Hilchot T'shuvah Laws of Repentance from Maimonides' Mishnah Torah Yom Kippur 5782 - September 16, 2021

(1) All commandments of the Torah, whether they be mandatory or prohibitive, if a person violates any one of them, either presumptuously or erroneously, when they will repent and turn away from their sinful way, they are obliged to confess before God, blessed is the One! even as it is said: "When a man or woman shall commit any sin..… Then they shall confess their sin which they have done (Num. 5.6–7), which is a confession of words. Such confession is a mandatory commandment. How is the verbal confession made? The sinner says thus: "I beseech Thee, O Great Name! I have sinned; I have been obstinate; I have committed profanity against Thee, particularly in doing thus and such. Now, behold! I have repented and am ashamed of my actions; forever will I not relapse into this thing again." This is the elementary form of confession; but whosoever elaborates in confessing and extends this subject is, indeed, praise-worthy...Even one who injures a friend or causes damages in money matters, although making restitution of what they owe, finds no atonement, unless they [also] make verbal confession and repents by obligating themself never to repeat this again, even as is said: "Any sin that one commits" (Num. 5.6).

(3) At this time, when the Temple is not established and, therefore, no altar to atone for us, there is nothing else left for us but repentance. Repentance atones for all sins. Even one who was an evildoer all his life but repented in the end, not a thing of the wickedness is held out against them, even as it is said: "As for the wickedness of the wicked, they shall not fall thereby in the day that they turn from their wickedness" (Ez. 33.12). Even the Day of Atonement itself atones only for those who did repent, even as it is said: "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you" (Lev. 16.30).

(1) What is complete repentance? One who once more had in it in their power to repeat a violation, but separated themself therefrom, and did not do it because of repentance, not out of fear or lack of strength. For example? One who knew another person sinfully, and after a process of time met them again privately, and still loving them as theretofore, and being in a state of potency, and the meeting is in the same land where the sin was first committed, if they parted without sinning, they have attained complete repentance. Of such Solomon said: "Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth" (Ecc. 12.1). Even if they made no reparation save in old age, at a time when it was already impossible to repeat the misdeeds, although it is not the best repentance, it still is of help and they are considered a penitent. Moreover, though they continued a life of sin but did repent on their dying day, and did die a penitent, all of their sins are forgiven, even as it is said: "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain" (Ibid. 12.2), yea, that is the day of death. Deduce from this verse that if they remembered the Creator and did repent before dying, they were forgiven.

(4) Among the ways of repentance are, for the penitent to continue to cry out in tearful supplication before the Name, to bestow alms according to their means, and to distance themself exceedingly from the thing wherein he sinned, to have their identity changed, as if saying: "I am now another person, and not that person who perpetrated those misdeeds", to completely change their conduct for the good and straight path, and to exile themself from their place of residence, for exile atones iniquity, because it leads them to submissiveness and to be meek and humble-spirited.

(5) The penitent who confesses publicly is praiseworthy, and it is commendable for them to let the public know their iniquities, and to reveal the sins between themself and their neighbor to others, saying to them: "Truly, I have sinned against that person, and I have wronged him thus and such, but, behold me this day, I repent and am remorseful". But one who is arrogant and reveals not but covers up their sins, is not a wholehearted penitent, of whom it is said: "One who hides their sins shall not prosper" (Prov. 28.13). But that is saying solely concerning sins between a person and another person or people, but sins between a person and God, the penitent need not make public, on the contrary it would be impudent of them to reveal those sins. They, however, should repent before God, blessed is the One! and before God they should detail their sins; and then make public confession upon them by simply saying: "I have sinned". Such procedure is, indeed, for their own good, even as it is said: "Blessed is one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps. 32.1).

(8) The accepted confession of all Israel contains this verse: "But all of us have sinned", which is the component part of the confession. Sins which he had made confession of one Day of Atonement, one should repeat and make confession on every other Day of Atonement. though continuing to be a penitent, even as it is said: "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Ps. 51.3).

(10) It is forbidden for one to be ill-natured and unforgiving, for one must be easily appeased but difficult to anger; and when a sinner implores one for pardon, one should grant one pardon wholeheartedly and soulfully. Even if the penitent persecuted the one being asked for forgiveness and sinned against them exceedingly, they should not be vengeful and grudge-bearing, for such is the path of the seed of Israel and of their excellent heart...

(11) One who committed a sin against a friend, and the friend died before one asked their forgiveness, should bring ten adults at their grave and there say: "I have sinned against the Eternal God of Israel and against this person (naming them), and I have done against them thus and such (naming the sins). If one was indebted to the deceased, they should return the money to the heirs; if they knew not of the heirs, they should leave the amount with the court, and the penitent shall then be recognized.