Teshuva/Repentance for an ongoing aveirah?

Tefila

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 1:58 am

I recently came to a rude/shocking, awakening. shock

You see at one stage in my life I used to wear really straight calf length skirts, problem w/h those was even if they coverd my knees standing, sitting they tended to ride up.
Now even though I have stopped wearing those 4 yrs, I never realized how bad it must've looked till I saw the pic of me in one of those skirts and now I'm soooo upset. embarrassed

You see if that pic was a private one then I could just tear it up and ask others too. But this pic was made public and hundreds, if not thousands of people have this (please don't ask me how, the details r not important just trust me).
One thing that I fully realize I hope now, and want to try to bring across so others will think about this. Some aveirohs don't just come and go w/h an easy teshuva some can b/come perpetual.
All I can now pray for is that I should be extra careful in the laws of Tznua and remember we may not live another day to do Teshuva 4 the past . But try to live each day by doing the maximum to our potential in our mitzvohs to Hashem and daven that the the all Merciful G-D will see thru out hearts and forgive us Exclamation

Last edited by Tefila on Fri, Sep 30 2005, 5:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

supermom

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 3:03 am

unfortantly a lot of things that we did in the past that we regret now and did teshuva for still seems to haunt us in our daily lives. I never understood why since we really did to teshuva for it. maybe this way we won't even think about doing it again. but always wonder how we can stop that nagging feeling too.

sarahd

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 4:13 am

Part of proper teshuva is to constantly think of the aveira and mourn the fact that one did it. So you are doing proper teshuva, freilich, and can take comfort in that. I'm sure that when you have achieved teshuva, Hashem will take care of it that the picture will somehow disappear.

elisecohen

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 8:35 am

I suppose this is similar to how it is almost impossible to do proper teshuva for lashon hara--you can never get to eradicating all the repercussions of what you have said, all the rumor trails you have started. In our modern day with photos, video, telephone, it is amazing how quickly aveiros can spread! Still, Hash-m only expects of us what it is possible for us to do. If you sincerely regret what you have done and have davenned and changed your ways (and made good to anyone you have harmed that you can discover), you have done teshuva as completely as it is possible to do, and beyond that is not in your hands right now. Do not let the yetzer hara allow you to dwell unneccesarily on it or you will miss opportunities for mitzvahs and positive thoughts!

Please know I am not condemning what you have done either--at that time, the level of tznius you acheived was what was in your power and was an accomplishment itself. This doesn't mean you shouldn't grow, but you shouldn't beat yourself up either. Remember everything Hash-m does is for the best and if He has raised your consciousness in this area it is so you can grow, not mourn.

amother

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 9:56 am

please, it's not like you had [filth] videos of yourself made. If a man sees your knees, do you really think he will run out and sin ? Covering all those parts is a nice line of demarcation, but trust me there is nothing THAT appealing about anyone's knees.

Tefila

Sun, Sep 11 2005, 12:08 pm

amother then that can be said about anything u know Confused

stealing just a small amount of money won't cause someone a huge loss yada yada. Loshon Hora won't cause such someone to take their life. W/h that attitude amother I highly doubt any of us then, need to do Teshuva. Only the murderers and adulterers out there Exclamation

And 4 some reason I thought Teshuva applied to us all Scratching Head

Also yep I too find nonething at all facinating about the knees true. But then why r we told to cover them Confused