He also said that he was the only one who truly understood that saying in the Zohar. For repentance truly helps, no matter how much one has sinned.103See “His Wisdom” #3; Likutey Moharan I, 282. Cf. Yerushalmi, Pe'ah 5a; Sanhedrin 49a; Zohar II, 106a; Yad Chazakah, Teshuvah 3:14; Teshuvot Radbaz 5:6.
You must go through the same situation in which you sinned, but now have pity on yourself and not repeat the sin. Then you will have broken the evil urge and have repented.104Yoma 86b. Cf. Likutey Moharan I, 79, 206; “His Praises” #16.
בְּעִנְיַן מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח"א קפ"ח. רי"ט) שֶׁעַל פְּגַם הַבְּרִית, בִּפְרָט מָאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא בְּרֵיקַנְיָא, [מוציא זרע לבטלה] ח"ו וְכוּ' אֵין מוֹעִיל תְּשׁוּבָה.
The Zohar states that repentance does not help for immorality and particularly for one who casts his seed for naught (Zohar I, 188a, 219b).
אָמַר רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: שֶׁאֵין הַדָּבָר כֵּן, רַק עַל הַכֹּל מוֹעִיל תְּשׁוּבָה.
The Rebbe said that this is not true, for repentance helps for all sins (ibid., 62a).
וְאָמַר: שֶׁבְּזֶה הַמַּאֲמָר זֹהַר אֵין שׁוּם אָדָם מֵבִין הַפְּשָׁט רַק הוּא לְבַד. וְהַכְּלָל שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת מוֹעִיל תְּשׁוּבָה בְּוַדַּאי עַל חֵטְא זֶה, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הִרְבָּה לִפְשֹׁעַ ח"ו בָּזֶה.
He also said that he was the only one who truly understood that saying in the Zohar. For repentance truly helps, no matter how much one has sinned.103See “His Wisdom” #3; Likutey Moharan I, 282. Cf. Yerushalmi, Pe'ah 5a; Sanhedrin 49a; Zohar II, 106a; Yad Chazakah, Teshuvah 3:14; Teshuvot Radbaz 5:6.
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַנִּדְפָּסִים כְּבָר: שֶׁעִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא לְבַל יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹד מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא.
True repentance involves never repeating the sin, as discussed in the Rebbe’s works (Likutey Moharan II, 49).
וְהוּא מֻכְרָח לַעֲבֹר בְּאֵלּוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְהָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהָיָה בִּתְחִלָּה וּלְהִתְנַסּוֹת שָׁם. וּכְשֶׁמְּרַחֵם עַל עַצְמוֹ עַכְשָׁו וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עוֹד מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה מִקֹּדֶם וּמְשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוָתוֹ, זֶהוּ עִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
You must go through the same situation in which you sinned, but now have pity on yourself and not repeat the sin. Then you will have broken the evil urge and have repented.104Yoma 86b. Cf. Likutey Moharan I, 79, 206; “His Praises” #16.