Question:
Hi,
I just ate mulberries off a tree without checking first to see if they had bugs. I know I should have. After eating a few, I looked closely and saw many tiny crawling insects. I feel awful. I ate bugs. I am usually so careful about checking my fruits and vegetables. I feel terrible. I also gave some to my children. This feels like a nightmare. Is there anything I can do?
What should I do??
Answer:
There is definitely something that you can do. You have to do teshuva properly, even though what you did was a mistake. Teshuva involves three parts, firstly charata- remorse, to feel bad a regret what you did, and this you have already done. Then is viduy – to confess to H-shem (not to people) that you did this and this aveiro and then you are sorry for it. There third part is kabalah al ha’asid – to accept upon yourself not to do this aveiro again. One of the best ways to ensure that it doesn’t happen again and as a form of tikun for the aveiro, is to learn the halachos of checking for bugs, and not eating bugs etc. Aside from making you more aware of being careful about not eating bugs, the kedusha of the torah will also help be metaher you from the aveiro. You can also learn these halachos with your children, if they are old enough to understand the concepts, and of course on their level.
