1) For the next few days we will focus on some
relevant areas of the Halachos of Teshuva (laws of
repentance).
There are 3 main Yesodos
(foundations) necessary to accomplish true Teshuva, and the 3 are broken
down (by Rabeinu Yonah in Sefer Shaarei Teshuva) into 20
Ikarim (more detailed), different aspects to achieve a proper
and everlasting Teshuva.
The 3 main Yesodos are 1)Charata (regret),
2)Vidui (verbally enumerating one’s sins), and
3) Azivas HaChet (Letting go of the sin and resolving to never
repeat it).
2) The first 10 of the 20 Ikarim (I am
using the list brought in Sefer Chareidim, based on the Rabbeinu Yonah)
are as follows (the next 10 will be in tomorrow’s email iy"H):
#1) Regret your bad
deeds and say to yourself "what have I done? How could I have not feared
Hashem’s anger and fury?"
#2) Let go of the sin. Let the evildoer resolve truthfully with
his/her whole heart to never repeat the sin until his/her dying day. The resolve
should be so strong that the One who knows our deepest and darkest thoughts
[Hashem] will be able to testify that we will never transgress that particular
sin again.
#3) Your entire being (body and soul) should tremble and
feel pained and bitter for having angered your Creator who is the Creator of the
sun, moon, sky, earth and everything else!
#4) Do something tangible to express your pain, such as fasting,
crying and lamenting for your sins.
#5) Worry and fear about the punishment that you will get
for your sins; how bad things will come over you because of them. Figure out how
to do proper Teshuva to rescue yourself from the
punishment.
#6) Be tremendously embarrassed and immensely shamed before
the king of kings, Hashem, and be afraid to lift your eyes to appear before
Him.
#7) Humble your heart and be self-effacing in the knowledge
that one who rebels against the great king [Hashem], surely will lose some of
his status and will be ridiculed in his own eyes and in the eyes of others and
unless you repent you will be relegated to being treated like a leper, despised
and detested by society.
#8) Act humbly by always keeping your eyes focused downwards, speaking in
low tones, and not speaking harsh words.
#9) Break your
material Ta’vos (lusts and material desires). Lessen your enjoyments of
pleasures and don’t stuff yourself with food more than is necessary for
satiation and to sustain your life, and avoid marital relations with your spouse
(besides what is necessary to fulfill the
Mitzvah of Pru U’Revu)
#10) Rectify the particular areas in
which you have sinned with their good alternatives. Some examples: If you gazed
at immodest images, train your eyes to always avoid inappropriate sights, and
let your eyes gaze at the light of the Torah (by reading Torah texts or
gazing into the Sefer Torah by Hagbah etc.). If you used your feet to
run to sin, train them now to always run to do Mitzvos. If your tongue was
accustomed to uttering falsehoods and/or foul language, train your mouth to only
speak good and wise things. If you used your hands to spill blood, or for
stealing which is tantamount to spilling blood, train your hands
to provide for poor people, orphans
and widows, as well as saving people from being taken advantage of financially
by unscrupulous people. If your heart was always filled with heretical thoughts,
train and purify your heart to understand the greatness of our Creator
[Hashem]. If you were involved in spreading Machlokes
(disputes) between friends, train yourself to seek peaceful
resolutions and pursue peace always.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי
אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם
לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות
- one who
studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the
world to come.
(:מגילה כ"ח )
Please visit my website http://www.halachafortoday.com for archives, links, Questions
and Answers,and other features. Halachos are for study purposes only, and
should not be relied upon for final Psak. I welcome all questions on any topic,
anytime! Help spread the word of Hashem!
Important Numbers
