hi Rabbi, I hope only beracha for you.
I have an interesting question regarding regret of a misva as mentioned by the Rambam Z”L in hilchot teshuva, perek 3. For example if one does a great misva like a Baal teshuva learning in yeshiva and after a few years eventually falls to low levels after leaving yeshiva , thinks for a moment maybe it would have been better to have stayed on course and not have been on such lofty levels while never have fallen at all. Is this considered regret, how is regret defined? Thank you , beracha vehatzlacha vekol tuv!
Answer:
The source for the Rambam is the Talmud in Kiddushin 40b. the implication there is that the severity of regret of a mitzva is only when it is coupled with leaving Torah observance and turning to sin. Even according to the simple reading of the Rambam that the regret alone causes the loss of the mitzvah, the Rambam implies that this is one who rejects the value of mitzvos in general. One who is feeling down about his spiritual decline and wishes he never went through it would not then be included in this category. Nevertheless, this is certainly not the proper attitude towards one’s experience in Yeshiva.
