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| Art: Xetobyte |
The midrash refers to Reuven as "the first one to repent'' for his sin [of moving his father's bed]. G-d said to him ''No man has ever sinned before me and repented. You have opened the path of teshuvah.'' [Bereishis Rabah 82:11, 84:19]
Even though we find that Adam and Kayin repented before Reuven, nevertheless they did so out of fear of Divine retribution. Reuven however was the first one to truly return to God, because he realized that his sin was wrong.
For this reason, Yaakov is said to have a ''perfect complement'' of children, for not only did he have sons who were tzadikim [perfectly righteous], he also had a son who was a genuine baál teshuva.
Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe, Sefer Hasichos 5750]
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