Feeling guilty for sin, Part 2 of 2

Hi,

"Advice: All day, he should neither think nor worry at all about what happened. He should only establish for himself a fixed time of day, about a quarter-hour, and only during that set time should he make a spiritual accounting. As the Ari z”l wrote, worry over sin is suitable only during the time of viduy [confession], not during the time of prayer and Torah study, which must be experienced in happiness. Only then [during that set time] should he make the spiritual accounting, as described in the words of our Sages, and the Rambam in his Laws of Repentance, with contemplation and the focus of his attention. Then he should think about abandoning the sin, regretting and commitment for the future.

"Immediately after the time passes, he should return to his learning in great joy, out of gratitude to G-d for His great kindness, giving us this marvelous strategy via the mitzvah of repentance to remove our pain and our spiritual defects. All day, he should not think about this [sin] at all, and only involve himself in Torah with a willing spirit, and he should feel boundless joy when his heart is full of wisdom."

(In the name of Rabbi Yaakov Kanaievsky, Etzot v'Hadrachot pg. 87)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Feeling guilty for sin, Part 1 of 2

Hi,

"Among the traits of the spirit is this: When a person does something he ought not to have done, or he thinks a thought he ought not to have thought, immediately, feelings of guilt are awakened in him. In truth, this spiritual trait plays an important role, awakening the person and demanding that he not return to sin or act in that way again. This is the normal mode.

"However, one who stumbles in sin… and experiences feelings of guilt to the point that they occupy his thoughts all day, and who continually analyzes why and for what reason this happened and the like, and who cannot focus his thoughts, and who does not learn and pray properly because his thoughts are disturbed and don’t give him any rest – he should know that this is not the desire of the Creator, and this is not the proper way to use this [spiritual] trait."

(In the name of Rabbi Yaakov Kanaievsky, Etzot v'Hadrachot pg. 87)

Have a great day,

Mordechai