Editing Repentance in Judaism (section)

===Forsaking the sin===

The second of Rabbenu Yonah's "Principles of Repentance" is "forsaking the sin" ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: עזיבת–החטא, ''azivat-hachet''). After regretting the sin (Rabbenu Yonah's first principle), the penitent must resolve never to repeat the sin.<ref>Yonah, 14-15</ref> However, Judaism recognizes that the process of repentance varies from penitent to penitent and from sin to sin. For example, a non-habitual sinner often feels the sting of the sin more acutely than the habitual sinner. Therefore, a non-habitual sinner will have an easier time repenting, because he or she will be less likely to repeat the sinful behavior.<ref name="Scherman">[[Nosson Scherman]]. "An Overview - Day of Atonement and Purity." An Overview. ''The Complete ArtScroll Machzor: Yom Kippur''. By Scherman. Trans. Scherman. Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, 2008. XIV-XXII.</ref>

The case of the habitual sinner is more complex. If the habitual sinner regrets his or her sin at all, that regret alone clearly does not translate into a change in behavior. In such a case, Rabbi [[Nosson Scherman]] recommends devising "a personal system of reward and punishment" and avoiding circumstances that may cause temptation toward the relevant sin.<ref name="Scherman" /> One is shown to have fully repented if they are presented with an opportunity to perform the same sin under the same conditions, yet they manage to refrain from doing so.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org/Yoma.86b.8 Yoma 86b]; Maimonides "Laws of Repentance" 2:1</ref>

The [[Mishnah]] states:
{{quote|To a man who says, 'I will sin and repent, I will sin and repent', [[Yom Kippur]] brings no atonement. For sins against God, Yom Kippur brings atonement. For sins against one's fellow man, Yom Kippur brings no atonement until he appeases the fellow man he wronged.<ref>[[Mishnah]] Yoma 8:9.</ref>}}