1. Regret is a sign that the sin is disgraceful in his eyes, as written: "He who knows will return and regret and leave a blessing behind him" (Yoel 2:14). It is said of one who persists in his sins for a long time: "no man repented himself of his wickedness" (Yirmiyahu 8:6). We ourselves can see in relationships between human beings, that when one who wronged his fellow shows regret for having wronged him, this will be strongest the factor for his fellow's granting him forgiveness.
2. Abandonment (of sin) is a sign of his firm faith in reward and punishment, as written: "The wicked shall give up his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return to the L-ord, who shall have mercy upon him, and to our G-d, for He abundantly pardons" (Yeshaya 55:7). Of one who persists in his [evil] ways for a long time, the prophet says: "For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and smote him, and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart" (Yeshaya 57:17). Similarly we can observe among human beings, that if one has wronged his fellow, and along with expressing regret, ceases to wrong him, then it will be proper to forgive him and overlook the misdeed.
3. Beseeching forgiveness demonstrates submission and humility before G-d, and confession of one's sin is a ground for forgiveness, as written: "he who confesses and renounces them will obtain mercy" (Mishlei 28:13). Regarding the opposite of this, it is said: "[Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me.] Behold, I will contend with you, because you say, I have not sinned" (Yirmiyahu 2:35), and "he that conceals his transgressions will not succeed" (Mishlei 28:13). Similarly we can observe among human beings, that if one wrongs his fellow, and afterwards humbles himself towards him, and admits that he sinned against him and wronged him and beseeches forgiveness from him, and the fellow recognizes that he truly regrets the wrong he committed, the fellow will not refrain from forgiving him and will overlook the wrong-doing, and the grudge in his heart against him will be removed.
4. The resolution not to repeat [the sin] reflects his understanding of the wickedness of his deed and the gravity of his sin, as written "If I have committed iniquity, I will do no more" (Iyov 34:32), and "Assyria shall not save us... nor will we say any longer to the work of our hands, you are our gods" (Hoshea 14:4). Of one who acts in the opposite manner, it is written: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to doing evil" (Yirmiya 13:23). And similarly we can observe among human beings that when one who wronged his fellow takes on himself not to wrong him again, and demonstrates that he regrets and abandons his sin and confesses it, this will complete the grounds which lead to forgiveness and removal of his iniquity, and cancelling the punishment from him.
When the penitent combines these four components along with their conditions, which we will clarify [next chapter], the Creator will forgive the sinner his iniquity, and overlook his transgression. If it is a sin of the type which it is written: "he will not hold him guiltless" (Shmos 20:7), such as a false oath or adultery, the Creator will reduce his punishment in this worldand show him grace in the Olam Haba (afterlife), and he will be included in the group of tzadikim (righteous), as written "And a redeemer shall come to Zion, and to those who repent of transgression in Jacob, says the L-ord" (Yeshaya 59:20), and "If you return, O Israel, says the L-ord, to Me you shall return" (Yirmiya 4:1), and "thus says the L-rd, If you return, then will I bring you again, and you shall stand before Me" (Yirmiya 15:19).
אֲבָל גִּדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה הֵם אַרְבָּעָה.
its essential components
The essential components of repentance are four:
הָרִאשׁוֹן הַחֲרָטָה עַל מָה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת.
1. That he should regret the past sins he committed.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיַּעַזְבֵם וְיָסוּר מֵהֶם.
2. That he abandon and turn away from them.
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁיִּתְוַדֶּה בָּהֶם וִיבַקֵּשׁ הַמְּחִילָה עֲלֵיהֶם.
3. That he confess them and beseech forgiveness for having committed them.
וְהָרְבִיעִי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עַל נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּב לַעֲשׂוֹתָם בְּלִבּוֹ וּבְמַצְפּוּנוֹ.
4. That he take on himself with heart and soul not to repeat them.
וְהַחֲרָטָה אוֹת עַל גְּנוּת מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בְּעֵינָיו כמ״ש (שם) מִי יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב וְנִחָם וְהִשְׁאִיר אַחֲרָיו בְּרָכָה, וְאָמַר בְּמִי שֶׁהִתְמִיד עַל חֲטָאָיו (ירמיה ח) אֵין אִישׁ נִחָם עַל רָעָתוֹ וַאֲנַחְנוּ רוֹאִים כָּזֶה בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּשֶׁמַּרְאֶה הַחוֹטֵא לַחֲבֵרוֹ הַחֲרָטָה עַל מָה שֶׁחָטָא לוֹ הוּא הַסִּבָּה הַחֲזָקָה לִמְחֹל לוֹ.
1. Regret is a sign that the sin is disgraceful in his eyes, as written: "He who knows will return and regret and leave a blessing behind him" (Yoel 2:14). It is said of one who persists in his sins for a long time: "no man repented himself of his wickedness" (Yirmiyahu 8:6). We ourselves can see in relationships between human beings, that when one who wronged his fellow shows regret for having wronged him, this will be strongest the factor for his fellow's granting him forgiveness.
וְהָעֲזִיבָה אוֹת עַל בֵּרוּר אֱמוּנָתוֹ בַּגְּמוּל וּבָעֹנֶשׁ כמ״ש (ישעיהו נ״ה:ז׳) יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמַר בְּמִי שֶׁהִתְמִיד עַל חֲטָאָיו (שם מ) בַּעֲוֹן בִּצְעוֹ קָצַפְתִּי וְאַכֵּהוּ וְגוֹ׳. וּכְמוֹ זֶה נִרְאֶה בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִמָּנַע הַמֵּרֵעַ לַחֲבֵרוֹ מֵהָרַע אֵלָיו אַחַר הַחֲרָטָה אָז יִהְיֶה רָאוּי לִמְחֹל לוֹ וְלַעֲבֹר עַל פִּשְׁעוֹ.
2. Abandonment (of sin) is a sign of his firm faith in reward and punishment, as written: "The wicked shall give up his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return to the L-ord, who shall have mercy upon him, and to our G-d, for He abundantly pardons" (Yeshaya 55:7). Of one who persists in his [evil] ways for a long time, the prophet says: "For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and smote him, and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart" (Yeshaya 57:17). Similarly we can observe among human beings, that if one has wronged his fellow, and along with expressing regret, ceases to wrong him, then it will be proper to forgive him and overlook the misdeed.
וּבַקָּשַׁת הַמְּחִילָה אוֹת עַל כְּנִיעָתוֹ וְשִׁפְלוּתוֹ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִתְוַדֹּתוֹ בַּעֲוֹנוֹ סִבַּת הַמְּחִילָה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כח) וּמוֹדֶה וְעוֹזֵב יְרֻחָם וְאָמַר בְּהֶפֶךְ זֶה (ירמיה ב) הִנְנִי נִשְׁפָּט אוֹתָךְ עַל אָמְרֵךְ לֹא חָטָאתִי וְאָמַר (משלי כח) מְכַסֶּה פְשָׁעָיו לֹא יַצְלִיחַ, וְכָזֶה נִרְאֶה בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם כִּי הַחוֹטֵא לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּשֶׁיִּכָּנַע לוֹ וְיוֹדֶה שֶׁחָטָא לוֹ וְהֵרַע אֵלָיו וּבִקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ הַמְּחִילָה וְהִכִּיר חֲבֵרוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁהוּא מִתְחָרֵט עַל מָה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ מִן הַחֵטְא לֹא יִתְעַכֵּב מִלִּמְחֹל לוֹ וּמֵעֲבֹר עַל פִּשְׁעוֹ וְיָסִיר מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ מִן הַנְּטִירָה.
3. Beseeching forgiveness demonstrates submission and humility before G-d, and confession of one's sin is a ground for forgiveness, as written: "he who confesses and renounces them will obtain mercy" (Mishlei 28:13). Regarding the opposite of this, it is said: "[Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me.] Behold, I will contend with you, because you say, I have not sinned" (Yirmiyahu 2:35), and "he that conceals his transgressions will not succeed" (Mishlei 28:13). Similarly we can observe among human beings, that if one wrongs his fellow, and afterwards humbles himself towards him, and admits that he sinned against him and wronged him and beseeches forgiveness from him, and the fellow recognizes that he truly regrets the wrong he committed, the fellow will not refrain from forgiving him and will overlook the wrong-doing, and the grudge in his heart against him will be removed.
אֲבָל הַקַּבָּלָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנֶה אוֹת עַל יְדִיעָתוֹ בְּרֹעַ מַעֲשֵׂהוּ וְגֹדֶל חֶטְאוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב לד) אִם עָוֶל פָּעַלְתִּי לֹא אֹסִיף וְנֶאֱמַר (הושע יד) אַשּׁוּר לֹא יוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְגוֹ׳ וְנֶאֱמַר בְּהֶפְכּוֹ (ירמיה יג) הֲיַהֲפֹךְ כּוּשִׁי עוֹרוֹ וְנָמֵר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָיו וְגוֹ׳. וּכְמוֹ זֶה נִרְאֶה בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּשֶׁיְּקַבֵּל הַחוֹטֵא לַחֲבֵרוֹ עַל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנֶה לְהָרַע לוֹ וְיַרְאֶה הַחֲרָטָה וְהָעֲזִיבָה וְיִתְוַדֶּה יִהְיֶה זֶה גְּמַר סִבּוֹת הַמְּחִילָה לוֹ וְהָסֵר הָאַשְׁמָה מִמֶּנּוּ וּדְחוֹת הָעֹנֶשׁ מֵעָלָיו.
4. The resolution not to repeat [the sin] reflects his understanding of the wickedness of his deed and the gravity of his sin, as written "If I have committed iniquity, I will do no more" (Iyov 34:32), and "Assyria shall not save us... nor will we say any longer to the work of our hands, you are our gods" (Hoshea 14:4). Of one who acts in the opposite manner, it is written: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to doing evil" (Yirmiya 13:23). And similarly we can observe among human beings that when one who wronged his fellow takes on himself not to wrong him again, and demonstrates that he regrets and abandons his sin and confesses it, this will complete the grounds which lead to forgiveness and removal of his iniquity, and cancelling the punishment from him.
וּכְשֶׁיִּתְקַבְּצוּ בַּשָּׁב אֵלּוּ הָאַרְבָּעָה גְּדָרִים בִּתְנָאֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנוּ עֲתִידִים לְבָאֲרָם יְכַפֵּר לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא עֲוֹנוֹ וְיַעֲבִיר עַל פִּשְׁעוֹ, וְאִם יִהְיֶה הֶעָוֹן מִמָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (שמות כ) לֹא יְנַקֶּה כִּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וְאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ מֵקֵל הַבּוֹרֵא עָנְשׁוֹ בעוה״ז וּמֵטִיב לוֹ בעוה״ב וְיִכָּנֵס בְּכַת הַצַּדִּיקִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נט) וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (ירמיה ד) אִם תָּשׁוּב יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה׳ אֵלַי תָּשׁוּב וְאָמַר (שם טו) אִם תָּשׁוּב וַאֲשִׁיבְךָ לְפָנַי תַּעֲמֹד:
When the penitent combines these four components along with their conditions, which we will clarify [next chapter], the Creator will forgive the sinner his iniquity, and overlook his transgression. If it is a sin of the type which it is written: "he will not hold him guiltless" (Shmos 20:7), such as a false oath or adultery, the Creator will reduce his punishment in this worldand show him grace in the Olam Haba (afterlife), and he will be included in the group of tzadikim (righteous), as written "And a redeemer shall come to Zion, and to those who repent of transgression in Jacob, says the L-ord" (Yeshaya 59:20), and "If you return, O Israel, says the L-ord, to Me you shall return" (Yirmiya 4:1), and "thus says the L-rd, If you return, then will I bring you again, and you shall stand before Me" (Yirmiya 15:19).