Teshuvah—Repentance - Mitzvah Minutes

Teshuvah means to regret some mess-up you made, and resolve never to do it again.

We can’t tell you how to feel regret or resolve; it’s just something that happens inside. But we can give you a few tips on how to clean up the mess a mess-up leaves in its trail. You see, that teshuvah feeling inside actually empowers you to clean up the mess. Here’s how:

Step One: Say it out loud.

How: At night, or sometime when you are alone, say out loud, “Dear G‑d, I am sorry for the sin I did in Your presence by [your sin goes here].” There’s a specific prayer for this in your prayerbook, called vidui, which we say on Yom Kippur. You can say vidui and add this line at any point.

When you hear your voice saying how much you regret what you did, it hits much deeper inside.Why: Somehow, when you hear your voice saying how much you regret what you did, it hits much deeper inside. Your words help to pull that mess out of you, so that you can throw it away forever.

Step Two: Fix up what you did

How: Apologize and compensate to whoever may have been affected by your mess-up. If at first they don’t forgive, keep trying until they get unreasonable.

Why: If your mess-up was something between you and somebody else, then it wouldn’t be fair for G‑d to forgive you without involving that somebody.

Step Three: Charity

How: Just give a lot more than you’re used to giving.

Why: A mess-up diminishes life; charity means to give life. Charity heals the world, and your soul as well.

Step Four: Move up in life

How: Compensate for whatever happened. Do better, act nicer, learn more.

Why: The mess-up event acts like inertia to drag you down. It has to be turned around into an incentive to pull you higher.

Teshuvah is powerful. Of course, we don't sin to do Teshuvah, but according to our sages, a sin can take you higher than all the mitzvahs could ever reach—if you do teshuvah out of love. Love for G‑d, for His Torah and for your precious soul.

Illustrations by Yehuda Lang. To view more artwork by this artist, click here.

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September 25, 2012

Sin takes us higher

A sin can take us higher by proving to us how weak we really are thus inciting more humble assessments of our thoughts and more conscientious choices.

Anonymous
omaha, ne

September 19, 2012

Teshuvah -- Repentance

In the last sentence of this teaching in the line that reads "Teshuvah is powerful....... a SIN can take you higher.....Did you mean TESHUVAH? I got a little confused..... :)

Violet
merced, ca
chabadsf.org

May 16, 2012

Amends

I would refer the questioner to Step 9 of The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for his answer. It is selfish, and potentially harmful to make an amends to someone who would be injured by the revelation.

John Kaplan, MD
Wildomar, CA/USA

December 5, 2011

teshuva

This artice really helped me but I have one problem. I did all the steps you said except for the one about admitting it to the person who was wronged. This person doesnt know they were wronged and can never know because it will cause them too much pain and damage and hurt and problems, however i did admit it out loud to Hashem and to myself..will my teshuva ever be accepted?

Anonymous
brooklyn

June 16, 2011

I was hoping for references at the end of the article...I was curious, where in the Torah these steps are listed?

yminoh

March 29, 2011

Teshuva

I thank G-d for you Rabbi Posner and Rabbi Freeman, for I came to this article by reading the Bedtime Countdown written by Rabbi Freeman.

I came from a different belief. My ancestor were from Sephardic Jews and probably forced to convert. I do not know how it all came about. All I know is that G-d called me to His sanctuary in a very special way. And because of my ignorance and stupidity in my actions, I did Teshuva. But sometimes I cried to the L-rd because I regreted deep in my heart the past I lived. After reading Torah, it was a new beginning in my lilfe. I will always remember the miracle of Hashem in my life.

With deep sadness because of the years wasted not knowing my beloved G-d and His beautiful teachings because of the love he have for His Creation. What could I offer my G-d in return but the life back He has given me. Blessed be His name for ever and ever!!!

Anonymous
Mesa, Arizona, USA

February 16, 2010

higher

It is interesting how a sin can take one higher than all the mitzvahs could ever reach.

I read somewhere that when one does a teshuvah, one's wickedness becomes virtues in the eyes of G-d.

Thank you for this reflection.

G-d bless you!

Rodolfo Rabonza
Sherman Oaks, CA

August 27, 2009

Sin Takes You to the Pit

I, too, understand what a low place sin can take you. My sins took me so low that I felt I had fallen in the pit, perhaps that same pit King David writes about in the Psalms. It was in that low place, that pit, that I reached out to G-d and asked Him to forgive me. LIttle did I know at the time that the Everlasting Arms were already underneath me, lifting me. In time He brought me completely out of that pit and set my feet on higher ground, higher ground than I felt I deserved to be on. That's His mercy. That's His love. Praise Him!

Laura Ellen Truelove
Sewanee, TN,USA

August 27, 2009

To Anonymous in Uruguay:

I believe the author’s intent was that if the person you are trying to apologize to becomes unreasonable, you no longer obligated to try to appease them.

Menachem Posner for Chabad.org

August 26, 2009

"unreasonable"?

"How: Apologize and compensate to whoever may have been affected by your mess-up. If at first they don't forgive, keep trying until they get unreasonable."

shouldn´t it be reasonable?

Anonymous
montevideo, uruguay

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