(1) Sins between man and G-d only. For example, 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.
(2) Sins between man and his fellow. These have matters of oppression and wickedness towards other people, whether to their bodies, possessions or reputation. In these, the sinner combines two forms of affliction: one, for himself in rebelling against G-d and two in afflicting other people.
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.
If possible, it is proper 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 proper repentance for this consists of cultivating a good heart and good thoughts, love of doing good to others, and forgiving them.
If his sin was in the physical limbs, such as eating what the Creator forbade to eat, forbidden relations, transgressing the Sabbath or the festivals, or false oaths, 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, he should have intent of heart towards G-d.
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).
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 recognize them, and he does not know the amount of money he took from them wrongfully.
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).
6. That the repentance becomes too difficult for him, such as when a person became accustomed to doing it until the bad deed attached 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).
7. Spilling blood or killing 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).
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).
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).
10. One who habituated his tongue to lie and to speak of the faults of others, and to denigrate them. For 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).
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 increase and be 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)
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).
אֲבָל אִם תִּתָּכֵן הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִכָּל חֵטְא אִם לֹא, אוֹמַר בִּתְשׁוּבַת הַשְּׁאֵלָה הַזֹּאת כִּי הָעֲוֹנוֹת שְׁנֵי מִינִים.
repentance on all sins
Whether or not repentance is effective for all sins, I will answer this question as follows: Sins are of two categories.
אֶחָד מֵהֶם עֲוֹנוֹת (ס״א עבירות) שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם בִּלְבַד כְּכַחֵשׁ בֵּאלֹהִים וְהַמַּחְשָׁבוֹת הָרָעוֹת וְהַמַּצְפּוּנִים הָרָעִים וְלָאוִין שֶׁבְּחוֹבוֹת הַלְּבָבוֹת וְהַרְבֵּה מֵחוֹבוֹת הָאֵבָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַחְמֹס הַחוֹטֵא בָּהֶם כִּי אִם נַפְשׁוֹ בִּלְבַד וְאֵין אַשְׁמָה עָלָיו אֶלָּא לְהַמְרוֹתוֹ מִצְוַת אֱלֹהָיו.
(1) Sins between man and G-d only. For example, 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.
וְהַמִּין הַשֵּׁנִי עֲוֹנוֹת (ס״א עבירות) שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְהֵם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם עִנְיָן מֵעִנְיְנֵי הָרָעָה וְהֶחָמָס לִבְנֵי אָדָם אִם בְּגוּפָם אִם בְּמָמוֹנָם אוֹ בְּזִכְרָם וּמְקַבֵּץ הַחוֹטֵא חֲמָסוֹ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּהַמְרוֹתוֹ אֶת אֱלֹהָיו עִם חֲמָסוֹ ב״א.
(2) Sins between man and his fellow. These have matters of oppression and wickedness towards other people, whether to their bodies, possessions or reputation. In these, the sinner combines two forms of affliction: one, for himself in rebelling against G-d and two in afflicting other people.
וּמָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת וְהַחֲטָאִים בֵּין הָאָדָם לֵאלֹהָיו בִּלְבַד תִּתָּכֵן לוֹ הַתְּשׁוּבָה מֵהֶם בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ בַּחַיִּים כְּשֶׁיִּתְעוֹרֵר לְקִצּוּרוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לָשׁוּב מֵעֲוֹנוֹ אֵצֶל בּוֹרְאוֹ.
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.
וּמִן הַדִּין עָלָיו שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִן הֶעָוֹן בַּמִּין שֶׁחָטָא בּוֹ אִם יוּכַל שֶׁאִם יִהְיֶה הַחֵטְא בְּחוֹבוֹת הַלְּבָבוֹת כַּלֵּב הָרַע וְהַמַּחְשָׁבָה הָרָעָה וְהַנְּטִירָה וְהַקִּנְאָה וְהַשִּׂנְאָה וְהַדּוֹמֶה לָזֶה, הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִמֶּנּוּ רְאוּיָה לִהְיוֹת בַּהֲטָבַת הַלֵּב וְאַהֲבַת הַטּוֹב לִבְנֵי אָדָם וְהַמְּחִילָה לָהֶם.
If possible, it is proper 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 proper repentance for this consists of cultivating a good heart and good thoughts, love of doing good to others, and forgiving them.
וְאִם יִהְיֶה הַחֵטְא בְּאֵבָר מֵאֵבְרֵי הַגּוּף בַּאֲכִילַת מָה שֶׁאָסַר הַבּוֹרֵא אֲכִילָתוֹ וְהַבְּעִילוֹת שֶׁהִזְהִיר מֵהֶן וְחִלּוּל שַׁבָּתוֹת וּמוֹעֲדִים וּשְׁבוּעוֹת שֶׁקֶר רָאוּי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן וּבְאוֹתוֹ מִין שֶׁהָיָה חוֹטֵא בּוֹ עִם שִׁתּוּף הַלֵּב בְּכַוָּנָה לֵאלֹהִים.
If his sin was in the physical limbs, such as eating what the Creator forbade to eat, forbidden relations, transgressing the Sabbath or the festivals, or false oaths, 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, he should have intent of heart towards G-d.
וְכָל הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה יִתָּכֵן לָאָדָם בְּחַיָּיו בְּעוֹד שֶׁהוּא מַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עִם בֵּרוּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ (ס״א הכרתו) כְּשֶׁהוּא מְכַוֵּן לִתְשׁוּבָה וּלְטַהֵר נַפְשׁוֹ מֵעֲוֹנוֹ אֵצֶל בּוֹרְאוֹ וּבְכָמוֹהוּ אָמַר הֶחָכָם (משלי ט) אִם חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ.
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).
אֲבָל מָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת לֵאלֹהִים וְלִבְנֵי אָדָם יִקְשֶׁה עַל הָאָדָם הַתְּשׁוּבָה מֵהֶם לְכַמָּה פָּנִים.
But for the sins towards both G-d and man, it will be difficult to repent for several reasons:
מֵהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצָא הֶעָשׁוּק אוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּת אוֹ שֶׁמְּקוֹמוֹ רָחוֹק.
1. He may not be able to find the person he oppressed, or the person died or moved far away.
וּמֵהֶם שֶׁיֹּאבַד הַמָּמוֹן מִיָּד הָעוֹשֵׁק וְאֵין לְאֵל יָדוֹ לְהָשִׁיב הָעֹשֶׁק לִבְעָלָיו.
2. The oppressor lost the money, and he is not able to return it to the oppressed.
וּמֵהֶם שֶׁהֶעָשׁוּק שֶׁמָּא לֹא יִמְחֹל לָעוֹשֵׁק בְּמָה שֶׁעֲשָׁקוֹ מֵהֶזֵּקוֹ בְּגוּפוֹ וְסַפְּרוֹ בִּגְנוּתוֹ.
3. Perhaps the oppressed will not forgive him for what he oppressed him or hurt him physically, or spoke badly of him.
וּמֵהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּיר הָעוֹשֵׁק אֶת הֶעָשׁוּק אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע סַךְ הַמָּמוֹן אֲשֶׁר עָשַׁק כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשַׁק אַנְשֵׁי קִרְיָה אוֹ אַנְשֵׁי מְדִינָה וְלֹא הִכִּיר אוֹתָם וְלֹא נִתְבָּרֵר אֶצְלוֹ מִסְפַּר הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁלָּקַח מֵהֶם בְּעָוֶל וּבְחָמָס.
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 recognize them, and he does not know the amount of money he took from them wrongfully.
וּמֵהֶם שֶׁנִּטְבַּע הַמָּמוֹן הָאָסוּר בִּכְפָלָיו מִן הַמֻּתָּר וְאֵינוֹ קַל לְהוֹצִיא אוֹתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא בְּהֶפְסֵד הַרְבֵּה חֲלָקִים מִן הַמֻּתָּר כמ״ש רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל גָּזַל מָרִישׁ וּבְנָאוֹ בְּבִירָה בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים מְקַעְקֵעַ כָּל הַבִּירָה כֻּלָּהּ וּמַחְזִיר מָרִישׁ לִבְעָלָיו וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא דְּמֵי מָרִישׁ בִּלְבַד מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַשָּׁבִים.
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).
וּמִמָּה שֶׁתִּקְשֶׁה עוֹד הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַה שֶׁנָּהַג בּוֹ הָאָדָם עַד שֶׁשָּׁב לוֹ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָרַע דָּבֵק כְּהִדָּבֵק הַמַּעֲשִׂים הַטִּבְעִיִּים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵקַל לְהַנִּיחָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיהו ט׳:ד׳) לִמְּדוּ לְשׁוֹנָם דַּבֶּר שֶׁקֶר הַעֲוֵה נִלְאוּ וְאָמַר (שם יג) הֲיַהֲפֹךְ כּוּשִׁי עוֹרוֹ וְנָמֵר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָיו וְגוֹ׳.
6. That the repentance becomes too difficult for him, such as when a person became accustomed to doing it until the bad deed attached 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).
וּמֵהֶם שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים וַהֲרִיגַת הַנְּקִיִּים בֵּין בִּפְגִיעָה בֵּין בַּהֲלִיכַת (ס״א בעלילת) רְכִילוּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדַעְתָּ מֵעִנְיַן דּוֹאֵג בְּעִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים אֲשֶׁר גָּרַם לְהָרְגָם בִּרְכִילוּת תְּחִלָּה וּפָגַע בָּהֶם אַחַר כָּךְ כְּמוֹ שנא׳ (שמואל א כ״ב:י״ח) וַיִּסֹּב דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיִּפְגַּע הוּא בַּכֹּהֲנִים.
7. Spilling blood or killing 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).
וּמֵהֶם עוֹד מִי שֶׁגּוֹרֵם לְאַבֵּד מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ בִּרְכִילוּתוֹ אֵין עוֹלָה לוֹ תְּשׁוּבָה עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אִם בְּמָמוֹן אִם בְּפִיּוּס וּבִכְנִיעָה לִמְחֹל לוֹ וְלִנְשֹׁא חֶטְאוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מיכה ג׳:ג׳) וַאֲשֶׁר אָכְלוּ שְׁאֵר עַמִּי וְעוֹרָם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הִפְשִׁיטוּ.
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).
וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁבָּא אֶל הָעֶרְוָה וְהוֹלִיד מִמֶּנָּה מַמְזֵר כִּי הַחֶרְפָּה לֹא תָּמוּשׁ וַהֲשָׁבַת הַמְעֻוָּת אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ (ס״א והשגת הטעות הזאת אי אפשר לה) כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (איוב לא) כִּי הִיא זִמָּה וְהוּא עָוֹן פְּלִילִים כִּי אֵשׁ הִיא עַד אֲבַדּוֹן תֹּאכֵל וְאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (הושע ה) בַּה׳ בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ.
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).
וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁהִרְגִּיל לְשׁוֹנוֹ לְכַזֵּב וּלְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת בְּנֵי אָדָם וּלְדַבֵּר בָּהֶם וְאֵינֶנּוּ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד עַל זֶה מֵרֻבּוֹ (ס״א ואינו זוכר כ״ז לרוב ההרגל שהרגיל בו) מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית אֶצְלוֹ וּכְבָר שָׁכַח הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר בָּם וְהַכֹּל שָׁמוּר עָלָיו וְכָתוּב בְּסֵפֶר עֲוֹנֹתָיו וּבוֹ נֶאֱמַר (תהלים מא) וְאִם בָּא לִרְאוֹת שָׁוְא יְדַבֵּר לִבּוֹ יִקְבָּץ אָוֶן לוֹ וְאָמַר (שם נ) אִם רָאִיתָ גַנָּב וַתִּרֶץ עִמּוֹ וּשְׁאָר הָעִנְיָן. וְהִנֵּה הִשְׁוָה הַלָּשׁוֹן הָרַע עִם הַגְּנֵבָה וְהַנִּאוּף וְאָמַר (ירמיהו ט׳:ד׳) וְאִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ יְהָתֵלּוּ.
10. One who habituated his tongue to lie and to speak of the faults of others, and to denigrate them. For 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).
וּמִמָּה שֶׁתִּקְשֶׁה הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִמֶּנּוּ מִי שֶׁהִדִּיחַ בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּדַת שֶׁבָּדָה לָהֶם וְהִכְרִיחָם לְהַאֲמִין בָּהּ וְתָעָה וְהִתְעָה וְכָל אֲשֶׁר יוֹסִיף הָעָם הַמַּאֲמִינִים בָּהּ יוֹסִיף עֲוֹנוֹ וְיֻכְפַּל כְּמוֹ שארז״ל כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ וְכָל הַמַּחְטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וְאָמְרוּ יָרָבְעָם חָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים חֵטְא הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א טו) עַל חַטֹּאת יָרָבְעָם אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא וְגוֹ׳.
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 increase and be 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)
וּמַשִּׂיג בַּמִּין הַזֶּה מִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְצַוּוֹת בַּטּוֹב וּלְהַזְהִיר מִן הָרָע לַאֲנָשִׁים תּוֹעִים וְעִכְּבוֹ מִזֶּה יִחוּל מָמוֹנָם אוֹ יִרְאָתָם אוֹ בָּשְׁתּוֹ מֵהוֹכִיחַ אוֹתָם וְתָעוּ וְלֹא הוֹרָה אוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְּשָׁרָה כמ״ש (יחזקאל לג) הוּא רָשָׁע בַּעֲוֹנוֹ יָמוּת וְדָמוֹ מִיָּדְךָ אֲבַקֵּשׁ:
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).