Perfecting Teshuvah (4 stages @ 5 condition each)

אם ירצה ה׳

Based on the Chovot Halevavot teachings of Rav Avigdor Miller ztl", the concepts of teshuvah (repentance) are multifaceted, encompassing various levels of motivation, distinct categories of penitents, and a structured process with specific conditions. Teshuvah is not merely ceasing a sin but fundamentally means to "come back" to the ideal, improving oneself and coming closer to Hashem [1, 2].

The Four Levels (Madreigas) of Motivation for Teshuvah

The sources describe four primary motivations that stimulate a person to do teshuvah, ranked from the most to least praiseworthy [3-5].

1. The Highest Level: Teshuvah from Happiness and Gratitude This is the very best way to do teshuvah [3-6]. It occurs when a person recognizes the constant benefits Hashem bestows upon them—success, health, and peace—and is moved by gratitude [6, 7]. In the midst of happiness, they feel an obligation to repay Hashem with better service and repent for any past wrongs [3, 8]. This person returns to Hashem out of their own goodwill, without needing any external warning or punishment [9]. A person who does teshuvah in this manner is the most successful and the one Hashem brings closest to Him [9].

2. The Second Level: Teshuvah from Rebuke This level is for a person who repents after hearing a rebuke (tokhachah) [5, 10]. This can come from learning Torah and seeing the warnings of punishments [4, 11], hearing a prophet or a teacher speak about one's obligations [10, 12], or being personally counseled by a loyal friend [13]. They take the message to heart, recognizing it as a personal message from Hashem, which motivates them to change their ways [10, 12, 14]. While not as great as the first level, this is still considered a high madreigah (level) [14].

3. The Third Level: Teshuvah from Witnessing Others' Troubles This occurs when a person sees the difficulties and punishments that Hashem brings upon other people for their sins [14, 15]. They become frightened, thinking, "It could happen to me," and decide to repent before the trouble reaches them personally [15-17]. For example, seeing someone sick, poor, or who has died in an accident serves as a lesson to change one's ways [17, 18].

4. The Lowest Level: Teshuvah from Personal Suffering This is the least of the four ways but is still a valid and important form of teshuvah [15, 16, 19]. It happens when punishment and suffering (yissurim) come directly upon a person, whether in matters of health or finances [15, 20]. The suffering wakes them from their spiritual "sleep," and they realize it is time to repent [20]. Menashe, the king, is an example of someone who only called out to Hashem when he was in great distress [21]. Rav Miller notes that in our times, even this lowest level is a very high achievement, as many people undergoing suffering do not think of teshuvah at all [22-24].

Categories of Repentance and the Penitent

The sources describe three categories of people based on the quality and sincerity of their repentance [25].

• Incomplete Teshuvah: This is a person who stops sinning only because the opportunity or the physical desire is gone, for instance, due to old age or a change in environment [26]. If the circumstances were to repeat themselves, their passion would overcome their reason, and they would sin again [26, 27]. This person’s repentance is only "with his mouth but not with his heart" and does not deserve forgiveness [26, 28].
• Teshuvah in Progress: This person sincerely regrets their sins and is willing to battle against temptation [27]. However, their body and urges are still strong, creating a continuous inner battle [29]. Sometimes they overcome the temptation, and sometimes it overcomes them [29]. While this is a step forward, it is not yet a complete teshuvah that guarantees forgiveness [29, 30].
• Complete Teshuvah: This is a person who has fulfilled all the conditions of teshuvah. Their mind has become stronger than their desires because they have meditated on the righteousness of Hashem’s way and the wrongness of sin [30, 31]. This person is defined by a deep fear of Hashem, is ashamed in His presence, constantly keeps their sins before their eyes, regrets their past actions for the rest of their life, and continuously asks Hashem for forgiveness [31-33]. This is the level that deserves to be rescued [33].

The Four Stages of the Teshuvah Process

The procedure of teshuvah consists of four essential parts or stages that must be completed [34-36].

1. Charatah (Regret): A person must regret what they did [35]. This regret is a sign that they are ashamed and understand that their action was wrong [37]. An essential prerequisite for this stage is to learn and know what is right and wrong; ignorance is not an excuse, as every person is responsible for learning their obligations [37-39].

2. Azivah (Forsaking the Sin): A person must stop doing the sinful act [35, 40]. This act of stopping is a clear sign that they truly believe in the principles of reward and punishment [40, 41]. Continuing to sin, even while knowing it is wrong, shows a lack of fear of Hashem [41, 42].

3. Vidui (Confession): A person must confess their sin with their mouth and ask Hashem for forgiveness [35, 43]. Articulating the confession is a mitzvah of the Torah and a sign of humility before Hashem [43-45]. Saying the words gives a firmness to the repentance that thought alone lacks [36].

4. Kabbalah al ha'asid (Resolution for the Future): A person must take upon themselves a firm resolve in their heart and mind never to repeat that sin again [35, 36, 46]. Even if they are tempted again later, what counts is the sincerity of their resolution at the moment they made it [46].

The Twenty Conditions for Perfecting Teshuvah

To achieve a complete teshuvah, the sources detail twenty conditions, with five conditions attached to each of the four stages mentioned above [47].

Five Conditions for Charatah (Regret):

• Fear of speedy punishment from Hashem [48, 49].
• Having a broken heart and being humbled before Hashem [50, 51].
• Making external changes to one's appearance, dress, or habits (like refraining from a specific food) as a reminder of one's sin [52-55].
• Weeping and crying out to Hashem in sadness over the sin [56, 57].
• Speaking to oneself with criticism and shame for the shortcoming [57, 58].

Five Conditions for Azivah (Forsaking the Sin):

• Forsaking all things Hashem forbids, not just the one specific sin, to show sincerity [59, 60].
• Forsaking even permissible things that might lead to the sin, creating a "fence" around the transgression [60-62].
• Forsaking the sin even when the opportunity and ability to do it are still available [63-65].
• Forsaking the sin out of shame before Hashem, not out of fear of people or hope for recognition [66-68].
• Forsaking the sin by giving up any thought of it, so it no longer even enters one's mind [68, 69].

Five Conditions for Vidui (Confession):

• Confessing one's sins while considering them to be many in number, even those one has forgotten [70, 71].
• Always remembering the sins and keeping them in front of one's mind [71, 72].
• Fasting by day and praying in solitude at night, pouring one's heart out to Hashem [73, 74].
• Constantly entreating Hashem to forgive the sin and accept the teshuvah [74, 75].
• Teaching others to beware of the same sin, thereby making a tikkun (rectification) in the world [75-77].

Five Conditions for Kabbalah (Resolution for the Future):

• Contemplating and comparing the fleeting pleasure of the sin against its eternal punishment and the temporary difficulty of teshuvah against its eternal reward [78-81].
• Putting into one's mind the thought of the day of death and the moment of facing one's Creator with displeasure [82-84].
• Thinking about how one neglected the service of Hashem for so long, despite His continual bestowal of kindness and benefits [85-87].
• Returning any stolen items or making restitution for any harm done to others [88, 89].
• Putting into one's mind the greatness of Hashem against whom one rebelled [3, 90, 91].