Repentance

1. Fasting helps for everything.

2. One who is bereft of any good deeds cannot separate others from their evil.

3. A fast is stronger than a sword.

4. It is fitting that repentance should be done through the very same matter (wherein one sinned).

5. When a person thinks, 'I will do such and such; such and such I will attain', through this his thought is not fulfilled.

6. Exile atones for everything.

7. One who is humble, it is as if he offered all the sacrifices.

8. Anyone who confesses has a portion in the World to Come.

9. One who teaches his friend's son Torah is as if he created him, and as if he made the words of Torah, and as if he made himself.

10. Rav (Rabbi) Papa fasted for having referred to a Torah scholar in a disparaging fashion.

11. A person should guard his mouth from saying, "I will do such and such a sin", even mockingly, for his words force him to do the action.

12. Anyone who cries in the night, his cries are heard, and the stars and the constellations cry with him.

13. Those liable to kurais (lit. cut off – this is a Divine punishment of early death) who received lashes, they are absolved from kurais.

14. When suffering comes to the world, one should think it is because of his sin(s) that this suffering came.

15. The clothes that are made for the Tzaddik -- each garment has its own unique segulah (power) to atone.

16. When (lit. since or because) a man marries a woman, all his sins are forgiven (literally, sealed off).

17. When one sees or hears about some suffering that befell a non-Jew, he should have thoughts of repentance.

18. One who lives in Israel fares without sin.

19. It is appropriate to lighten the conditions of repentance on the sinners.

20. Sin weakens the strength of a man.

21. When two Mitzvot (commandments/good deeds) come to your hands, do that Mitzva that demands greater restraint of your desires.

22. It is necessary to fast when causing suffering to the Tzaddik.

23. Pain in the heart is close to shedding tears.

24. One who brings others back in repentance merits to sit in the Yeshiva Above, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, annuls a harsh decree for him.

25. A person's despondence is greater than a fast.

26. One who does a sin and then regrets it, all his sins are forgiven.

27. One who does business dealings faithfully, all his sins are forgiven.

28. The first thoughts helps a person through the execution and finishing of the project, that it should be carried out in holiness. However, if he did not think in holiness at the beginning, then mishaps will arise in the middle and at the end.

29. A table to which guests are invited, atones.

30. Greatness atones.

31. Sometimes when a person starts to repent, sufferings come upon him. This is because he delayed repenting.

32. Through the sigh that is sighed, one becomes a new being.

33. Through having love for the Tzaddikim, the Tzaddikim are able to bring the people back in repentance.

34. One who brings back the people in repentance, in his merit there is no fear and contention in the world.

35. One who helps orphans, subdues (lit. breaks) the power of the nations through this, and through their being subdued (lit. broken), the wicked [of the] Jews return in repentance.

36. One who brings people back in repentance is saved from jail.

37. Also, he is honorable in G-d's eyes.

38. Also, he merits becoming famous among the nations.

39. One who's way is to constantly bring people back in repentance, in his merit foreign thoughts desist from the leaders (lit. great) of the generation.

40. One who brings back evildoers in repentance, will merit to observe (lit. guard) the Shabbat.

41. Also, he will not be harmed from a snake.

42. When you teach the son of a wicked person the good way (proper conduct), through this you will be able to annul harsh decrees.

43. Through falsehood one strengthens the hands of the wicked.

44. One who repents with all his heart, the Holy One – Blessed is He - gives him a heart to know Him.

45. Through hearing the shofar blown by an upright (lit. kosher) man, the evil inclination is broken, and repentance is aroused in the world.

46. One who wants to repent should take precaution of being in debt.

47. One who loves the Tzaddikim is able to bring people back in repentance.

48. One who confesses, the Holy One, Blessed is He - loves him with a munificent love, and withdraws His anger from him.

49. The nations are close to repentance.

50. Learning the Torah atones.

51. One who is on a high level can reach his perfection with a minimum of actions.

52. When some suffering comes upon you, examine your deeds.

53. One who wants to do good deeds but is prevented with impediments, the Holy One – Blessed He- rewards him as if he had done them. But one who does not do as much as he could, he receives punishment for this.

54. One who causes the people to gain merit becomes a partner with G-d in the Creation of the World.

55. There is no comparison between a Mitzva (commandment /good deed) one does for himself alone, even if it be great, to a Mitzva which will bring merit to the people, even if it be small.

56. The demand to earn a living, and enemies, and disease, and overabundant wealth prevent a man from reaching perfection and the ultimate purpose.

57. When you do some damage, it is a sign that the evil inclination dominates over you.

58. One who tempts his fellowman away from the good path, fire (lit. burning) comes upon him.

59. One who is unable to cry, the segulah (propitious) for this is – he should sit in a place where two rivers pour out together.

60. One who returns people back in repentance merits wisdom.

61. Through laziness, it appears to a person that the way of repentance is hidden from him.

62. One who reveals his secrets, it becomes hard for the thing (he revealed) to endure (- or be fulfilled).

63. One who is ashamed of his sins, the Holy One – Blessed is He- deals with him charitably.

64. A fast that is without cognizance is not considered a fast.

65. From the moment a person thinks of repenting, his prayers are accepted, even if he has not yet actually repented.

66. When you want to repent, ask the Tzaddik to bring you before the Blessed G-d.

67. Through kindness and truth, sins are forgiven.

68. Through your asking G-d to give you love, G-d covers over your sins.

69. One who confesses his sins will merit that he will not have to sell from the inheritance (estates) of his forefathers.

70. When you chastise those who have not corrected the sins of their youth, include yourself with them, and through this they will accept from you.

71. The main rectification for the blemish from one's sins is through submission.

72. A person should rebuke himself every morning.

73. The service with which a man serves G-d in his youth, every day (of service) -- its value is much greater than many years of serving G-d in his old age.

74. It is impossible for a man to know in his lifetime, if his repentance was accepted.

75. That which we see, that someone who begins to serve G-d, suffering comes upon him, this is because he began with fear of justice.

76. One who starts to serve G-d, the Holy One – Blessed is He- says to him, "I know that your longing and desire is to serve Me. But what assurance do I have that tomorrow you will not leave me? So how can I draw you close for the wish you desire, and how can I reveal to you hidden things right away? Rather do the following: In the beginning, love Me this way and do my commandments, even though you do not know the reason (lit. intellect) of the Mitzva, and serve Me simply without sophistication. When you serve Me this way for a long time (lit. many times), I will believe you, and reveal to you the reason and the intellect of every matter, and I will draw you close with every form of bonding. For, the long period that you served Me beforehand, is assurance that you will not desert Me."

77. Through this a person can know if he truly wants to serve [G-d] - when he has no interest in his own renown.

78. One who does not know the Way of G-d should belittle himself.

79. Through prayer that is expressed intensely (t.n. raised voice and uplifted eyes - Zohar), G-d will forgive you.

80. Due to falsehoods, a person cannot improve his behavior.

81. One who cannot annul his evil inclination through drawing it to the hall of study, should know that he is still in a state of wickedness.

82. The Holy One – Blessed is He- desires the Mitzvot in which a person also does the will of people, more than those Mitzvot which are matters between man and his Creator.

83. It is better for a person to fulfill the Mitzva however much possible, than to abandon it altogether.

84. Repairing the body comes before repairing the soul.

85. One who cries and mourns over a kosher man is forgiven for all his sins.

86. It is a Mitzva to cause people to repent (alternate text: to warn people) regarding every sin. If you fear that they will not listen to you, say your words in the name of a different Tzaddik, so that they will listen to you.

87. All who say Vayechulu (Book of Bereshit, Verse 2:1-3, which is customarily said as part of the prayers on the Shabbat night) with intention, and pray with intention (kavana), the Ministering Angels ask G-d to forgive them.

88. One who answers Amen Yehey Shmey Rabah with all his might - even if he has a smudge of idol worship, he is forgiven.

89. The following do not see (the face/presence of) Hell: Those in extreme poverty, and those with stomach illness, and someone who has creditors, and (someone who has) burden (pressure/persecution) of the sovereignty.

90. Strengthen yourself in doing Mitzvos, beyond what is in your power to do.

91. Monetary loss atones for one's body.

92. Thirst is a rectification for unnecessary speech.

93. Repentance brings healing to the world.

94. By doing repentance out of fear, one's deliberate sins become as if they were inadvertent. By repenting out of love, they become like merits.

95. Repentance brings close the Redemption, and lengthens the days and the years of a man.

96. Through repentance of an individual, forgiveness is given to him, and to the entire world.

97. The Holy One, Blessed is He- is pacified by confession, and (the one who confesses) is as if he built an altar and offered a sacrifice.

98. One who is resilient in how people treat him, G-d overlooks all his sins.

99. The (learning of) Torah and doing acts of kindness, atone.

100. Crying out and weeping in the night has more influence in arousing mercy.

101. A ba'al tshuvah (someone who has returned in repentance) should pray for rain, and through this all his sins are atoned.

102. When the Jewish People fast, they are not answered until evildoers are included in the union.

103. The path a person should select, is to love rebuke (given to him), and to hold greater faith.

1. The day that a person repents is above time, and it raises all the days above time, and so, Yom Kippur is above time.

2. Also through repentance, the Spirit of Messiah blows upon the decrees of the nations (lit. kingdoms) and annuls them.

3. Also through repentance, great heat is annulled.

4. The young are easier to return (them) to the Blessed G-d than the elderly.

5. One must force the wicked with monetary pressure so that they return in repentance.

6. Through repentance, livelihood comes easily.

7. Through the exceptionally brilliant (sharp) of the generation, awe is aroused (lit. illuminated), and through the awe, the merit of the forefathers is kindled (lit. sparks or sparkles), and through the sparkling of the forefathers, repentance is aroused in the world.

8. The Holy One, Blessed is He- creates paths in the sea, in order to overpower our sins and to extract our righteousness.

9. When the Tzaddik becomes wealthy, through this the wicked return in repentance.

10. Through observing the Shabbat, one draws on oneself the light of the Messiah, also through repentance.