Daily Tanya Thursday 7th Tamuz Igeres Hateshuvah Chapter 1 Part 1: The types of sins and their atonements

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Chapter 1:

7th Tamuz

1.      Types of Atonement

  • There are three types of atonement, each corresponding to a category of transgression.
  • Repentance (teshuvah) is required in all cases.

2.      Atonement for Positive Commandments

  • If one fails to fulfill a positive commandment and repents, forgiveness is immediate.
  • However, the spiritual illumination that would have been drawn down through the commandment is still lacking, even after repentance.
  • Certain omissions, like missing the recitation of Shema, cannot be fully corrected through repentance.

3.      Atonement for Negative Commandments

  • If one violates a negative (prohibitive) commandment, repentance alone is not enough; Yom Kippur is also required for atonement.
  • The violation causes spiritual impurity, affecting both the soul and its supernal root.
  • Full atonement is achieved only after Yom Kippur.

4.      The Seriousness of Neglecting Torah Study

  • Neglecting Torah study is considered extremely severe, even more so than certain cardinal sins, according to the Sages.

5.      Sins Punishable by Excision or Execution

  • For these most severe sins, repentance and Yom Kippur offer only partial atonement; suffering is also needed to complete the process and “polish” the soul.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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