1There are 241 deeds which hold back Teshuvah:2אאַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים דְּבָרִים מְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה:
Four are the commission of severe sins. God will not grant the person who commits such deeds to repent because of the gravity of his transgressions.3 They are:אַרְבָּעָה מֵהֶן עָוֹן גָּדוֹל, וְהָעוֹשֶׂה אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַסְפִּיק בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה לְפִי גֹּדֶל חֶטְאוֹ. וְאֵלּוּ הֵם:
a) One who causes the masses to sin,4 included in this category is one who holds back the many from performing a positive command.5א) הַמַּחְטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים. וּבִכְלָל עָוֹן זֶה הַמְּעַכֵּב אֶת הָרַבִּים מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה.
b) One who leads his fellow man astray from the path of good to that of bad; for example, one who proselytizes6 or serves as a missionary for idol worship.7ב) וְהַמַּטֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה לְרָעָה כְּגוֹן מֵסִית וּמַדִּיחַ.
c) One who sees his son becoming associated with evil influences and refrains from rebuking him. Since his son is under his authority, were he to rebuke him,8 he would have separated himself from these influences.9 Hence, by refraining from admonishing him, it is considered as if he caused him to sin.10 Included in this sin are also all those who have the potential to rebuke others, whether an individual11 or a group,12 and refrain from doing so, leaving them to their shortcomings.13ג) הָרוֹאֶה בְנוֹ יוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְאֵינוֹ מְמַחֶה בְּיָדוֹ. הוֹאִיל וּבְנוֹ בִרְשׁוּתוֹ אִלּוּ מִחָה בוֹ הָיָה פוֹרֵשׁ - וְנִמְצָא כְּמַחֲטִיאוֹ. וּבִכְלָל עָוֹן זֶה כֹּל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לְמַחוֹת בַּאֲחֵרִים בֵּין יָחִיד בֵּין רַבִּים וְלֹא מִחָה אֶלָּא יַנִּיחֵם בְּכִשְׁלוֹנָם.

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

d) One who says: “I will sin and then, repent.”14 Included in this category is one who says: “I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone for me.”15ד) וְהָאוֹמֵר 'אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב' וּבִכְלָל זֶה הָאוֹמֵר 'אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר'.
2Among the 24 are five deeds which cause the paths of Teshuvah to be locked before those who commit them.16 They are:בוּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הַנּוֹעֲלִים דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה בִּפְנֵי עוֹשֵׂיהֶן, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם:
a) One who separates himself from the community;17 when they repent, he will not be together with them and he will not have the opportunity of sharing in their merit.18א) הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר - לְפִי שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה לֹא יִהְיֶה עִמָּהֶן וְאֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה עִמָּהֶן בִּזְכוּת שֶׁעוֹשִׁין.
b) One who contradicts the words of the Sages;19 the controversy he provokes will cause him to cut himself off from them and, thus, he will never know the ways of repentance.20ב) וְהַחוֹלֵק עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים - לְפִי שֶׁמַּחֲלֻקְתּוֹ גּוֹרֶמֶת לוֹ לִפְרשׁ מֵהֶן וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
c) One who scoffs at the mitzvot; since he considers them as degrading, he will not pursue them or fulfill them. If he does not fulfill mitzvot, how can he merit to repent?21ג) וְהַמַּלְעִיג עַל הַמִּצְוֹת - שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְבַּזּוּ בְעֵינָיו אֵינוֹ רוֹדֵף אַחֲרֵיהֶן וְלֹא עוֹשָׂן, וְאִם לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה בַּמֶּה יִזְכֶּה?
d) One who demeans his teachers;22 this will cause them to reject and dismiss him as Elishah did to Gechazi.23 In this period of rejection, he will not find a teacher or guide to show him the path of truth.24ד) וְהַמְבַזֶּה רַבּוֹתָיו - שֶׁדָּבָר זֶה גּוֹרֵם לוֹ לְדַחֲפוֹ וּלְטָרְדוֹ כְּגֵחֲזִי, וּבִזְמַן שֶׁנִּטְרָד לֹא יִמְצָא מְלַמֵּד וּמוֹרֶה לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת.
e) One who hates admonishment; this will not leave him a path for repentance. Admonishment leads to Teshuvah. When a person is informed about his sins and shamed because of them, he will repent.25ה) וְהַשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת - שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא הִנִּיחַ לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁהַתּוֹכַחַת גּוֹרֶמֶת לִתְשׁוּבָה, שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁמּוֹדִיעִים לוֹ לָאָדָם חֲטָאָיו וּמַכְלִימִין אוֹתוֹ - חוֹזֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
Accordingly, rebukes are included in the Torah, for example: “Remember, do not forget, that you provoked God, your Lord, in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until here, you have been rebelling...” (Deuteronomy 9:7).26Until this day, God did not give you a heart to know....” (Deuteronomy 29:3).27Is this the way you repay God, you ungrateful, unwise nation” (Deuteronomy 2:6).28כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה: "זְכֹר אַל תִּשְׁכַּח וְגוֹ"; "מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם"; "וְלֹא נָתַן יְיָ לָכֶם לֵב"; "עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם".
Similarly, Isaiah rebuked Israel, declaring: “Woe, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity...(Isaiah 1:4),29 “The ox knows its owner, and the ass, his master’s crib. Israel does not know...(ibid.: 1:3),30 I know you are obstinate... (ibid. 48:4).31 God also commanded him to admonish the transgressors as ibid. 58:1 states: “Call out from your throat, do not spare it.”וְכֵן יְשַׁעְיָהוּ הוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַר: "הוֹי גּוֹי חֹטֵא"; "יָדַע שׁוֹר קֹנֵהוּ"; "מִדַּעְתִּי כִּי קָשֶׁה אָתָּה". וְכֵן צִוָּהוּ הָאֵ ל לְהוֹכִיחַ לַחַטָּאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל תַּחְשׂךְ".
Similarly, all the prophets rebuked Israel until she repented.32וְכֵן כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים הוֹכִיחוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁחָזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
Therefore, it is proper for each and every congregation in Israel33 to appoint a great sage of venerable age,34 with a reputation of fear of heaven35 from his youth,36 beloved by the community,37 to admonish the masses and motivate them to Teshuvah.לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיד בְּכָל קָהָל וְקָהָל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חָכָם גָּדוֹל וְזָקֵן וִירֵא שָׁמַים מִנְּעוּרָיו וְאָהוּב לָהֶם שֶׁיְּהֵא מוֹכִיחַ לָרַבִּים וּמַחֲזִירָן בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
This person who hates admonishment will not come to the preacher’s lecture or hear his words. Accordingly, he will continue his sinful paths, which he regards as good.38וְזֶה שֶׁשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת אֵינוֹ בָא לַמּוֹכִיחַ וְלֹא שׁוֹמֵעַ דְּבָרָיו, לְפִיכָךְ יַעֲמֹד בְּחַטֹּאתָיו שֶׁהֵם בְּעֵינָיו טוֹבִים.
3Among these 24 are five transgressions for which it is impossible for the person who commits them to repent completely.39 They are sins between man and man, concerning which it is impossible to know the person whom one sinned against in order to return what is owed him or ask for his forgiveness.40 They are:גוּמֵהֶם 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 לִמְחֹל לוֹ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם:
a) One who curses the many without cursing a specific individual from whom he can request forgiveness.41א) הַמְּקַלֵּל אֶת הָרַבִּים - וְלֹא קִלֵּל אָדָם יָדוּעַ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל מִמֶּנּוּ כַּפָּרָה.
b) One who takes a share of a thief’s gain,42 for he does not know to whom the stolen article belongs. The thief steals from many, brings him his share, and he takes it.43 Furthermore, he reinforces the thief44 and causes him to sin.45ב) וְהַחוֹלֵק עִם גַּנָּב - שֶׁלְּפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ גְּנֵבָה זוֹ שֶׁל מִי הִיא אֶלָּא הַגַּנָּב גּוֹנֵב רַבִּים וּמֵבִיא לוֹ וְהוּא לוֹקֵחַ. וְעוֹד: שֶׁהוּא מַחְזִיק יַד הַגַּנָּב וּמַחֲטִיאוֹ.
c) One who finds a lost object46 and does not announce it immediately in order to return it to its owners.47 Afterwards, when he desires to repent, he will not know to whom to return the article.48ג) וְהַמּוֹצֵא אֲבֵדָה וְאֵינוֹ מַכְרִיז עָלֶיהָ עַד שֶׁיַּחֲזִירָהּ לִבְעָלֶיהָ; לְאַחַר זְמַן כְּשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְמִי יַחֲזִיר.
d) One who eats an ox49 belonging to the poor, orphans, or widows. These are unfortunate people, who are not wellknown or recognized by the public. They wander from city to city and thus, there is no one who can identify them and know to whom the ox50 belonged in order that it may be returned to him.51ד) וְהָאוֹכֵל שׁוֹר (נ"א שֹׁד) עֲנִיִּים וִיתוֹמִים וְאַלְמָנוֹת. אֵלּוּ בְנֵי אָדָם אֻמְלָלִין הֵם וְאֵינָן יְדוּעִים וּמְפֻרְסָמִים וְגוֹלִים מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְאֵין לָהֶם מַכִּיר כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע שׁוֹר (שֹׁד) זֶה שֶׁל מִי הוּא וְיַחֲזִירֶנוּ לוֹ.
e) One who takes a bribe to pervert judgment.52 He does not know the extent of the perversion or the power of its implications in order to pay the people whom he wronged, for his judgment had a basis.53 Furthermore, by taking a bribe, he reinforces the person who gave it and causes him to sin.54ה) וְהַמְּקַבֵּל שֹׁחַד לְהַטּוֹת דִּין - אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ עַד הֵיכָן הִגִּיעָה הַטָּיָה זוֹ וְכַמָּה הִיא כֹחָהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחְזִיר, שֶׁהַדָּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ רַגְלַיִם. וְעוֹד: שֶׁהוּא מַחְזִיק יַד זֶה וּמַחֲטִיאוֹ.
4Also among the 24 are five transgressions for which it is unlikely that the person who commits them will repent. Most people regard these matters lightly.55 Hence, by committing such a transgression, a person will sin without realizing that he has.56 They are:דוּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן אֵין חֶזְקָתוֹ לָשׁוּב מֵהֶן, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם דְּבָרִים קַלִּים בְּעֵינֵי רֹב הָאָדָם - וְנִמְצָא חוֹטֵא וְהוּא יְדַמֶּה שֶׁאֵין זֶה חֵטְא, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם:
a) One who eats57 from a meal which is not sufficient for its owners.58 This is a “shade of theft.”59 However, the person who partook from this meal will not realize that he has sinned, for he will rationalize: “I only ate with his permission.”60א) הָאוֹכֵל מִסְּעֻדָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְסַפֶּקֶת לִבְעָלֶיהָ - שֶׁזֶּה אֲבַק גָּזֵל הוּא, וְהוּא מְדַמֶּה שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא, וְיֹאמַר: כְּלוּם אָכַלְתִּי אֶלָּא בִרְשׁוּתוֹ.
b) One who makes use of a pledge taken from a poor person.61 The pledge taken from a poor person would be his axe or plow.62 He rationalizes: “Their value will not depreciate and, hence, I haven’t stolen anything from him.”63ב) וְהַמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹטוֹ שֶׁל עָנִי - שֶׁהָעֲבוֹט שֶׁל עָנִי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כְּגוֹן קֻרְדֹּם וּמַחֲרֵשָׁה, וְיֹאמַר בְּלִבּוֹ: אֵינָן חֲסֵרִים וַהֲרֵי לֹא גָּזַלְתִּי אוֹתוֹ.
c) One who looks at women forbidden to him.64 He considers the matter of little consequence, rationalizing: “Did I engage in relations with her? Was I intimate with her?” He fails to realize how looking at such sights is a great sin,65 for it motivates a person to actually take part in illicit sexual relations66 as implied by Numbers 15:39 “Do not follow after your heart and your eyes.”67ג) וְהַמִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּעֲרָיוֹת - מַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁאֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם, שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: וְכִי בָעַלְתִּי אוֹ קָרַבְתִּי אֶצְלָהּ? וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁרְאִיַּת הָעֵינַיִם עָוֹן גָּדוֹל, שֶׁהִיא גּוֹרֶמֶת לְגוּפָן שֶׁל עֲרָיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם.
d) One who takes pride in his fellow man’s shame.68 He tells himself that he has not sinned, for his fellow man was not present. Thus, no shame came directly to his fellow man, nor did he humiliate him. He merely contrasted his good deeds and wisdom against the deeds or wisdom of his fellow man in order that, out of that comparison, he would appear honorable, and his fellow man, shameful.69ד) וְהַמִּתְכַּבֵּד בִּקְלוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ - אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֵטְא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ עוֹמֵד שָׁם וְלֹא הִגִּיעַ לוֹ בּשֶׁת וְלֹא בִיְּשׁוֹ, אֶלָּא עָרַךְ מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים וְחָכְמָתוֹ לְמוּל מַעֲשֵׂה חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ חָכְמָתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה מִכְּלָלוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְכֻבָּד וַחֲבֵרוֹ בָּזוּי.
e) One who suspects worthy people.70 He will also say to himself “I haven’t sinned,” for he will rationalize: “What have I done to him? All I did was raise a doubt whether he committed the wrong or not.” He does not realize that this is a sin, for he has considered a worthy person as a transgressor.71ה) וְהַחוֹשֵׁד כְּשֵׁרִים - אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֵטְא, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לוֹ? וְכִי יֵשׁ שָׁם אֶלָּא חֲשָׁד שֶׁמָּא עָשָׂה אוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה. וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁזֶּה עָוֹן שֶׁמֵּשִׂים אָדָם כָּשֵׁר בְּדַעְתּוֹ כְּבַעַל עֲבֵרוֹת.
5Among the 24 are five qualities which have the tendency to lead the transgressor to continue to commit them and which are very difficult to abandon.72 Therefore, a person should be very careful lest he become attached to them, for they are very bad attributes.73 They are:הוּמֵהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם יִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם תָּמִיד וְקָשִׁים הֵם לִפְרשׁ מֵהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר מֵהֶן שֶׁמָּא יִדְבַּק בָּהֶן, וְהֵן כֻּלָּן דֵּעוֹת רָעוֹת עַד מְאֹד, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן:
a) Gossip;74 b) Slander;75רְכִילוּת וְלָשׁוֹן הָרַע,
c) Quick-temperedness;76וּבַעַל חֵמָה,
d) A person preoccupied with sinister thoughts;וּבַעַל מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה,
e) A person who becomes friendly with a wicked person, for he learns from his deeds and they are imprinted on his heart. This was implied by Solomon Proverbs 13:20: “A companion of fools will suffer harm.”77וְהַמִּתְחַבֵּר לָרָשָׁע - מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא לוֹמֵד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו וְהֵם נִרְשָׁמִים בְּלִבּוֹ. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: "וְרוֹעֶה כְסִילִים יֵרוֹעַ".
In Hilchot De’ot, we explained the character traits which all people should continually follow.78 This surely holds true for a Baal-Teshuvah.79וּכְבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת דְּבָרִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לִנְהֹג בָּהֶן תָּמִיד - קַל וָחֹמֶר לְבַעַל תְּשׁוּבָה.
6All of the above80 and other similar transgressions,81 though they hold back repentance, they do not prevent it entirely.82 Should one of these people83 repent,84 he is a Baal-Teshuvah and has a portion in the world to come.וכָּל אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּעַכְּבִין אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֵין מוֹנְעִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא אִם עָשָׂה אָדָם תְּשׁוּבָה מֵהֶן הֲרֵי זֶה בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה וְיֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.