התשובה היא ההרגשה היותר בריאה של הנפש. נשמה בריאה בגוף בריא מוכרחת היא לבא לידי האושר הגדול של תשובה, והיא מרגשת בה את העונג הטבעי היותר גדול. פליטת החמרים המזיקים פועלת פעולתה הטובה והמבריאה בגויה כשהיא שלמה בתכונתה, והרקה רוחנית של כל מעשה רע וכל רשומים רעים ומקולקלים הבאים ממנו, של כל מחשבה רעה ושל כל רחוק מהתוכן האצילי האלקי בכלל, שהוא יסוד לכל רע, לכל גסות וכעור, מוכרחת היא לבא, כשהאורגן בריא מצדו הרוחני והגשמי יחדיו.
Teshuvah is the healthiest feeling of the Spirit. A healthy soul in a healthy body must attain the great gladness of teshuvah. The soul feels in teshuvah the greatest natural delight. The expulsion of the harmful substances has a good and healing effect on the body when the body is perfect in its composition. It brings about a spiritual emptying out of every evil deed and all evil and corrupt impressions that come from every such deed, a spiritual emptying out of every evil thought and of every instance of alienation from the exalted, Divine character in general (this alienation being the foundation of all evil, of all coarseness and ugliness). That spiritual emptying out must inevitably come when the organism is healthy in both its spiritual and material aspects.
Kook, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak. Lights of Teshuvah (p. 25). Dot Letter Word Press. Kindle Edition.
TOS=Take One Step (or Teshuvah Operating System)
"Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."
After completing Step 8—making a list of all persons we had harmed, and becoming willing to make amends to them all—the next logical step is to make those amends if possible, and the suggestion is to do so directly to those who have been harmed. By making direct amends to the person harmed the temptation to skirt the issue because of embarrassment or pain is avoided.
What is complete repentance? He who once more had in it in his power to repeat a violation, but separated himself therefrom, and did not do it because of repentance, not out of fear or lack of strength. For example? One who knew a woman sinfully, and after a process of time he met her again privately, and he still loving her as theretofore, and he being in a state of potency, and the meeting is in the same land where the sin was first committed, if he parted without sinning, he has attained complete repentance. Of such Solomon said: "Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth" (Ecc. 12.1). Even if he made no reparation save in his old age, at a time when it was already impossible for him to repeat his misdeeds, although it is not the best repentance, it still is of help to him and he is considered a penitent. Moreover, though he continued a life of sin but did repent on his dying day, and did die a penitent, all of his 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. Deduct herefrom that if he remembered his Creator and did repent ere he died, he was forgiven.
~ Give examples of what the Rambam calls "teshuvah gemurah", a complete repentance. You can make them up or bring examples from your own experience.
~ What are the four steps of teshuvah, for the Rambam?
~ In what language do you have to say the steps?
~ When do you have to say the steps?
~ How easy is it to do teshuvah, following those steps?
~ Why doesn't the confession help in this case?
~ Is it possible to say you're sorry while not being sorry at all?
There are five things one can do for their teshuvah. What are they?
~ Pick the one you like most. Why?
~ Pick the one you dislike most. Why?
~ Which is the easiest?
~ Which is the hardest?
~ Why do you think that it is important to be submissive, meek and humble, in the context of doing teshuvah?