220. Recounting a Baal Teshuvah's Past Misdeeds

Teshuvah 7:7

How great is teshuvah! Previously, a person was distanced from God, as per Isaiah 59:2, “Your sins separate between you and your God.” One could call out without being answered as per Isaiah 1:15, “Even if you pray many times, I will not listen.” One could perform mitzvos, only to have them trampled in front of him as per Isaiah 1:12, “Who asked you for this, to trample in My courts,” Malachi 1:10, “‘If there were one among you who would shut the doors so that you not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I take no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of Hosts, ‘nor will I accept a sacrifice from your hand.’”

After performing teshuvah, however, one clings to God’s Presence as per Deuteronomy 4:4, “And you who cling to Hashem, your God.” This person calls out and is answered immediately as per Isaiah 65:24, “I will answer before you will call out.” He fulfills mitzvos and they are joyfully accepted as per Koheles 9:7, “God has already accepted your deeds,” and Malachi 3:4, “Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to God as they were in days of old and former years.”

Teshuvah 7:8

Baalei teshuvah tend to be humble and modest. If foolish people shame them because of their previous sins by reminding them of their former deeds, they will pay them no mind. Just the opposite, they will rejoice because they know that overcoming these things is a source of merit for them. When a baal teshuvah is embarrassed because of his former deeds, his merit increases and his level is elevated.

It is absolutely sinful to remind a baal teshuvah of his former deeds or to recount them in his presence in order to embarrass him. It is even prohibited to discuss the situation vaguely in order to cause him to recall his sins. This is a form of verbal oppression, which the Torah forbids, saying, “Do not wrong one another” (Leviticus 25:17).