If a person violates a positive commandment is not punishable by kareis (premature death)13, and he repents, he is forgiven immediately. Regarding these sins it is written, "Turn back, 0 rebellious children, I will heal your disobedient acts!." (Jerimiyah 3:22).
If a person violates a negative commandment not punishable by kareis (premature death) or death14 and repents, his forgiveness must wait for Yom Kippur to completely atone for the sin.
If he violates a commandment that is punishable by kareis (premature death) or death and repents, Yom Kippur and suffering pain15 will be needed to complete his atonement. He will not be forgiven completely until he is inflicted with pain, for it is written, "I will punish their transgression with the rod." (Psalms 89:33).
This applies to transgressions that do not involve desecration of God's name. Someone who desecrated God's name is forgiven through repentance, Yom Kippur, suffering pain, and death16 17. For it is written, "The Lord of Hosts revealed Himself to my ears. This iniquity shall never be atoned until you die." (Yeshayahu 22:14).
CHAPTER TWO
WHAT IS REPENTANCE
[2:1] What is the highest degree of penitence1? When one sins and repents and thereafter finds himself
13 The mitzvah of circumcision and sacrificing the Pascal lamb is punishable by kareis.
14 Without repentance there is no forgiveness, only cleansing of the soul through punishment. One who does not know that he sinned but repents those sins that he is aware of, and asks for mercy to be forgiven for the sins that he is unaware of, will be forgiven for those sins although he did not repent of them. He may also be punished to complete the cleansing of his body and soul.
15 There is a dual purpose for man to suffer. One, is to cleanse the body and soul if one sinned. If the person is righteous and does not deserve punishment, God may use his suffering as a sacrificial altar to somewhat cleanse the sins of the generation in order to prevent their destruction. The second purpose is, to test the individual's faith in his Creator and to see how well he will practice the halacha when suffering. This is what God explained to Job when he complained that he was a righteous person who was suffering and did not deserve to suffer. Their reward is greatly increased through this type of suffering.
16 He dies either before his time or through an unnatural death.
17 Moses our teacher was punished to die before entering the Holy Land because he did not sanctify God by fulfilling His commandment to speak to the rock to bring forth water.
1 In footnote no. 7, there are twenty degrees of penitence listed. This does not necessarily mean that there is a hierarchy in these degrees. According to Maimonides, if one does not repeat the sin in this situation his repentance is complete. If so, why should one constantly confess after complete repentance?
The answer is, that there are three stages in repentance. For each degree of penitence God cleanses his body and soul through forgiveness. The first is basic repentance which cleanses the body and soul to the degree that he does not need punishment. The second is, degrees of penitence to completely cleanse the body and soul. The third is, fences to guard him from repeating the sin. Confessing his sin after he has completed repentance is a fence to prevent him from repeating his sin, by constantly reminding himself not to sin. To convince the public to repent is considered doing good deeds. When one helps another to