What really is Kareis?

amother

Wed, Feb 12 2020, 9:23 am

So I'm obviously not going to ask a rabbi... maybe I once did something that gets kareis... and I'm always kinda very scared about this.... how can I know what is involved and what teshuva could help????

Elfrida

Wed, Feb 12 2020, 9:53 am

I never quite understand these questions about what teshuva to do.

Teshuva consists of:
Vidui (confession before HKB'H)
Charata (regret)
Kabala l'atid (commitment to refrain in the future)
If it is bein adam l'adam, one also has to confess and apologize to the person involved.

According to the Rambam, if one has done a sin which is chayav kareit, teshuva and Yom Kippur are enough to hold off the punishment, and suffering that comes to one during life allow ones soul to compete the teshuva process.
(Hilchot Teshuva, 1,3)

I'm not asking what you did that you think may fall into this category, but often learning more about the mitzva involved can help one gain a deeper understanding of it, and move to a place where, even were you faced with exactly the same situation, you would stand up to challenge involved and not even contemplate the aveirah.

Sometimes, taking an extreme position in the other direction can also help solidify ones commitment to the mitzva before returning to the middle path.