it is next to impossible to do teshuva.
Why we don’t allow sincere remorse in the case of theft, as we do with fathering a mamzer, is never explained. The fact that it’s next to impossible to find and pay back all those who were cheated should be no worse, and much less of a sin, than bringing a mamzer into this world. After all, a mamzer is forbidden to marry another Jew and is stigmatized and embarrassed for life. For that we should allow teshuva, but not for stealing a few dollars?
One could also argue that while removing the stigma of a mamzer from someone is legally impossible, it is not actually impossible to pay back all those whom one has cheated. It may be very, very hard, but it is not impossible. One would need to examine each transaction, and contact each and every person who may have been cheated. This would be hard, expensive, time consuming, and unlikely to be undertaken. But since it’s theoretically possible, it is required to be undertaken, and thus, unless and until it’s done, teshuva is not possible[2]. When the Gemara claimed that teshuva is not possible for theft, that was a practical comment, not a theoretical one.
Perhaps we can suggest that as awful as adultery is, it is a sin of passion and one that may be the result of one stupid mistake. There are few who would argue that adultery is not a sin (though admittedly, that may not be the case for other Jewish violations of sexual ethics). Having dishonest weights and measures reflects cold, calculated and premeditated sinning on a daily basis. While each individual act may not rival adultery, the cumulative impact on so many makes it worse. Ironically, because the sin is not as great and may involve a minute amount of theft per transaction, one is more likely to justify the sin, or all too often, to claim it is not a sin at all. With such an attitude, teshuva really does become “impossible”.
Teshuva is a great gift from G-d, and G-d alone. A Jewish court cannot acquit someone because they did teshuva, nor can humans ever really know if one has truly attempted teshuva and whether that teshuva was accepted. “My thoughts are not your thoughts” (Yishayahu 55:8); we cannot really know how teshuva truly operates. What we do know is that it is best to act in a way so that the need for teshuva is kept to a minimum.
[1] I am reminded of the comment of the Tiferet Yisrael (19th century) in his commentary to the Mishna, that “beautiful is man, for he was created in the image of G-d” (Avot 3:14). He lists a number of non-Jews who, due to their wonderful contributions to the advancement of society, are to be regarded as the “righteous of the nations of the world.” They include Johannes Gutenberg (printing press), Edward Jenner (smallpox vaccine) and Francis Drake, who brought the potato to Europe, saving millions from hunger. There is no mention of their personal traits. The fact that they did so much good for mankind is enough to earn them a place in the World to Come. It is worth noting (see here) the rabbinic opposition to the invention of the printing press.
[2] While with the meticulous record keeping that is common today, such is possible, I am not certain that, even theoretically, this would have been possible in Talmudic times, when I imagine, record keeping was not as precise.
Source: Rabbi Jay Kelman, CPA, CA
https://torahinmotion.org/discussions-and-blogs/bava-batra-88-sorry-no-teshuva-allowed
(א) אַרְבָעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים דְּבָרִים מְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה. אַרְבָּעָה מֵהֶן עָוֹן גָּדוֹל וְהָעוֹשֶׂה אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַסְפִּיק בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה לְפִי גֹּדֶל חֶטְאוֹ. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. א) הַמַּחְטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים וּבִכְלַל עָוֹן זֶה הַמְעַכֵּב אֶת הָרַבִּים מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה. ב) וְהַמַּטֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה לְרָעָה כְּגוֹן מֵסִית וּמַדִּיחַ. ג) הָרוֹאֶה בְּנוֹ יוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְאֵינוֹ מְמַחֶה בְּיָדוֹ. הוֹאִיל וּבְנוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ אִלּוּ מִחָה בּוֹ הָיָה פּוֹרֵשׁ וְנִמְצָא כְּמַחְטִיאוֹ. וּבִכְלַל עָוֹן זֶה כָּל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לִמְחוֹת בַּאֲחֵרִים בֵּין יָחִיד בֵּין רַבִּים וְלֹא מִחָה אֶלָּא יַנִּיחֵם בְּכִשְׁלוֹנָם. ד) וְהָאוֹמֵר אֶחְטָא וְאָשׁוּב וּבִכְלַל זֶה הָאוֹמֵר אֶחְטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר:
(1) Twenty-four different transgressions withhold the acceptance of repentance, four of these are of great iniquity, and whosoever commits one of them, the Holy One, blessed is He! provides no means for him to repent, measured, of course, with the monstrosity of his sin. They are: (1) he who leads the public to sin, by which is also included one who witholds the public from performing a commandment; (2) he who diverts his neighbor from the good path to an evil one, for instance, a seducer and an enticer; (3) he who beholds his son cultivating bad habits and does not protest against it, for, his son being under his control, probably, by having protested, he could have separated him therefrom, as a consequence whereof it is as if he himself led him to sin; by which is also included the iniquity of every one who has a possibility to protest against others, whether individuals or many, and does not protest against them but leaves them to their stumbling; (4) he who says: "I will sin and repent"; by which is also included one who says: "I will sin and the Day of Atonement will atone".
(ב) וּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הַנּוֹעֲלִים דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה בִּפְנֵי עוֹשֵׂיהֶן. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. א) הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר, לְפִי שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה לֹא יִהְיֶה עִמָּהֶן וְאֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה עִמָּהֶן בִּזְכוּת שֶׁעוֹשִׂין. ב) וְהַחוֹלֵק עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים, לְפִי שֶׁמַּחְלָקְתוֹ גּוֹרֶמֶת לוֹ לִפְרשׁ מֵהֶן וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. ג) וְהַמַּלְעִיג עַל הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְבַּזּוּ בְּעֵינָיו אֵינוֹ רוֹדֵף אַחֲרֵיהֶן וְלֹא עוֹשָׂן וְאִם לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה בַּמֶּה יִזְכֶּה. ד) וְהַמְבַזֶּה רַבּוֹתָיו, שֶׁדָּבָר זֶה גּוֹרֵם לוֹ לְדָחֳפוֹ וּלְטָרְדוֹ כְּגֵיחֲזִי וּבִזְמַן שֶׁנִּטְרָד לֹא יִמְצָא מְלַמֵּד וּמוֹרֶה לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת. ה) וְהַשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא הִנִּיחַ לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ תְּשׁוּבָה. שֶׁהַתּוֹכָחָה גּוֹרֶמֶת לִתְשׁוּבָה שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁמּוֹדִיעִין לוֹ לָאָדָם חֲטָאָיו וּמַכְלִימִין אוֹתוֹ חוֹזֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (דברים ט ז) "זְכֹר (וְ) אַל תִּשְׁכַּח". (דברים ט ז) "מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם". (דברים כט ג) "וְלֹא נָתַן ה' לָכֶם לֵב". (דברים לב ו) "עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם". וְכֵן יְשַׁעְיָהוּ הוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַר (ישעיה א ד) "הוֹי גּוֹי חֹטֵא". (ישעיה א ג) "יָדַע שׁוֹר קֹנֵהוּ". (ישעיה מח ד) "מִדַּעְתִּי כִּי קָשֶׁה אָתָּה". וְכֵן צִוָּהוּ הָאֵל לְהוֹכִיחַ לַחַטָּאִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נח א) "קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל תַּחְשֹׂךְ". וְכֵן כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים הוֹכִיחוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁחָזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיד בְּכָל קָהָל וְקָהָל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חָכָם גָּדוֹל וְזָקֵן וִירֵא שָׁמַיִם מִנְּעוּרָיו וְאָהוּב לָהֶם שֶׁיְּהֵא מוֹכִיחַ לָרַבִּים וּמַחֲזִירָן בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְזֶה שֶּׁשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת אֵינוֹ בָּא לַמּוֹכִיחַ וְלֹא שׁוֹמֵעַ דְּבָרָיו לְפִיכָךְ יַעֲמֹד בְּחַטֹּאתָיו שֶׁהֵם בְּעֵינָיו טוֹבִים:
(2) Among this group of twenty-four are five transgressions which block the way of repentance against the sinners, they are: (1) he who secedes from the community, for he would be absent at the time they repent and could not acquire aught in their virtuous performance; (2) He who opposes the decisions of the sages, for his opposition to them brings about his own separation from them, and he knows not the path leading to repentance; (3) he who disdains the precepts, for as they appear debased to him he does not pursue after them nor perform them, and without performance what virtue can he attain? (4) he who insults his masters, for such conduct brings about his displacement and repudiation, even as it happened to Gehazi2See II. Kings, 4.1G., and being repudiated he will not find a teacher to guide him to the path of truth; (5) He who despises criticism for he, indeed, left no path open for repentance, as it is criticism that begets repentance. Forsooth, when a man is informed that his sins are known, and that he should be ashamed of himself for his wrongdoings, he does repent. For example: it written in the Torah: "Remember, forget thou not, how thou didst make the Lord thy God wroth in the wilderness; from the day that thou didst go forth out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord" (Deut. 9.7), and: "But the Lord hath not given you a heart to know" (Ibid. 29.3), and: "A foolish people and unwise" (Ibid. 32.6); and Isaiah, likewise, rebuked Israel and exclaimed: "Ah sinful nation!" (Is. 1.4) and, "The ox knoweth his owner" (Ibid. –3), and, "Because I knew that thou are obstinate" (Ibid. 48.4). Almighty, too, charged him to rebuke the sinners, saying: "Cry aloud, spare not" (Is. 58. 1). In like manner did all of the prophets criticise Israel until they turned in repentance. It is, therefore, necessary to appoint over each and every community in Israel a great scholar of mature age, God-fearing since his early youth, and loved by them, people, to preach to the public and turn them to repentance. But he who despises criticism does not come to hear the preacher and does not pay attention to his words, he, therefore, holds on to his sins, which to his eyes appear to be good.3Alfasi, Yoma, Chapter 8. 7a. G.
(ג) וּמֵהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ שֶׁיָּשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה לְפִי שֶׁהֵם עֲוֹנוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁחָטָא לוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲזִיר לוֹ אוֹ יִשְׁאַל מִמֶּנּוּ לִמְחל לוֹ. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. א) הַמְקַלֵּל אֶת הָרַבִּים וְלֹא קִלֵּל אָדָם יָדוּעַ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל מִמֶּנּוּ כַּפָּרָה. ב) וְהַחוֹלֵק עִם גַּנָּב, שֶׁלְּפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ גְּנֵבָה זוֹ שֶׁל מִי הִיא אֶלָּא הַגַּנָּב גּוֹנֵב לָרַבִּים וּמֵבִיא לוֹ וְהוּא לוֹקֵחַ. וְעוֹד שֶׁהוּא מַחֲזִיק יַד הַגַּנָּב וּמַחְטִיאוֹ. ג) וְהַמּוֹצֵא אֲבֵדָה וְאֵינוֹ מַכְרִיז עָלֶיהָ עַד שֶׁיַּחֲזִירָהּ לִבְעָלֶיהָ, לְאַחַר זְמַן כְּשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְמִי יַחֲזִיר. ד) וְהָאוֹכֵל שׁוֹר עֲנִיִּים וִיתוֹמִים וְאַלְמָנוֹת. אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם אֻמְלָלִין הֵם וְאֵינָן יְדוּעִים וּמְפֻרְסָמִים וְגוֹלִים מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְאֵין לָהֶם מַכִּיר כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע שׁוֹר זֶה שֶׁל מִי הוּא וְיַחֲזִירֶנּוּ לוֹ. ה) וְהַמְקַבֵּל שֹׁחַד לְהַטּוֹת דִּין אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ עַד הֵיכָן הִגִּיעַ הַטָּיָה זוֹ וְכַמָּה הִיא כֹּחָהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲזִיר, שֶׁהַדָּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ רַגְלַיִם. וְעוֹד שֶׁהוּא מַחֲזִיק יַד זֶה וּמַחְטִיאוֹ:
(3) And, again, there are among this group of twenty-four, five transgressors, each of which, block the path of complete repentance for the one commits it, because they are sins between man and man, and the sinner does not know the neighbor against whom he sinned, to whom to make restitution or of whom to beg forgiveness. They are: (1) he who curses the public and did not curse a single man in particular to whom he might plead for pardon; (2) he who shares spoils with a thief, because he knows not to whom the stolen goods belong, for the thief steals at large and brings it to him and he becomes the fence, thereby adding to the iniquity by upholding the thief and leading him on to further sin; (3) he who finds a lost article and does not advertise it so as to restore it to its owner, thus after a process of time when he would repent he knows not to whom to make restitution; (4) he who partakes of an ox4Alfasi gives the text as Shod, (Spoils) not Shor (Ox). (Ibid). G. which is the property of the poor, the orphans or the widows, for such people are languid, unknown and un-heralded, wandering from city to city without a friend, and he, therefore, would not know to whom such ox belongs if he desired to make restitution; (5) he who takes bribery to pervert justice, for he knows not the extent of the perversion, or what its power is, as such matter has auxiliary factors, and, therefore, could possibly not estimate the amount of restitution; and he, moreover, is supporting the evil hand of the bribe-giver and thereby leads him on to sin.6Ibid. Alfasi. G.
(ד) וּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן אֵין חֶזְקָתוֹ לָשׁוּב מֵהֶן. לְפִי שֶׁהֵם דְּבָרִים קַלִּים בְּעֵינֵי רֹב הָאָדָם וְנִמְצָא חוֹטֵא וְהוּא יְדַמֶּה שֶׁאֵין זֶה חֵטְא. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. א) הָאוֹכֵל מִסְּעֻדָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מַסְפֶּקֶת לִבְעָלֶיהָ שֶׁזֶּה אֲבַק גֵּזֶל הוּא. וְהוּא מְדַמֶּה שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא וְיֹאמַר כְּלוּם אָכַלְתִּי אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ. ב) הַמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹטוֹ שֶׁל עָנִי שֶׁהָעֲבוֹט שֶׁל עָנִי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כְּגוֹן קוֹרְדוֹם וּמַחֲרֵשָׁה וְיֹאמַר בְּלִבּוֹ אֵינָן חֲסֵרִים וַהֲרֵי לֹא גָּזַלְתִּי אוֹתוֹ. ג) הַמִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּעֲרָיוֹת מַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁאֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְכִי בָּעַלְתִּי אוֹ קָרַבְתִּי אֶצְלָהּ. וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁרְאִיַּת הָעֵינַיִם עָוֹן גָּדוֹל שֶׁהִיא גּוֹרֶמֶת לְגוּפָן שֶׁל עֲרָיוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו לט) "וְלֹא תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם". ד) הַמִּתְכַּבֵּד בִּקְלוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֵטְא לְפִי שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ עוֹמֵד שָׁם וְלֹא הִגִּיעַ לוֹ בּשֶׁת וְלֹא בִּיְּשׁוֹ אֶלָּא עָרַךְ מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים וְחָכְמָתוֹ לְמוּל מַעֲשֵׂה חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ חָכְמָתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה מִכְּלָלוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְכֻבָּד וַחֲבֵרוֹ בָּזוּי. ה) וְהַחוֹשֵׁד כְּשֵׁרִים אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֵטְא לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לוֹ וְכִי יֵשׁ שָׁם אֶלָּא חֲשָׁד שֶׁמָּא עָשָׂה אוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁזֶּה עָוֹן שֶׁמֵּשִׂים אָדָם כָּשֵׁר בְּדַעְתּוֹ כְּבַעַל עֲבֵרָה:
(4) And, there are, furthermore, five transgressions among this group of twenty-four, the presumption of one who commits each and every one of them being against his inclination to turn toward repentance, because the majority of people consider them of minor importance, as a consequence whereof one stoops in sin imagining that what he does is no sin at all. They are: (1) he who dines at a table knowing that the meal is of insufficient quantity to satisfy even the appetite of the host, for such is an offshoot of robbery, whereas he imagines, saying: "Have I not eaten with the consent of the host?" (2) he who makes use of a poor man's pledge, for a poor man's pledge is none else save an article such as an axe or plough, whereas he will say in his imagination: "Nothing thereof was diminished, I have not robbed him"; (3) he who wantonly stares at the opposite sex, for he thinks that it is of no matter, saying: "Have I stilled an urge, or even been near her"? whereas he remains oblivious to the fact that purposeful eye-staring is a great iniquity and begets actual unchastity, even as it is said: "And that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes" (Num. 15.39); (4) he who acquires honor by disgracing his neighbor, for he thinks that he committed no sin, as his neighbor stood not by, and did not feel the shame, as he did not insult him personally, save by comparing his own good conduct and his own education against the conduct of his neighbor or his education so that the audience may infer that he is honorable and his neighbor disgraceful; (5) he who casts suspicion upon the upright, for he thinks within his heart that he sinned not, saying to himself: "What have I done to him, is there anything more to it than mere suspicion? perhaps he did it, and perhaps he did it not;" whereas he does realize that this is an iniquity to place an upright man in his mind on the same level with an evil-doer.7Ibid. G.
(ה) וּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם יִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם תָּמִיד וְקָשִׁים הֵם לִפְרשׁ מֵהֶן. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר מֵהֶן שֶׁמָּא יִדְבַּק בָּהֶן וְהֵן כֻּלָּן דֵּעוֹת רָעוֹת עַד מְאֹד. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. רְכִילוּת. וְלָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וּבַעַל חֵמָה. וּבַעַל מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה. וְהַמִּתְחַבֵּר לָרָשָׁע מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא לוֹמֵד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו וְהֵן נִרְשָׁמִים בְּלִבּוֹ. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה (משלי יג כ) "וְרֹעֶה כְסִילִים יֵרוֹעַ". וּכְבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת דְּבָרִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לִנְהֹג בָּהֶן תָּמִיד, קַל וָחֹמֶר לְבַעַל תְּשׁוּבָה:
(5) And among this group of twenty-four there are five such transgressions that whosoever commits them is continuously pursuing them, so that it becomes hard for him to separate himself from them. It is, therefore, necessary for a man to beware of them, lest they become part of his habits, for they are all extremely evil tendencies. They are: (1) talebearer; (2) gossiper; (3) ill temper; (4) bad thoughts; (5) companionship with the wicked, for he learns his conduct and his actions become indited in his heart. Of such Solomon said: "But a companion of fools shall be shattered" (Prov. 13.20). Regarding this, we have already elucidated in the "Treatise of Ethics" how a man of the average should conduct himself, deduct the major from the minor for a penitent.8Ibid. G.
(ו) כָּל אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּעַכְּבִין אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֵין מוֹנְעִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא אִם עָשָׂה אָדָם תְּשׁוּבָה מֵהֶן הֲרֵי זֶה בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה וְיֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
(6) All the enumerated transgressions and their like, though they withold the sinners from turning to repentance they should not be prevented from doing so, for if a man did turn away from these in repentance, lo, he is a penitent, and he will inherit a share in the World to Come.
(א) אבל אם תתכן התשובה מכל חטא אם לא, אומר בתשובת השאלה הזאת כי העונות שני מינים.
(ב) אחד מהם עונות (ס״א עבירות) שבין אדם למקום בלבד ככחש באלהים והמחשבות הרעות והמצפונים הרעים ולאוין שבחובות הלבבות והרבה מחובות האברים אשר לא יחמוס החוטא בהם כי אם נפשו בלבד ואין אשמה עליו אלא להמרותו מצות אלהיו.
(ג) והמין השני עונות (ס״א עבירות) שבין אדם לחבירו והם שיש בהם ענין מעניני הרעה והחמס לבני אדם אם בגופם אם בממונם או בזכרם ומקבץ החוטא חמסו בנפשו בהמרותו את אלהיו עם חמסו ב״א.
(ד) ומה שיהיה מן העונות והחטאים בין האדם לאלהיו בלבד תתכן לו התשובה מהם בעודנו בחיים כשיתעורר לקצורו וישתדל לשוב מעונו אצל בוראו
(ה) ומן הדין עליו שתהיה התשובה מן העון במין שחטא בו אם יוכל שאם יהיה החטא בחובות הלבבות כלב הרע והמחשבה הרעה והנטירה והקנאה והשנאה והדומה לזה, התשובה ממנו ראויה להיות בהטבת הלב ואהבת הטוב לבני אדם והמחילה להם.
(ו) ואם יהיה החטא באבר מאברי הגוף באכילת מה שאסר הבורא אכילתו והבעילות שהזהיר מהם וחלול שבתות ומועדים ושבועות שקר ראוי שתהיה תשובתו ממנו באותו ענין ובאותו מין שהיה חוטא בו עם שתוף הלב בכוונה לאלהים.
(ז) וכל הענין הזה יתכן לאדם בחייו בעוד שהוא מאריך ימים עם בירור כוונתו (ס״א הכרתו) כשהוא מכוין לתשובה ולטהר נפשו מעונו אצל בוראו ובכמוהו אמר החכם (משלי ט) אם חכמת חכמת לך.
(ח) אבל מה שיהיה מן העונות לאלהים ולבני אדם יקשה על האדם התשובה מהם לכמה פנים.
(ט) מהם שלא ימצא העשוק או שימות או שמקומו רחוק
(י) ומהם שיאבד הממון מיד העושק ואין לאל ידו להשיב העושק לבעליו
(יא) ומהם שהעשוק שמא לא ימחול לעושק במה שעשקו מהזיקו בגופו וספרו בגנותו
(יב) ומהם שלא יכיר העושק את העשוק או שלא ידע סך הממון אשר עשק כמו שעשק אנשי קריה או אנשי מדינה ולא הכיר אותם ולא נתברר אצלו מספר הממון שלקח מהם בעול ובחמס
(יג) ומהם שנטבע הממון האסור בכפליו מן המותר ואינו קל להוציא אותו ממנו אלא בהפסד הרבה חלקים מן המותר כמ״ש רבותינו ז״ל גזל מריש ובנאו בבירה בית שמאי אומרים מקעקע כל הבירה כלה ומחזיר מריש לבעליו ובית הלל אומרים אין לו אלא דמי מריש בלבד מפני תקנת השבים.
(יד) וממה שתקשה עוד התשובה ממנו מה שנהג בו האדם עד ששב לו המעשה הרע דבק כהדבק המעשים הטבעיים אשר לא יקל להניחם כמו שכתוב (ירמיה ט) למדו לשונם דבר שקר העוה נלאו ואמר (שם יג) היהפוך כושי עורו ונמר חברברותיו וגו'.
(טו) ומהם שפיכות דמים והריגת הנקיים בין בפגיעה בין בהליכת (ס״א בעלילת) רכילות במו שידעת מענין דואג בעיר הכהנים אשר גרם להרגם ברכילות תחלה ופגע בהם אחר כך כמו שנא׳ (שמואל א כב) ויסוב דואג האדומי ויפגע הוא בכהנים.
(טז) ומהם עוד מי שגורם לאבד ממון חבירו ברכילותו אין עולה לו תשובה עד שירצה את חבירו אם בממון אם בפיוס ובכניעה למחול לו ולנשוא חטאו כמו שכתוב (מיכה ג) ואשר אכלו שאר עמי ועורם מעליהם הפשיטו.
(יז) ומהם מי שבא אל הערוה והוליד ממנה ממזר כי החרפה לא תמוש והשבת המעוות אי אפשר לו (ס״א והשגת הטעות הזאת אי אפשר לה) כמו שאמר (איוב לא) כי היא זמה והוא עון פלילים כי אש היא עד אבדון תאכל ואמר הכתוב (הושע ה) בה׳ בגדו כי בנים זרים ילדו.
(יח) ומהם מי שהרגיל לשונו לכזב ולספר בגנות בני אדם ולדבר בהם ואיננו יכול לעמוד על זה מרובו (ס״א ואינו זוכר כ״ז לרוב ההרגל שהרגיל בו) מפני שאין לו תכלית אצלו וכבר שכח האנשים אשר דבר בם והכל שמור עליו וכתוב בספר עונותיו ובו נאמר (תהלים מא) ואם בא לראות שוא ידבר לבו יקבץ און לו ואמר (שם נ) אם ראית גנב ותרץ עמו ושאר הענין. והנה השוה הלשון הרע עם הגנבה והנאוף ואמר (ירמיה ט) ואיש ברעהו יהתלו.
(יט) וממה שתקשה התשובה ממנו מי שהדיח בני אדם בדת שבדה להם והכריחם להאמין בה ותעה והתעה וכל אשר יוסיף העם המאמינים בה יוסיף עונו ויכפל כמו שארז״ל כל המזכה את הרבים אין חטא בא על ידו וכל המחטיא את הרבים אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה ואמרו ירבעם חטא והחטיא את הרבים חטא הרבים תלוי בו שנאמר (מלכים א טו) על חטאת ירבעם אשר חטא ואשר החטיא וגו'.
(כ) ומשיג במין הזה מי שאפשר לו לצוות בטוב ולהזהיר מן הרע לאנשים תועים ועכבו מזה יחול ממונם או יראתם או בשתו מהוכיח אותם ותעו ולא הורה אותם הדרך הישרה כמ״ש (יחזקאל לג) הוא רשע בעונו ימות ודמו מידך אבקש:
(1) Whether or not repentance is effective for all sins, I will answer this question as follows: Sins are of two categories.
(2) (1) Sins between man and G-d only, such as denying the existence of G-d, bad thoughts, bad interior, transgressing negative commandments which apply to the heart, and many of the commandments on the limbs, where the sinner hurts only himself, and his only sin is to transgress the commandment of G-d.
(3) (2) Sins between man and his fellow, these have matters of oppression and wickedness towards other people, whether to their bodies or to their possessions or to their reputation. The sinner combines two forms of affliction: one, for himself in rebelling against G-d and two in afflicting other people.
(4) The sins which are between man and G-d alone, it is possible to repent on them during the whole of his lifetime, whenever he arouses himself from his lacking, and endeavors to turn away from his sin and repent to the Creator.
(5) It is proper, if possible, that his repentance from the sin, be related to the sin he did. For example, if his sin was in the duties of the heart, such as maintaining a bad heart, evil thoughts, bearing a grudge, jealousy, hatred or the like, the repentance for this, which is proper, consists of cultivating a good heart and good thoughts, love of doing good to others, and forgiving them.
(6) If his sin was in the physical limbs, such as eating what the Creator forbade to eat, or forbidden relations, transgressing the Sabbath or the festivals, false swearing, it is proper for his repentance to refer to the particular sinful act and also to the class the act belongs to, all the while having his intent of heart towards G-d.
(7) All this is possible for a man during his lifetime, if he lives long enough, and only if his intent is to repent and cleanse his soul of its sin before his Creator. Concerning such a penitent, the wise man said: "If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it" (Mishlei 9:12).
(8) But for the sins towards G-d and man, it will be difficult to repent for several reasons:
(9) 1. He may not be able to find the person he oppressed, or the person died or moved far away.
(10) 2. The oppressor lost the money, and he is not able to return it to the oppressed.
(11) 3. Perhaps the oppressed will not forgive him for what he oppressed him or hurt him physically, or spoke badly of him.
(12) 4. The oppressor may not know whom he oppressed, or he does not know the amount of money involved. For example, if he oppressed the people of a city or a province, and he does not know them, and he does not know the amount of money he took from them wrongfully.
(13) 5. The forbidden money was mixed with a much greater amount of permitted money, and he cannot return it without incurring a much greater loss, as our sages said: "One who stole a beam and used it in the building of a palace. Beit Shamai says: 'dismantle the palace and return the beam', Beit Hillel says: 'he can return the value of the beam only, because of the enactment for the penitent' " (Gitin 55a).
(14) 6. That the repentance becomes too difficult for him, such as when a person became accustomed to doing it, until the bad deed stuck to him and became part of his nature, and it will not be easy for him to abandon it, as written: "they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity" (Yirmiya 9:4), and "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then may you also do good, those that are accustomed to doing evil]" (Yirmiya 13:23).
(15) 7. Spilling blood or executing the innocent, whether he killed them directly or whether he caused their deaths through slander, as you know of the matter of Doeg and the city of Kohanim, who caused them to be sentenced to death first through his slander, and later executed them himself, as written: "Then the king said to Doeg, 'You turn around and attack the priests.' And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen priestly ephod" (Shmuel 22:18).
(16) 8. One who causes his fellow to lose money on account of slander, his repentance does not avail until he makes amends with him, whether by paying him or by beseeching him with words and humbling himself before him to forgive him and pardon his wrong, as written: "and those who ate the flesh of My people and did flay the skin from upon them...then they shall cry out to the L-ord, but He will not answer them" (Micha 3:3).
(17) 9. One who had forbidden relations (punishable by Kores) and fathers a mamzer (illegitimate child) - the disgrace will never leave, and the wrong cannot be corrected, as written: "For that is lewdness, and it is iniquity to be punished by the judges; For it is fire; it consumes to destruction" (Iyov 31:11), and "They betrayed the L-ord for they begot strange children" (Hoshea 5:7).
(18) 10. One who habituated his tongue to lie and to speak of the faults of others, and to denigrate them, because he cannot remember all of what he said and all those who he spoke about due to the countless words, and forgetting the people he spoke against. It is all guarded against him and recorded in the book of his sins, on him it is said: "And if he comes to see me, he speaks vanity: his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes abroad, he tells it" (Tehilim 41:7), and "When you saw a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers" (Tehilim 50:18), and the rest of the matter. Behold, the verse equated evil speech with theft and adultery. So too, it is said "they deceive (corrupt) one another and do not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, they commit iniquity until they are weary" (Yirmiya 9:4).
(19) 11. One for who repentance will be extremely hard for him: he who enticed people with a false religion that he invented and influenced them to believe in it. He sinned and caused others to sin, the more people join his false beliefs, the more his sin will be added to and multiplied over, as the sages said: "Whoever leads the masses in the right path will not come to any sin, but whoever leads the masses astray will not be able to repent for all the wrong he commits.. Yeravam ben Nevat, sinned and caused the multitude to sin, and so the sin of the masses is ascribed to him as it is written (I Kings 15:30) 'Because of the sins of Yeravam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit.' " (Avos 5:18)
(20) Included in this last category is one who is capable of bringing others to the good and steer the erring away from evil, but refrains from doing so due to hoping to receive money from them or due to being afraid of them, or being ashamed to rebuke them, and they went off, and he did not teach them the right way, as written: "if you do not speak to warn the wicked, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; and I will hold you accountable for their blood" (Yechezkel 33:8).