The great Rabbi, the Chofetz Chaim, compiled the halachic compendium, the “Mishna Berurah.” He teaches that the principle rectification for sexual wrongdoing known as Tikun HaBrit is through the study of Torah:
“It is written in holy texts that the principle rectification for a person who has erred in this matter, G-d forbid, is that he should strengthen his learning of Torah from now on for the rest of his life, and the Torah will purify him. As the Sages have said on the verse, “Your springs shall gush forth” (Mishle, 5:16), the words of Torah are compared to a spring of water – just as a spring of water purifies the impure, so does the Torah purify the people of Israel.
“Also it is also found in the Zohar, “Once Rabbi Yose was on the road and he met Rabbi Hiya and said to him, ‘In reference to the verse, ‘Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged by sacrifice nor offering for ever’ (Shmuel 1,3:4), the meaning is that through sacrifices and offerings it will not be purged, but it can be purged by words of Torah. Why? Because the words of Torah rise above all of the sacrifices in the world….’ Rabbi Hiya responded, ‘This is certainly so, for whomever busies himself with Torah learning, it benefits him more that all of the sacrifices and offerings, and even though punishment has been decreed against him from Above, it is annulled. Behold, a man is never purified except by the words of the Torah. For this reason, the words of Torah are not susceptible to impurity, because they stand ready to cleanse the impure’ (Zohar, Kedoshim, 80B).
“This teaching does not mean that by Torah study alone, without doing any acts of kindness, it is possible to be cleansed, for our Sages have already taught that someone who says, ‘I have only Torah,’ he doesn’t even have Torah to his credit. Rather, the intent is that the principle rectification is through Torah study for a person who is able to understand the learning. Nevertheless, a person must involve himself with acts of kindness and have compassion on his fellow man, and this will atone for his sins, as it says, ‘Through loving-kindness and truth sin will be atoned’ (Mishle, 16:6). And then Heaven will have compassion on him to lengthen his days, as it says, “Whoever has compassion on his fellow man, Heaven will have compassion on him.’ And the merit of the Torah will be a shield to him. As it says in the Midrash Tanchuma: if a man commits a sin deserving of the punishment of death from Heaven, what should he do to live? If he was accustomed to learn one chapter a day, let him learn two. If he was accustomed to learn one page a day, let him learn two. And if he does not know how to learn, let him at least busy himself with charity and righteous acts and live, as it says, ‘He who pursues charity and deeds of kindness will find live, righteousness and honor’ (Mishle, 21:21). And the main goal of his Torah learning should be to carry out its teachings, for whoever studies the Torah and doesn’t observe it, it would have been better for him if he had never been born, as our Sages have taught, and furthermore, his learning will lack the power to defend him, may G-d have mercy.”
(From the “Collected Writings of the Chofetz Chaim on Talmud Torah,” Pg.166, Beit Yechiel Publishers, Jerusalem. And see, Shulchan Aruch, 615:2; and Mishna Berurah, subchapter 3, there, and Shar HaZion, subchapters 5 and 6)
