the conditions for each component The conditions of the (four) essential components of repentance are exceedingly numerous. I will only mention, of them, twenty conditions. Hence we will clarify five conditions for each of the four components. Through these conditions, the corresponding components will be complete.
2
מֵהֶם תְּנָאֵי הַחֲרָטָה חֲמִשָּׁה.
Among the conditions for regret, the following five:
(1) To fear the imminent punishment of the Creator for the sins he already committed, and that his remorse intensifies due to this, as written "Give glory to the L-ord your God, before He causes darkness, [and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, He turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it to deep gloom]" (Yirmiya 13:16).
(2) He should be broken hearted and humbled before G-d due to his sins, as written "If My people, upon whom My Name is called, will humble themselves [and pray and seek My presence and repent of their evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven and forgive their sin...]" (Divrei Hayamim II 7:14).
(3) He should change his clothing and adornments and show signs of remorse in his speech in his eating, and in all of his conducts, as written "Because of this, gird yourselves with sackcloth, lament and wail [for the fierce anger of the L-ord has not turned back from us]" (Yirmiya 4:8), and "Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth [and cry mightily unto G-d, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the oppression that is in their hands]" (Yona 3:8).
(4) By tears, lamentations, and mourning, the penitent should express remorse for the sin he had committed, as written "Rivers of waters run down my eyes because they did not keep Your commandments" (Tehilim 119:136), and "Let the priests, the ministers of the L-ord, weep between the porch and the altar" (Yoel 2:17)
(5) He should rebuke his soul and inwardly shame it for not having fulfilled his obligations to the exalted Creator, as written "And tear your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the L-ord your G-d" (Yoel 2:13).
8
וּתְנָאֵי הָעֲזִיבָה גַּם כֵּן חֲמִשָּׁה.
The conditions for renouncing (of sin) are also five, as follows:
(1) Abandonment of everything the Creator has warned against, as written "Hate the evil and love the good" (Amos 5:15), and "...guards his hand from doing any evil" (Yeshaya 56:2), and "let the wicked abandon his way" (Yeshaya 55:7).
(2) Abstaining from what is permitted if it might lead to what is forbidden in cases where one is in doubt whether they are permitted or forbidden. It is said of some of the pious, that they would refrain from seventy kinds of permitted things out of fear of taking one kind that is forbidden. This is like the Rabbinic fences which our sages commanded us, in saying "make fences for the torah" (Avos 1:1).
(3) Abandonment of sin while one has the ability and opportunity to repeat it, and that he refrains from doing it only out of fear of the punishment of the Creator, as written "My flesh bristles from fright of You, and I dread Your judgments" (Tehilim 119:120)
(4) That one abandons sin out of a feeling of shame from the Creator, and not out of fear of human beings or because one hopes for some benefit from them, or out of being ashamed of them. He should not be like those which the verse speaks of: "with their lips they honor Me, but their heart is far away from Me. their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote"(Yeshaya 29:13), and "Yehoash did what was proper in the eyes of the L-rd all the days that Yehoyada the priest instructed him" (Melachim II 12:3, which implies after the death of Yehoyada, his teacher, he stopped doing what was proper).
(5) That one abandons the evil, a permanent abandonment - to not enter in his heart to repeat it. He should resolve in his heart and say in speech what the pious man said: "if I have done iniquity, I will do so no more" (Iyov 34:32).
(1) The penitent should confess his sins, and realize their enormity in his eyes and in his heart, as written "For our transgressions against You are many, and our sins have testified against us" (Yeshaya 59:12).
(2) That he recalls them always, and places them before him, opposite his face, as written "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Tehilim 51:5).
(3) He should fast by day and pray at night, the time when his mind is free and he is not distracted by secular matters, as written "Arise, cry out in the night, [.. Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the L-ord]" (Eicha 2:19). I will later explain the greatness of prayer at night, with G-d's help (Gate 10 chapter 6).
(4) That one pleas to G-d and constantly beseeches Him to atone for his sins, forgive him, and accept his repentance, as written "Therefore, let every one who is pious pray to You at the time that You are found" (Tehilim 32:6), and "I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the L-ord'; And You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Tehilim 32:5).
(5) That one labors and exerts himself to warn other people of sins similar to his, and arouse them to fear the punishments incurred [by the sins], and remind them to repent from them, as written "Perhaps G-d will turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" (Yona 3:9), and "I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You"(Tehilim 51:15).
(1) To weigh an immediate pleasure which is fleeting and mixed against a future, constant and everlasting pleasure, pure with no darkness and without any mixture of pain. And to weigh an immediate, fleeting pain, which is without permanence, against a future pain, which is everlasting and without interruption.
Regarding the pleasure (in the afterlife), it is written: "And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice" (Yeshaya 66:14), and "the sun of mercy shall rise with healing in its wings for you who fear My Name. Then will you go forth and be rich as fatted calves" (Malachi 3:20), while regarding the pain it is written: "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire ever be quenched; [and they shall be an eternal abhorrence unto all flesh]" (Yeshaya 66:24), and "For lo, the day comes, that shall burn like a furnace, and all the audacious sinners and all the perpetrators of wickedness shall be stubble. And the sun that comes shall burn them up so that it will leave them neither root nor branch, says the L-ord of Hosts" (Malachi 3:19). When the sinner puts this matter to heart, he will deem it proper to take on himself not to repeat his sin.
(2) He should put to heart the coming of his day of death, when the Creator will be furious on him for having neglected his duties, as written "Now who can endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears, for He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal" (Malachi 3:2). If he puts this to heart, he is bound to fear His punishment, and will resolve strongly not to repeat what will arouse the wrath of the Creator on him.
(3) He should put to heart the days during which he turned away from G-d, and did not care about His service, in spite of His continuous goodness towards him during then, as written: "For of old I broke your yoke, I tore open your yoke-bands, and you said, 'I will not pass'" (Yirmiya 2:20), the explanation of "I will not pass" is: "I will not take on Your service, and will not enter Your covenant", as if he said "I will not pass in Your covenant", similar to the matter "to pass you over the covenant of the L-rd your G-d" (Devarim 29:11).
(4) He should return stolen things and refrain from sin, and from doing harm to any human being, as written: "The wicked man shall return the pledge, he will repay the theft; [in the statutes of life he walked, not to commit injustice - he will surely live, he will not die]" (Yechezkel 33:15), and "If iniquity be in your hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in your tents; For then shall you lift up your face without shame" (Iyov 11:14).
(5) His mind should reflect on the greatness of the Creator, whose word he rebelled against - casting off the yoke of His service (positive commandments), and removing the ropes of His torah (negative commandments), and one should rebuke himself and shame himself for this, as written "Is this how you repay the L-ord, [you disgraceful, unwise people?! Is He not your Father, your Master? He has made you and established you]" (Devarim 32:6), and "Will you not fear Me? says the L-ord, or, do you not quake from before Me, for I made sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it cannot pass" (Yirmiya 5:22).
אֲבָל תְּנָאֵי גִּדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה רַבִּים מְאֹד אַךְ אֶזְכֹּר מֵהֶם עֶשְׂרִים תְּנָאִים וּנְבָאֵר בְּכָל גֶּדֶר מִגִּדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה חֲמִשָּׁה תְּנָאִים וּבָהֶם יִהְיֶה כָּל גֶּדֶר מִגְּדָרֶיהָ הָאַרְבָּעָה שָׁלֵם.
the conditions for each component
The conditions of the (four) essential components of repentance are exceedingly numerous. I will only mention, of them, twenty conditions. Hence we will clarify five conditions for each of the four components. Through these conditions, the corresponding components will be complete.
מֵהֶם תְּנָאֵי הַחֲרָטָה חֲמִשָּׁה.
Among the conditions for regret, the following five:
הָרִאשׁוֹן הַיִּרְאָה מִמְּהִירוּת עֹנֶשׁ הַבּוֹרֵא לַחוֹטֵא עַל מָה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת וְתֶחֱזַק בַּעֲבוּר זֶה חֲרָטָתוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יג) תְּנוּ לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כָּבוֹד בְּטֶרֶם יַחְשִׁךְ וְגוֹ׳.
(1) To fear the imminent punishment of the Creator for the sins he already committed, and that his remorse intensifies due to this, as written "Give glory to the L-ord your God, before He causes darkness, [and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, He turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it to deep gloom]" (Yirmiya 13:16).
וְהַשֵּׁנִי שְׁבִירַת לִבּוֹ וְהִכָּנְעוֹ לֵאלֹהִים עַל מָה שֶׁהָיָה מִמֶּנּוּ מִן הַחֵטְא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ד״ה ב ז) וְיִכָּנְעוּ עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עֲלֵיהֶם.
(2) He should be broken hearted and humbled before G-d due to his sins, as written "If My people, upon whom My Name is called, will humble themselves [and pray and seek My presence and repent of their evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven and forgive their sin...]" (Divrei Hayamim II 7:14).
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְשַׁנּוֹת מַלְבּוּשָׁיו וְתַכְשִׁיטָיו לְהַרְאוֹת סִימָנֵי הַחֲרָטָה בִּדְבָרָיו וּבְמַאֲכָלָיו וּבְכָל תְּנוּעוֹתָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ד) עַל זֹאת חִגְרוּ שַׂקִּים וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (יונה ג׳:ח׳) וְיִתְכַּסּוּ שַׂקִּים הָאָדָם וְהַבְּהֵמָה.
(3) He should change his clothing and adornments and show signs of remorse in his speech in his eating, and in all of his conducts, as written "Because of this, gird yourselves with sackcloth, lament and wail [for the fierce anger of the L-ord has not turned back from us]" (Yirmiya 4:8), and "Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth [and cry mightily unto G-d, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the oppression that is in their hands]" (Yona 3:8).
וְהָרְבִיעִי הַבְּכִי וְהַצְּעָקָה וְהָאֵבֶל מִתְחָרֵט עַל מָה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ מִן הַחֵטְא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) פַּלְגֵי מַיִם יָרְדוּ עֵינָי עַל לֹא שָׁמְרוּ תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאָמַר (יואל ב) בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ יִבְכּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים מְשָׁרְתֵי ה׳.
(4) By tears, lamentations, and mourning, the penitent should express remorse for the sin he had committed, as written "Rivers of waters run down my eyes because they did not keep Your commandments" (Tehilim 119:136), and "Let the priests, the ministers of the L-ord, weep between the porch and the altar" (Yoel 2:17)
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁיּוֹכִיחַ נַפְשׁוֹ וְיַכְלִימֶנָּה בְּמַצְפּוּנוֹ עַל מָה שֶׁהָיָה מִקִּצּוּרוֹ בְּחוֹבַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה עָלָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) וְקִרְעוּ לְבַבְכֶם וְאַל בִּגְדֵיכֶם.
(5) He should rebuke his soul and inwardly shame it for not having fulfilled his obligations to the exalted Creator, as written "And tear your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the L-ord your G-d" (Yoel 2:13).
וּתְנָאֵי הָעֲזִיבָה גַּם כֵּן חֲמִשָּׁה.
The conditions for renouncing (of sin) are also five, as follows:
אֶחָד מֵהֶם עֲזִיבַת כָּל מָה שֶׁהִזְהִיר הַבּוֹרֵא מִמֶּנּוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ה) שִׂנְאוּ רָע וְאֶהֱבוּ טוֹב וְאָמַר (ישעיהו נ״ו:ב׳) וְשֹׁמֵר יָדוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כָּל רָע וְאָמַר (שם נה) יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ וְגוֹ׳.
(1) Abandonment of everything the Creator has warned against, as written "Hate the evil and love the good" (Amos 5:15), and "...guards his hand from doing any evil" (Yeshaya 56:2), and "let the wicked abandon his way" (Yeshaya 55:7).
וְהַשֵּׁנִי עֲזִיבַת הַמֻּתָּר הַמֵּבִיא לִידֵי אִסּוּר כַּדְּבָרִים הַמְּסֻפָּקִים אִם מֻתָּרִים הֵם אוֹ אֲסוּרִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל קְצָת הַחֲסִידִים שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹרְשִׁים מִשִּׁבְעִים שְׁעָרִים מִשַּׁעֲרֵי הַמֻּתָּר מִיִּרְאָתָם שַׁעַר אֶחָד מִשַּׁעֲרֵי הָאָסוּר וּכְמוֹ הַסְּיָגִים שֶׁצִּוּוּ עֲלֵיהֶם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל וְאָמְרוּ וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה.
(2) Abstaining from what is permitted if it might lead to what is forbidden in cases where one is in doubt whether they are permitted or forbidden. It is said of some of the pious, that they would refrain from seventy kinds of permitted things out of fear of taking one kind that is forbidden. This is like the Rabbinic fences which our sages commanded us, in saying "make fences for the torah" (Avos 1:1).
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עֲזִיבָתוֹ הָעֲבֵרוֹת אַחַר יְכָלְתּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִזְדַּמְּנוּתָן לוֹ לֹא יִמָּנַע מֵעֲשׂוֹתָם כִּי אִם מִיִּרְאַת עֹנֶשׁ הַבּוֹרֵא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) סָמַר מִפַּחְדְּךָ בְשָׂרִי וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ יָרֵאתִי.
(3) Abandonment of sin while one has the ability and opportunity to repeat it, and that he refrains from doing it only out of fear of the punishment of the Creator, as written "My flesh bristles from fright of You, and I dread Your judgments" (Tehilim 119:120)
וְהָרְבִיעִי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עֲזִיבָתוֹ הָעֲבֵרוֹת מִבָּשְׁתּוֹ מִן הַבּוֹרֵא לֹא מִיִּרְאַת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלֹא לְתִקְוָתוֹ אוֹתָם וְלֹא לְבָשְׁתּוֹ מֵהֶם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם (ישעיהו כ״ט:י״ג) וַתְּהִי יִרְאָתָם אֹתִי מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלֻמָּדָה וְאָמַר (מלכים ב יב) וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוֹאָשׁ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ כָּל יָמָיו אֲשֶׁר הוֹרָהוּ יְהוֹיָדָע הַכֹּהֵן.
(4) That one abandons sin out of a feeling of shame from the Creator, and not out of fear of human beings or because one hopes for some benefit from them, or out of being ashamed of them. He should not be like those which the verse speaks of: "with their lips they honor Me, but their heart is far away from Me. their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote"(Yeshaya 29:13), and "Yehoash did what was proper in the eyes of the L-rd all the days that Yehoyada the priest instructed him" (Melachim II 12:3, which implies after the death of Yehoyada, his teacher, he stopped doing what was proper).
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁיַּעֲזֹב עֲשׂוֹת הָרַע עֲזִיבַת הַיֵּאוּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ לִשְׁנוֹת אֵלָיו וְיֹאמַר בְּלִבּוֹ וּבִלְשׁוֹנוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הֶחָסִיד (איוב לד) אִם עָוֶל פָּעַלְתִּי לֹא אֹסִיף.
(5) That one abandons the evil, a permanent abandonment - to not enter in his heart to repeat it. He should resolve in his heart and say in speech what the pious man said: "if I have done iniquity, I will do so no more" (Iyov 34:32).
אֲבָל תְּנָאֵי בַּקָּשַׁת הַמְּחִילָה כְּמוֹ כֵן חֲמִשָּׁה.
The conditions for beseeching forgiveness are also five:
אֶחָד מֵהֶם הִתְוַדֹּתוֹ בַּעֲוֹנֹתָיו וְשֶׁיִּרְבּוּ בְּעֵינָיו וּבְלִבּוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו נ״ט:י״ב) כִּי רַבּוּ פְשָׁעֵינוּ נֶגְדֶּךָ.
(1) The penitent should confess his sins, and realize their enormity in his eyes and in his heart, as written "For our transgressions against You are many, and our sins have testified against us" (Yeshaya 59:12).
וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר אוֹתָם תָּמִיד וִישִׂימֵם לְנֶגְדּוֹ וְנֹכַח פָּנָיו כמ״ש (תהלים נא) כִּי פְשָׁעַי אֲנִי אֵדָע וְחַטָּאתִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד.
(2) That he recalls them always, and places them before him, opposite his face, as written "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Tehilim 51:5).
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁיִּתְעַנֶּה בַּיּוֹם וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּלַּיְלָה עֵת שֶׁלִּבּוֹ פָּנוּי וְאֵין לוֹ טִרְדָּה בְּעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם כמ״ש (איכה ב) קוּמִי רֹנִּי בַלַּיְלָה. וַאֲנִי עָתִיד לְבָאֵר מַעֲלַת תְּפִלַּת הַלַּיְלָה בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם.
(3) He should fast by day and pray at night, the time when his mind is free and he is not distracted by secular matters, as written "Arise, cry out in the night, [.. Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the L-ord]" (Eicha 2:19). I will later explain the greatness of prayer at night, with G-d's help (Gate 10 chapter 6).
וְהָרְבִיעִי שֶׁיִּתְחַנֵּן אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְיַעֲטֹף אֵלָיו תָּמִיד לְכַפֵּר עֲוֹנֹתָיו וְלִמְחֹל לוֹ וּלְקַבֵּל תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ כמ״ש (תהלים לב) חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ וַעֲוֹנִי לֹא כִסִּיתִי וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (שם) עַל זֹאת יִתְפַּלֵּל כָּל חָסִיד אֵלֶיךָ לְעֵת מְצֹא.
(4) That one pleas to G-d and constantly beseeches Him to atone for his sins, forgive him, and accept his repentance, as written "Therefore, let every one who is pious pray to You at the time that You are found" (Tehilim 32:6), and "I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the L-ord'; And You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Tehilim 32:5).
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁיִּטְרַח וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהַזְהִיר בְּנֵי אָדָם מִכְּמוֹת עֲבֵרוֹתָיו וּלְיָרְאָם מֵעָנְשָׁן וּלְהַזְכִּירָם בִּתְשׁוּבָה מֵהֶן כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יונה ג) מִי יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב וְנִחַם הָאֱלֹהִים וְנֶאֱמַר (תהלים נא) אֲלַמְּדָה פּוֹשְׁעִים דְּרָכֶיךָ.
(5) That one labors and exerts himself to warn other people of sins similar to his, and arouse them to fear the punishments incurred [by the sins], and remind them to repent from them, as written "Perhaps G-d will turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" (Yona 3:9), and "I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You"(Tehilim 51:15).
וּתְנָאֵי הַקַּבָּלָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶׁהִזְהִיר מִמֶּנּוּ הַבּוֹרֵא חֲמִשָּׁה כְּמוֹ כֵן.
The conditions for resolving to not repeat what the Creator warned against are also five:
אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּשְׁקֹל עֲרֵבוּת מְהִירָה וְכוֹלָה מְעֻרְבֶּבֶת בַּעֲרֵבוּת מִתְאַחֶרֶת קַיֶּמֶת מַתְמֶדֶת זַכָּה מִבְּלִי קַדְרוּת וְעִרְבּוּב וְשֶׁיִּשְׁקֹל צַעַר מַהֵר כָּלֶה אֵין לוֹ קַיָּמָא בְּצַעַר מִתְאַחֵר מַתְמִיד אֵין לוֹ הֶפְסֵק.
(1) To weigh an immediate pleasure which is fleeting and mixed against a future, constant and everlasting pleasure, pure with no darkness and without any mixture of pain. And to weigh an immediate, fleeting pain, which is without permanence, against a future pain, which is everlasting and without interruption.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב עַל הָעֲרֵבוּת (ישעיהו ס״ו:כ״ד) וּרְאִיתֶם וְשָׂשׂ לִבְּכֶם וְאָמַר עַל הַצַּעַר (שם) וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (מלאכי ג) כִּי הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר וְהָיוּ כָל זֵדִים וְכָל עֹשֵׂה רִשְׁעָה וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (שם) וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וְגוֹ׳. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן הַחוֹטֵא אֶל לִבּוֹ הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה רָאוּי לוֹ לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנֶה אֶל חֶטְאוֹ.
Regarding the pleasure (in the afterlife), it is written: "And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice" (Yeshaya 66:14), and "the sun of mercy shall rise with healing in its wings for you who fear My Name. Then will you go forth and be rich as fatted calves" (Malachi 3:20), while regarding the pain it is written: "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire ever be quenched; [and they shall be an eternal abhorrence unto all flesh]" (Yeshaya 66:24), and "For lo, the day comes, that shall burn like a furnace, and all the audacious sinners and all the perpetrators of wickedness shall be stubble. And the sun that comes shall burn them up so that it will leave them neither root nor branch, says the L-ord of Hosts" (Malachi 3:19). When the sinner puts this matter to heart, he will deem it proper to take on himself not to repeat his sin.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיִּתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ בּוֹא יוֹם הַמִּיתָה וּבוֹרְאוֹ קָצוּף עָלָיו עַל מָה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ מִן הַקִּצּוּר בְּחוֹבוֹתָיו כמ״ש (שם) וּמִי מְכַלְכֵּל אֶת יוֹם בּוֹאוֹ. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָשִׁיב זֶה אֶל לִבּוֹ חַיָּב לִירֹא מֵעָנְשׁוֹ וּלְהַסְכִּים עִם נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנֶה אֶל מָה שֶׁיִּקְצֹף אֲדוֹנָיו עָלָיו.
(2) He should put to heart the coming of his day of death, when the Creator will be furious on him for having neglected his duties, as written "Now who can endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears, for He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal" (Malachi 3:2). If he puts this to heart, he is bound to fear His punishment, and will resolve strongly not to repeat what will arouse the wrath of the Creator on him.
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁיִּתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר נָטָה בָּהֶם מֵאַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהָיו וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ עִם הַתְמָדַת טוֹבוֹתָיו עָלָיו בָּהֶם כמ״ש (ירמיהו ב׳:כ׳) כִּי מֵעוֹלָם שָׁבַרְתִּי עֻלֵּךְ נִתַּקְתִּי מוֹסְרֹתַיִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִי לֹא אֶעֱבוֹר וּפֵרוּשׁ לֹא אֶעֱבֹר לֹא אֲקַבֵּל עֲבוֹדָתְךָ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בִּבְרִיתְךָ כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר לֹא אֶעֱבֹר בִּבְרִיתְךָ מֵעִנְיַן (דברים כט) לְעָבְרְךָ בִּבְרִית ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
(3) He should put to heart the days during which he turned away from G-d, and did not care about His service, in spite of His continuous goodness towards him during then, as written: "For of old I broke your yoke, I tore open your yoke-bands, and you said, 'I will not pass'" (Yirmiya 2:20), the explanation of "I will not pass" is: "I will not take on Your service, and will not enter Your covenant", as if he said "I will not pass in Your covenant", similar to the matter "to pass you over the covenant of the L-rd your G-d" (Devarim 29:11).
וְהָרְבִיעִי שֶׁיָּשִׁיב הַגְּזֵלוֹת וְיִמָּנַע מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת וְיִרֶף מֵהַזָּקַת כָּל הַבְּרוּאִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יחזקאל לג) חֲבֹל יָשִׁיב רָשָׁע גְּזֵלָה יְשַׁלֵּם וְאָמַר (איוב יא) אִם אָוֶן בְּיָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵהוּ וְגוֹ׳ כִּי אָז תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ מִמּוּם.
(4) He should return stolen things and refrain from sin, and from doing harm to any human being, as written: "The wicked man shall return the pledge, he will repay the theft; [in the statutes of life he walked, not to commit injustice - he will surely live, he will not die]" (Yechezkel 33:15), and "If iniquity be in your hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in your tents; For then shall you lift up your face without shame" (Iyov 11:14).
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שֶׁיִּתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה אֲשֶׁר הִמְרָה דְּבָרוֹ וְיָצָא מִקֶּשֶׁר עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וּמָסֹרֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ וְיוֹכִיחַ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְיַכְלִימֶנָּה עַל זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב) הַלְה׳ תִּגְמְלוּ זֹאת וְאָמַר (ירמיהו ה׳:כ״ב) הַאוֹתִי לֹא תִירָאוּ נְאֻם ה׳.
(5) His mind should reflect on the greatness of the Creator, whose word he rebelled against - casting off the yoke of His service (positive commandments), and removing the ropes of His torah (negative commandments), and one should rebuke himself and shame himself for this, as written "Is this how you repay the L-ord, [you disgraceful, unwise people?! Is He not your Father, your Master? He has made you and established you]" (Devarim 32:6), and "Will you not fear Me? says the L-ord, or, do you not quake from before Me, for I made sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it cannot pass" (Yirmiya 5:22).
וּבָזֶה יִשְׁלְמוּ גִּדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֲשֶׁר הִקְדַּמְנוּ:
In this, we have completed the requirements of repentance.