הלכות תשובה ד׳Repentance 4

Halacha 1א׳

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:

Twenty-four things delay teshuvah. Four of them are a great sin and anyone who does one of them, the Holy Blessed One does not assist that person in doing teshuvah because of the seriousness of her sin, and they are: (1) Someone who causes others to sin; and included in this sin is anyone who delays others from doing teshuvah. (2) Someone who turns his friend away from a good path to a bad one, like someone who persuades and tempts [toward idolatry]. (3) Someone who sees his child taking on bad habits and does not prevent him – since the child is in the parent’s control, if the parent would prevent him he would certainly stop, so the parent is considered causing him to sin. And included in this sin is anyone who has the ability to prevent someone else [from sinning], whether one person or many, and he leaves them to their mistake instead of preventing them. (4) Someone who says, “I will sin and I will repent,” and this includes a person who says, “I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone for me.”

Halacha 2ב׳

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:

Five of them are things that lock the path of teshuvah before those who commit them, and they are: (1) Someone who separates from the community – because at the time when they do teshuvah she will not be with them and will not merit to be included in the good deeds they do. (2) Someone who disputes the words of the Sages – because his dispute causes him to separate from them and he will therefore not know the path of teshuvah. (3) Someone who disparages the mitzvot – because they are debased in her eyes, she will not run after them and do them; and if she does not do them, with what will she merit teshuvah? (4) Someone who dishonors his Rabbis – this will cause him to be pushed away and driven out like Gehazi; and while he is driven out he will not find a teacher who can instruct him in the path of Truth. (5) One who hates reprimand – because this leaves her no path to teshuvah, since reprimand leads to teshuvah. When a person is told of her sins and shamed for them, she returns in teshuvah, as is written in the Torah: Remember, and forget not, how you provoked the LORD your God to anger (Deuteronomy 9:7); you have been rebellious (Deut. 9:7); Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive (Deut. 29:3); You foolish and unwise people (Deut. 32:6). Similarly, Isaiah reprimanded Israel and said, Ah, sinful nation (Isaiah 1:4); The ox knows his owner (Is. 1:3); Because I know that you are obstinate (Is. 48:4). Also, God commanded him to reprimand sinners, as it says, Cry aloud, spare not, [lift up your voice like a shofar, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins] (Is. 58:1). Similarly all the Prophets rebuked Israel until they returned in teshuvah; consequently each and every Jewish community must appoint a great Sage, elderly and fearful of Heaven from his youth, and beloved by them, who will reprimand the masses and bring them back in teshuvah. But a person who hates reprimand will not come to the reprimander and will not listen to his words, and therefore she will remain in her sins, which appear good to her.

Halacha 3ג׳

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:

Five of them are things from which a person can not return in complete teshuvah. This is because they are interpersonal sins for which the sinner does not know which person has been sinned against and thus can not make restitution, nor ask forgiveness, and they are: (1) Someone who curses the masses – he has not cursed a known person from whom he can ask atonement. (2) Someone who does business with a thief – since she does not know to whom the stolen property belongs, as the thief steals from many people and brings it to her, and she takes [the collected goods]. Furthermore, she supports the thief in his sin. (3) Someone who finds a lost object but does not announce it in order to return it to its owner. (4) Someone who embezzles the property of the poor, orphans, and widows. These unfortunate people are not well-known and famous, and wander from city to city where people will not recognize them, so [the sinner] will not know whose property she has taken such that she might return it. (5) Someone who accepts a bribe in order to skew a judgment – he can not know how far his skewed judgment has traveled, or the extent of its force in order to retract it, since the matter has a basis. Furthermore, he supports [the briber] and leads him into sin.