For the source text click/tap here: Kiddushin 49
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The Gemara relates that if a person, who until this time was wicked, betroths a woman on condition that he is righteous we are concerned with the possibility that he had thoughts of teshuvah.
Minchas Chinuch (1) questions whether teshuvah can be done without verbally confessing (וידוי) one’s sins. He cites our Gemara as proof that teshuvah without a verbal confession is effective.
Since the Gemara does not relate that he verbally confessed his sins, it would seem that his teshuvah is accepted and he can now be described as righteous by merely having thoughts of teshuvah.
We look at this notion of Teshuvah then review Shakespeare’s view of marriage.