Night Emission Even After Repentance

Shalom U'vrachah,

When a night incident occurs to a person without having thought during the day about inappropriate matters, it is not considered a sin at all.

Sometimes this happens due to eating a particular food, or improper lying positions, or excessive effort before sleep. When it happens due to these reasons, it is not a blemish. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, of blessed memory, would say this is akin to a baby urinating in their sleep.

Nevertheless, if it does happen, one should do as explained in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Siman 139, Sif 5: If one has unfortunately experienced night emission, upon waking, they should wash their hands and say with a broken heart: 

'Master of the Universe, I did this unintentionally, only due to bad thoughts and evil thoughts. Therefore, may it be Your will, Hashem, my God and the God of my fathers, to erase this sin in Your abundant mercy, and save me from bad thoughts and so forth forever. Amen, may it be Your will.' 

"Ribono shel olam, asiti zot shelo bekavanah, rak behirhurim ra’im u’vemachshavot ra’ot.
Lachen yehi ratzon milfanecha, Adonai Elohai ve’Elohei avotai, mehak b’rachamecha harabim avon zeh,
ve’tatzileni mehirhurim ra’im u’kayotzeh ba’zeh le’olam va’ed.
Amen ken yehi ratzon."

It is advisable to immerse in a mikveh (ritual bath), and if immersion is not possible, the sages have ordained to pour nine kav (a measure) of water over the body, which is equivalent to a five-minute shower.

If this occurred as a result of a thought or an early sight, one should return in repentance. The rectifications for those who have stumbled in this sin are written in the book Yesod Yosef, which gathers from holy and ancient texts, and I will briefly mention some of them. To be diligent in being a sandek (a sponsor at a circumcision) especially for poor children, to increase charity to the needy, to observe Shabbat according to Jewish law and to delight in it, to light many candles, to honor and love Torah scholars, to pray with intent and with tears, to choose the attribute of humility, and when one hears insults, to remain silent and forgive. When performing a mitzvah, one should do so with strength and alacrity until they feel warm in it, especially in fulfilling the mitzvot for Passover. To raise one's children to Torah study and to guide them in fear of Heaven. To raise an orphan in one's home and treat them as one’s own child. To engage in the mitzvah of escorting brides. To go up to the Torah at least once a month and to bless the blessings aloud. One should also look at the Torah and read quietly along with the reader. To be among the first ten in the synagogue. To stand at midnight to perform Tikkun Chatzot (midnight prayers) with tears. If it is not possible to wake at midnight, one should perform Tikkun Chatzot afterward. To love peace and pursue peace.

May it be that we merit to rectify all that we have blemished.

Of course Hashem knows all of a person's struggles and that they are getting closer to the Creator in Heaven and trying to protect themselves as much as possible. The pain one feels in the morning upon realizing their downfall erases much of the sin, as explained in Mussar (ethical literature) books.

Learning Torah is the surest way to help be careful with guarding one's eyes, and also to be diligent in wearing Tzitzit throughout the day.

Blessings - Binyamin Shmueli