## Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance

###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:1
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:1)

וְאוֹמַר בְּבֵאוּר מַהוּת הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁטַּעַם הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא הַתְקָנַת הָאָדָם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ אַחַר יְצִיאָתוֹ מִמֶּנָּה וְחֶטְאוֹ בָּהּ וַהֲשָׁבַת מָה שֶׁאָבַד מִמֶּנָּה, אִם בַּעֲבוּר

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
*- What is repentance*
With regard to what is repentance, I say that repentance means that a man makes himself fit to resume the service of the Creator after he went out of it and transgressed against it, and to restore what he lost in it. This could be due to:


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:2
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:2)

סִכְלוּתוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְעִנְיְנֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
* ignorance of G-d and of the matters of serving Him.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:3
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:3)

אוֹ שֶׁגָּבַר יִצְרוֹ עַל שִׂכְלוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
* his evil inclination had overpowered his understanding


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:4
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:4)

אוֹ לְהִתְעַלְּמוּתוֹ מִמָּה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בּוֹ לֵאלֹהִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
* neglect of his duties towards G-d


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:5
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:5)

אוֹ בַּעֲבוּר הִתְחַבְּרוּתוֹ לַחֲבֵרִים רָעִים פִּתּוּהוּ וְחָטָא בַּעֲבוּרָם.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
* associating with bad company who entice him to sin,


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:6
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:6)

וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הֶחָכָם (משלי א) בְּנִי אִם יְפַתּוּךָ חַטָּאִים אַל תֹּבֵא וְאָמַר (שם כד) יְרָא אֶת ה׳ בְּנִי וָמֶלֶךְ עִם שׁוֹנִים אַל תִּתְעָרָב.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
or other similar reasons, as the wise man said: *"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent"* (Mishlei 1:10), and *"My son, fear the L-ord and the king; and meddle not with them that are given to change"* (Mishlei 24:21).


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:7
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:7)

וְהַיְּצִיאָה מֵעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא עַל שְׁנֵי דְּרָכִים, אִם בַּעֲזִיבַת מָה שֶׁצִּוָּה הַבּוֹרֵא לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וְהִתְעַלְּמוּתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹ בַּעֲשׂוֹת מָה שֶׁהִזְהִיר מֵעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וְכִוֵּן בּוֹ לְהַמְרוֹת אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ,

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
The withdrawing out of the service of G-d occurs in two ways, whether one (1) abandons and ignores what the Creator commanded us to do, or (2) one does what He warned us not to do, with the intent to rebel against his Creator.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:8
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:8)

וְאִם תִּהְיֶה יְצִיאָתוֹ מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּעֲזִיבַת מָה שֶׁצִּוָּה הַבּוֹרֵא לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בִּלְבַד אֹפֶן תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ מִקִּצּוּרוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוֹ בַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנָּכוֹן וְהִדָּבְקוֹ בְּגִדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עָתִיד לְבָאֲרָם בָּזֶה הַשַּׁעַר,

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
If his withdrawing out of the service consists only in abandoning what the Creator commanded to do (but not in doing what He warned against), then the repentance for his shortcomings will be to exert himself in the proper acts and to cling to the roots of repentance which I will clarify in this gate.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:9
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:9)

וְאִם הָיְתָה בְּמָה שֶׁהִזְהִיר הַבּוֹרֵא מֵעֲשׂוֹתוֹ אֹפֶן הַשָּׂגַת קִצּוּרוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּהִשָּׁמְרוֹ מֵחֲזֹר אֶל כָּל מִין הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא וְשֶׁיִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לַעֲשׂוֹת הֶפְכּוֹ עִם הִדָּבְקוֹ בְּגִדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה וּתְנָאֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עָתִיד לְבָאֲרָם בַּשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה בְּעֶזְרַת הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
If his withdrawing consisted of doing what the Creator warned against, the way to make up his failing will be in guarding from returning to do any form of this act, to endeavor to do its opposite, and to cling to the roots and conditions of repentance which I will clarify in this gate with G-d's help.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:10
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:10)

וְהַדִּמְיוֹן בָּזֶה בָּעִנְיָנִים הַטְּבָעִים בְּאָדָם שֶׁחָלָה גּוּפוֹ מֵחֲמַת הַמָּזוֹן אִם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּמְנַע מֵאֲכֹל מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ הַתְמָדַת בְּרִיאוּתוֹ אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָכַל מָה שֶׁהִזִּיקוֹ וְהִפְסִיד בְּרִיאוּתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
An analogy of this with regard to natural matters. A man became sick due to poor diet, whether because he refrained from eating food which promotes good health or because he ate something damaging to him and so ruined his health.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:11
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:11)

וּכְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה חָלְיוֹ מִמִּעוּט הַמָּזוֹן אֲשֶׁר הִתְמִיד בּוֹ בְּרִיאוּתוֹ אֹפֶן חֲזָרָתוֹ אֶל הַנְּכוֹנָה יִהְיֶה בְּהַרְבּוֹתוֹ מִמִּינֵי הַמְּזוֹנוֹת הָרְאוּיִים לְטִבְעוֹ עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֶל הַגְּבוּל הַשָּׁוֶה וּכְשֶׁיַּחְזֹר אֶל עִנְיָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן הַטִּבְעִי יִנְהַג בִּמְזוֹנוֹ הַמִּנְהָג הַשָּׁוֶה.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
When his illness is due to starving himself from proper food, the way to bring him back to good health is for him to eat a larger amount than normal of proper foods, compatible with his nature, until he returns to proper balance. After he returns to his original balance, he can reduce his diet to normal amounts.


###### Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:12
[Duties of the Heart, Seventh Treatise on Repentance 1:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Seventh%20Treatise%20on%20Repentance/r/1:12)

וְאִם יִהְיֶה חָלְיוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִתְנַהֵג בְּמָה שֶׁהִזִּיקוֹ מֵהַמָּזוֹן אֹפֶן בְּרִיאוּתוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּהִשָּׁמְרוֹ מִן הַמָּזוֹן הַהוּא וְהַדּוֹמֶה לוֹ וּלְהִתְנַהֵג בְּמָה שֶׁהוּא הֶפֶךְ מִזְגּוֹ וְטִבְעוֹ עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֶל הָעִנְיָן הַשָּׁוֶה וְכַאֲשֶׁר יַבְרִיא גּוּפוֹ וְיַעֲמֹד עַל הַגְּבוּל הַשָּׁוֶה לוֹ יֹאכַל מִן הַמַּאֲכָלִים הַשָּׁוִים בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַמַּאֲכָלִים וְהָאֶמְצָעִיִּים בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַמְּזָגִים וּכְבָר דִּמָּה הַכָּתוּב הָעֲווֹנוֹת בַּמַּאֲכָל הָרַע כמ״ש (ירמיהו ל״א:ל׳) כִּי אִם אִישׁ בַּעֲוֹנוֹ יָמוּת כָּל הָאָדָם הָאֹכֵל הַבֹּסֶר תִּקְהֶינָה שִׁנָּיו:

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
If his illness was due to habitually eating food harmful to him (ex. too much spicy food), the way of his healing would be to abstain from this food or others similar, and to habitually eat foods of an opposite nature and composition (ex. non spicy), until he returns to his original state. When his health is restored and he reaches a balanced state, he can eat foods midway both types of nature and composition (mildly spicy), and the verse already compares moral iniquities to bad food as written: *"But every one shall die for his own iniquity. He who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge"* (Yirmiya 31:29).