A True Teshuvah (San 25)

I've always loved Rambam's idea of Teshuvah:

[Who has reached] complete Teshuvah? A person who confronts the same situation in which he sinned when he has the potential to commit [the sin again], and, nevertheless, abstains and does not commit it because of his Teshuvah alone and not because of fear or a lack of strength.
For example, a person engaged in illicit sexual relations with a woman. Afterwards, they met in privacy, in the same country, while his love for her and physical power still persisted, and nevertheless, he abstained and did not transgress. This is a complete Baal-Teshuvah. This was implied by King Solomon in his statement [Ecclesiastes 12:1] "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, [before the bad days come and the years draw near when you will say: `I have no desire for them.'"] (Hilchot Teshvah 2:1)

The reason I love this idea so much is that one doesn't fulfill their obligation to repent and turn from their ways through empty promises but rather one must prove that they have turned when they have the ability to sin again but turn away simply because they wish to avoid sin.

Today's Daf takes builds on this idea. The Rabbis cite a number of examples where one is not believed to have repented until they are in a certain situation that proves their repentance. And in all of these situations one must take a considerable loss to prove they have changed.

For a butcher who is caught selling unkosher meat and claiming that it it kosher his repentance is not believed until he moves to a new locale (where no one suspects him of thievery). In addition to selling Kosher meat he must also take a business loss, either returning a lost item of significant value or throwing out a large amount of unkosher meat at his own expense. A gambler too must take a loss. He must prove that has changed by breaking up dice and chips and throwing them out.A similar situation occurs for two other sinners: people who lend to Jews on interest and pigeon-fliers (another form of gambling).

In a way I see a bit of the modern day AA methodology in this. These individuals had problems (even addictions) with lying, gambling, and cheating. In order to break this cycle they had to admit they had a problem and then take an inventory of their lives, destroying those items that tempted them (like dice or pigeon clackers). Only then could they face the world anew, and learn how to navigate it without them.

When I attended an AA meeting this past summer as an observer I remember one of the speakers saying that even though they have been dry for 10 years sometimes when they pass up a drink it feels like their first time doing so. In a way then, Teshuvah is not a one time thing, but rather it is ongoing and continuous as addicts, gamblers, and others learn each day what it means to go without their addiction.