Episode
The Habit Trap [Day 149 - Orchos Tzaddikim | Repentance 6]
- Published
- Jun 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 836
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- https://share.transistor.fm/s/4202bed6
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Summary
In this lesson from the Gate of Repentance ( Shaar HaTeshuvah ), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores one of the greatest challenges in spiritual growth: breaking deeply ingrained habits . The Orchot Tzaddikim teaches that repeated behavior gradually becomes normalized until a person no longer sees it as wrong. Sins that are repeated frequently can begin to feel permissible, making genuine repentance far more difficult. Therefore, a person seeking teshuvah must establish strong boundaries, cultivate determination, and consciously distance themselves from negative habits until those behaviors become foreign and even repulsive to them. The episode emphasizes that repentance is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of refinement. Rabbi Wolbe explains that just as a stained garment may require multiple washings before every trace of dirt disappears, the soul may require repeated layers of repentance before it is fully cleansed. Even when a person has already apologized or sought forgiveness, deeper levels of understanding may emerge later in life, requiring additional reflection, remorse, and spiritual repair. True teshuvah continually revisits past mistakes with greater maturity and awareness. The lesson then introduces the first two foundational pillars of repentance. The first is charatah —genuine regret for having distanced oneself from Hashem and misused the gifts, opportunities, and potential entrusted to them. The second is azivas hacheit —abandoning the sin and firmly resolving not to repeat it in the future. Rabbi Wolbe challenges listeners to recognize the preciousness of the soul, the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures, and the eternal value of spiritual growth. Authentic repentance begins when a person honestly asks, "What have I done?" and then takes concrete st…