Kayin (Cain) was the first person to do teshuvah and he is as an example for all future Ba’alei Teshuvah. Kayin’s teshuvah consisted of three phases:
a) Confession. Kayin declared to God, “My sin is too great to
bear”. The Torah then states that, “Kayin left God’s presence” (v. 16), on which the Midrash comments that Kayin was rejoicing that his confession had been accepted by God.
bear”. The Torah then states that, “Kayin left God’s presence” (v. 16), on which the Midrash comments that Kayin was rejoicing that his confession had been accepted by God.
b) Exile. Rambam writes that one of the routes of teshuvah is for
a person to send himself into exile, for this generates a spirit of
humility within a person (Hilchos Teshuvah, 2:4). Thus we find that Kayin, “dwelt in the land of the wanderers”.
a person to send himself into exile, for this generates a spirit of
humility within a person (Hilchos Teshuvah, 2:4). Thus we find that Kayin, “dwelt in the land of the wanderers”.