[4:1] There are twenty four sins and bad character traits that stand in the way of repentance. Four of them, are sins so grave, God does not give the one who commits them an opportunity to repent, (but He does not take away his ability to repent. God does not show him mercy to specially help him repent.) They are:

1) One who causes the masses to sin. Included in this category is a person who prevents them from performing a mitzvos.

2) One who leads his neighbor astray; for example, by persuading him to abandon the teachings of the Torah.

3) One who sees his son turn away from the teachings of the Torah and does not try to influence him to follow these teachings. Since he holds sway over his son, were he to admonish him, he would listen, and by not admonishing him, it is as if he caused him to sin.

Included in this sin also, are those who have the opportunity to reprimand others, whether an individual or a group, yet fail to do so. Rather than admonishing them, they allow them to continue their misdeeds.

4) One who says, "I will sin and then repent." Included in this category is one who says, "I will sin, and Yom Kippur will atone (my sins)."

[4:2] Among these 24 wrong deeds are five that close the door to repentance, (make repentance difficult). They are;

1) One who disassociates himself from the community. When the community repents he will not be with them, nor share in their merit.

2) One who contradicts the words of the Sages. As a result of the quarrel he provokes, he distances himself from them and does not learn how to repent.

3) One who shows contempt for the mitzvos. Considering them pointless, he does not want to perform them. If he does not perform mitzvos due to his contempt for them, how can he be expected to merit to repent.

4) One who degrades his teachers. Thus they will reject him by turning him away, as (Elisha did to) Geichazi, (Kings II, chapter 5). When he is cast away, he will not find a guide to show him the path of the Torah.

5) If one dislikes reprimands, his road to repentance is blocked, for reproof leads to repentance. When a person is told about his sins and feels ashamed of them, he will repent. as it is written,"Remember and never forget how you provoked God your Lord in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you came here, you have been rebelling against God." (Deuteronomy 9:7). "But until this day, God did not give you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear?" (Deuteronomy 2:3). "Is this t