Question:
My question has to do with being blameless. After the proper sacrifice was made one becomes blameless. My question has to do with any punishment that would have occurred if a problem arises from the sin after becoming blameless. A good example would be if someone committed an act of infidelity and made the appropriate sacrifice, they would be blameless but if it was later found out a child was conceived how would one go about it? Would the previous sacrifice cover that, would there be an additional sacrifice? Thanks.
Answer:
Hello,
A sacrifice doesn’t make the person blameless, rather since bringing a sacrifice atones for the sin, if the proper teshuva was done, and the sin is then considered forgiven. However, the point you are bringing up is definitely correct. There are times when a sacrifice will not totally atone for a sin that was done. In fact, the Mishna (Chagiga 9a) says this regarding what is written in Koheles 1-15, “Meuvas lo yochal liskon” “an error that can be corrected”, that the verse is referring to a person how had a forbidden relationship and a mamzer was born as a result, that this sin cannot be (totally) erased by repenting, because the damage that was done is still here.
Best wishes
Sources:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת חגיגה דף ט עמוד א “על זה נאמר מעוות לא יוכל לתקן וחסרון לא יוכל להמנות. רבי שמעון בן מנסיא אומר: איזהו מעוות שאינו יכול להתקן – זה הבא על הערוה והוליד ממנה ממזר. ופרש”י שם “והוליד ממזר – שהביא פסולין בישראל, ויהא זכרון, לפיכך אין עונותיו נמחקין בתשובה”
