תְּשׁוּבָה

The main rectification of all sins is through the true tzaddik. And one who wishes to merit a good end for eternity must strive with all his strength to draw close to true tzaddikim and their disciples, and recount his entire heart before the tzaddik, that is, verbal confession, and through this, all his sins are forgiven. For a person’s sins are engraved upon his bones, because every transgression has a combination of letters, and when he commits a transgression, a harmful combination is engraved upon his bones according to the letters of the prohibition he violated. And through this, he brings the aspect of the speech of that prohibition he violated into impurity. And through this, he brings the kingdom of holiness into the exile of the other side. And this harmful combination engraved upon his bones takes vengeance upon him. And through verbal confession before a Torah scholar, the letters engraved upon his bones are removed, and everything is rectified (4, 5).

Through an Israelite being aroused to repentance because he felt a small impurity that confuses him in his prayer and service, through his repentance, he causes even the completely wicked who have left the fold of Israel due to the multitude of their evil deeds to become a throne for holiness and return in repentance, and they assist the servants of G-d to build structures of holiness (ibid., at the end). The main aspect of repentance is when one hears his disgrace, remains silent, and endures the insults and bloodshed that come upon him.

Through this, he diminishes the blood in the left ventricle and sacrifices his evil inclination, and through this, he merits divine honor (6, 2). Before repentance, he still has no existence, as if he has not yet come into being in the world, for it would have been better for him not to have been created than to have been created.

And when he comes to purify himself and do repentance, then he prepares himself to have existence in the world. Therefore, repentance is the aspect of “I will be,” that is, “I am ready to become,” as mentioned above (ibid.). One must also know that when he comes to purify himself and do repentance, they say to him, “Wait,” that is, even though he must hurry greatly to escape for his life, to flee from the darkness, nevertheless, his thoughts should not panic him when he sees his distance from prayer and all matters of holiness.

For it is necessary to wait until he merits such a complete rectification, the aspect of “One who comes to purify, they assist him,” etc., they say to him, “Wait and understand” (ibid.). One must always hold fast to the attribute of repentance, for even at the moment a person says, “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have rebelled,” even this he cannot say without bias. It follows that he must do repentance for the initial repentance, that is, for the “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have rebelled” that he said (ibid., 3).

Even if a person knows within himself that he has done complete repentance, nevertheless, he must do repentance for the initial repentance. For initially, when he did it, he did it according to his understanding. And afterward, certainly when he does repentance, he surely recognizes and attains more of G-d, blessed be He.

It follows that according to the understanding he attains now, certainly his initial understanding is in the aspect of materiality. It follows that he must do repentance for his initial understanding, for having materialized the exaltedness of His Divinity, blessed be He. Fortunate is the one who merits such repentance (ibid.). Repentance must be with three conditions (Isaiah 6:10): “That he sees with his eyes, hears with his ears, and understands with his heart, and returns.” For a person must set his eyes and heart well upon his ways, contemplate his eternal purpose, and settle himself very well. And he must listen well to all the words of our holy sages, and then he will merit true repentance (7, at the end).

The main aspect of repentance is through humility, that a person must consider himself as nothing, like a wilderness to be trodden upon, and not pay any attention to the disputes and insults that degrade him, but hold fast to the attribute of silence and be among those who hear their disgrace and do not respond, as mentioned above. And then he is called truly wise and merits repentance, which is the aspect of the crown, through which one merits true and eternal honor, which is divine honor, as mentioned above (6).

When a person wishes to walk in the ways of repentance, he must be proficient in halacha and must have two proficiencies, namely, proficient in going and proficient in returning, which is the aspect of entering and exiting, the aspect of (Psalms 139:8) “If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.” That is, one who wishes to return to G-d, blessed be He, must gird his loins, to strengthen himself in the ways of G-d always, whether

in ascent or descent, which are the aspect of “If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.” That is, whether he merits some ascent, to some great or small level, nevertheless, he should not stand there and be satisfied with it. Rather, he must be very proficient in this, to know and believe that he must go further and further, etc., which is the aspect of proficient in going, etc. And conversely, even if he falls, G-d forbid, to the place where he falls, even to the lowest Sheol, G-d forbid, even there he should never despair of himself in any way, no matter what happens. Rather, he should search and seek G-d, blessed be He, and strengthen himself in every place he is with all that he can. For even in the lowest Sheol, G-d, blessed be He, is found, and from there one can attach himself to Him, blessed be He, and this is the aspect of “If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there,” the aspect of proficient in returning. For it is impossible to merit repentance unless one is proficient in these two proficiencies, and truly, it is a very great proficiency to merit knowing that one must exert himself and toil in the service of G-d always, and expect at every moment to reach a higher level, and nevertheless, not fall due to anything, even if it is whatever it may be, G-d forbid. Nevertheless, he should not fall in his mind at all and fulfill “If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there,” as mentioned above. And when he has these two proficiencies, then he walks in the ways of repentance, and then the right hand of G-d is extended to accept his repentance, and he merits the honor of G-d and becomes through this a person to sit on the throne, fortunate is he (ibid., 4). The reason there are some scholars who study much Torah and do not return in repentance, and on the contrary, they dispute with the tzaddikim, is because they study not for its own sake, but for the sake of honor and leadership, to be arrogant and provoke. And then, through the Torah, more cunning enters them. For in the Torah, there are two aspects (Hosea 14:10): “The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” And then, from the Oral Torah, a mouth is made for him to speak arrogantly against the tzaddik with pride and contempt.

ב. צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל עֵת אִם הוּא דָּבוּק בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְהַסִּימָן שֶׁל דְּבֵקוּת הוּא תְּפִלִּין (לח, א) And there are great, distinguished tzaddikim who know from which Torah laws these harmful combinations that speak against the tzaddikim are made, and they elevate these combinations and transform them into laws, etc., [as explained inside, see there, section 12] (12, 1). When people who are outside of holiness draw themselves closer to the inner holiness, whether converts who convert or penitents who were also outside, when they bring them closer and bring them inside, this is the main glory of G-d, blessed be He, and then Hashem of the Holy One, blessed be He, is elevated and exalted above and below, and the honor is raised to its root, and through this, peace is drawn into the world (14, 2). Through ultimate humility and lowliness, one merits Torah, to the point that he can illuminate through his Torah study the roots of the souls of Israel that are rooted in the Torah.

ג. עִקַּר קְדֻשַּׁת הַתְּפִלִּין זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת הַדִּבּוּר וְתִקּוּנוֹ, וְתִקּוּן הַדִּבּוּר הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁלּוֹמְדִין תּוֹרָה גַּם בַּעֲנִיּוּת וְדַחֲקוּת. וּבְכָל מִינֵי חַשְׁכוּת וְצָרוֹת וְיִסּוּרִים רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן הָעוֹבְרִים עַל הָאָדָם כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר אָז לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה מַעֲלֶה וּמְתַקֵּן הַדִּבּוּר, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לְדַבֵּר בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ בְּשַׁלְהֶבֶת הַגְּבוּרוֹת וְלִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ לִפְנֵי ה' בַּחֲמִימוּת גָּדוֹל, לְדַבֵּר דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת שֶׁבַּלֵּב בַּחֲמִימוּת הַלֵּב. וְרוֹאֶה פְּחִיתוּתוֹ וּגְדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא, עַד שֶׁנִּכְנָס בּוֹ בּוּשָׁה גְּדוֹלָה עַל גֹּדֶל פְּשָׁעָיו כְּנֶגֶד רַב וְשַׁלִּיט עִקְּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דְּכָל עָלְמִין, עַד שֶּׁזּוֹכֶה שֶׁתִּתְגַּלֶּה הַבּוּשָׁה עַל פָּנָיו. וַאֲזַי זוֹכֶה לְאוֹר הַתְּפִלִּין שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת דְּבֵקוּת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. אַשְׁרֵי הַזּוֹכֶה לָזֶה [עַיֵּן דִּבּוּר אוֹת ז וּבוּשָׁה בְּאוֹת ב] (שָׁם ב ד ה) And through this, he can illuminate and arouse to repentance even those far from him by many parsaot, and even transgressors of Israel, as long as Hashem Israel is called upon him, even though he sinned, he is Israel. They can illuminate for him to the place where he is with an illumination from the root of his soul through the Torah, and through this, he returns in repentance (ibid., 3, 5). When they illuminate and arouse those far off to repentance, they are still very far from holiness, and they may have many obstacles, and they require great efforts to strip them of the filthy garments they have donned.

ד. תְּפִלִּין הֵם בְּחִינַת הֶאָרַת פָּנִים וְעִקַּר פְּאֵר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהֵם בְּחִינַת חַיִּים בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת וּמִשָּׁם עִקַּר הָעֲשִׁירוּת וְכָל הַהַשְׁפָּעוֹת טוֹבוֹת. וּכְשֶׁפּוֹגְמִין בִּתְפִלִּין, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בָּא עֲנִיּוּת וּבִזְיוֹנוֹת וּבוּשׁוֹת, וְחַיָּיו תְּלוּיִים מִנֶּגֶד רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן (מז) For these filthy garments obstruct like a river that blocks, making it impossible to pass through that river. Therefore, let not your thoughts alarm you when you see that you wish to draw close and powerful obstacles come upon you, for it is necessary that you have many and powerful obstacles. For they all stem from the filthy garments made from his sins. And one must endure efforts and bitterness until he casts off the filthy garments. And through this, all the obstacles and barriers separating him from holiness are nullified (ibid., 5). To speak with one’s fellow with moral instruction and fear of Heaven and to arouse him to repentance is a rectification for nocturnal emission (ibid., at the end).

ה. עַל־יְדֵי תְּפִלִּין מַמְשִׁיכִין עַל עַצְמָן הַזִּכָּרוֹן לִזְכֹּר תָּמִיד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַגְדִּיל דַּעְתּוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם לְהָבִין הָרְמָזִים שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מְרַמֵּז לָאָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיִּתְקָרֵב אֵלָיו [עַיֵּן זִכָּרוֹן אוֹת ד ה. וְדַעַת אוֹת ל"ו] (נד, ג) One must rectify even all the sins he committed unintentionally, and through this, one merits the perfection of the holy tongue, which is the aspect of the rectification of the covenant (19, 3). Know that repentance is to return the thing to the place from which it was taken, that is, to return and restore the thing to its root, and the root of all things is wisdom. Therefore, each person must guard his wisdom and intellect from external follies and foreign thoughts, and all the more so from evil thoughts. For all damages, sins, and iniquities come from the damage of thought, when one is not careful to guard it properly so that it does not go beyond the boundary of holiness. And when one is careful and guards the thought well, which is the wisdom in the mind, this is the main rectification and repentance [see Knowledge, sections 25-27] (35). The main aspect of repentance depends on the heart, that is, on the thought in the heart, that one strengthens himself to flee from evil thoughts and to think good thoughts at all times.

ו. כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִין לְשַׁבֵּר הִרְהוּרֵי נִאוּף, כֵּן זוֹכִין לִקְדֻשַּׁת הַתְּפִלִּין. כִּי עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַתְּפִלִּין נִמְשָׁכִין עַל־יְדֵי הַיְּרֵאִים וְהַכְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים מָגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם מִתְגַּבְּרִים הַהִרְהוּרִים בְּיוֹתֵר מְאֹד מְאֹד. וְהֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ הַהִרְהוּרִים, שֶׁיְּכוֹלִים לְהָבִיא לִידֵי הַשְׁחָתַת זֶרַע חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הֶחְתִּים בְּשָׂרוֹ בְּחִינַת חוֹתָם דִּקְלִפָּה. וְהֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים כְּנֶגְדָּם וּבוֹרְחִים מֵהֶם בְּגֹדֶל הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָם. וְהֵן מַעֲלִין מִבְּחִינַת חוֹתָם דִּקְלִפָּה. לִבְחִינַת חוֹתָם דִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלִּין הִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַמֹּחִין, לֵידַע וּלְהוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ עָלָיו הֶאָרַת הַשִּׁבְעָה רוֹעִים שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד הַשִּׁבְעָה רָאשִׁים שֶׁל הַשְּׁתֵּי שִׁינִין שֶׁבַּתְּפִלִּין. נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַתְּפִלִּין הַקְּדוֹשִׁים צְרִיכִין לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עַל עַצְמוֹ הִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַמֹּחִין כַּנַּ"ל. גַּם צְרִיכִין עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלִּין לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עַל עַצְמוֹ תִּקּוּן הַצִּמְצוּם שֶׁל הַמֹּחִין, שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא הַמֹּחַ חוּץ מֵהַגְּבוּל. וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְהִתְנוֹצְצוּת אֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לֹא יֵצֵא חוּץ מֵהַגְּבוּל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹא לִידֵי הֲרִיסָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם (ח"ב. ה, ז) To set in his heart well what his purpose and end will be, etc., and to devise plans and strategies how he will merit to return to G-d.

תענית (Fasting)

And through this, he will merit to reach and attain the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One, that is, the inner secrets of the Torah, which is the main delight of the World to Come (49).

1. Every person must subdue the material, and this is done through fasting. For through fasting, one weakens the four elements, from which all desires come, and the body and the material, which is the aspect of folly and darkness, the aspect of an animal, the aspect of death, are subdued and nullified. And the intellect and form, which is the aspect of the soul, the aspect of a human, the aspect of wisdom, light, and life, are strengthened and elevated. And forgetfulness is nullified, and one merits remembrance. And he nullifies judgment and darkness and draws kindness into the world. And the main rectification of fasting is through charity; it also subdues external wisdoms in favor of the wisdoms of the Torah, and one also merits livelihood (77). Tishrei and Nissan are the primary days of repentance. For in Nissan, we are destined to be redeemed, and redemption comes only through repentance (ibid., 6). One must be like a hero to run the course. For even when he merits to do repentance and rectify what he damaged, he still needs to fulfill the service he could have performed during the time he was rebuked before G-d, blessed be He. Therefore, he must run well, to hasten greatly in the service of G-d, blessed be He, so that he can fulfill the lack of service he could have performed during the days of his corruption (ibid., at the end). All mitzvot and transgressions—their main aspect is through bringing them from potential to actuality.

2. For every trouble that should not come, they decree a fast. For fasting is the aspect of illumination and uplifting of the face, which is the aspect of sweetening and nullifying judgments, through which all troubles are nullified. One is also saved from poverty, disgrace, and shame, and merits wealth; he also merits that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs wonders through him (47). For the main perfection of a mitzvah is only when it is brought from potential to actuality, that is, when one merits to perform it in action. And when one brings a mitzvah from potential to actuality, it is the aspect of the creation of the world itself, and behold, he sustains the entire world. And conversely, with a transgression, G-d forbid, initially the transgression is in potential when he thinks to do it, G-d forbid, and afterward, when he brings it from potential to actuality and does it, G-d forbid, then he is a complete wicked person and considered as dead, and behold, he destroys himself and destroys an entire world, G-d forbid.

3. The tzaddik—his eating is of precious value, for he satiates his holy soul, and therefore it is forbidden for him to fast. But one who needs to fast certainly must fast, and it is a mitzvah (50). For the entire world was created only through this aspect, that it goes from potential to actuality through Him, blessed be He. And therefore, with every transgression, G-d forbid, one damages the generality of the worlds and the generality of the holy names, may the Merciful One save us, may the Merciful One deliver us.

And there is no rectification except through repentance, for through repentance, by regretting the transgression and abandoning it, through this, all the above is rectified, and he returns and brings the rectification of all the worlds from potential to actuality (66, 2). Through repentance out of love, no trace of the sins remains. And then he merits to pray and study with a clear intellect, which is the aspect of expanded consciousness, and then he can pray properly and study and understand without deep contemplation.

ה. עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִית הוּא מְתַקֵּן אֶת פָּנָיו וּמַחֲזִיר לְעַצְמוֹ אֶת חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁהוּא צֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים הַמֵּאִיר בְּפָנָיו, וְאָז הַכֹּל יְרֵאִים מִמֶּנּוּ וְאוֹיְבָיו נוֹפְלִים לְפָנָיו. אֲבָל כְּדֵי לְהַרְבּוֹת הַשָּׁלוֹם צָרִיךְ גַּם לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּצְדָקָה (שָׁם) And he merits to renew his mind every single day (74). Every person must ensure that from his side, there is no delay in the coming of the Messiah, that is, he must see to rectify his deeds and do complete repentance, so that he does not delay the coming of the Messiah with his sins (79). luciferase, he merits to understand one thing from another and to innovate in it for the sake of Heaven, this is complete repentance [see Torah Study, section 10] (80). If he merits to truly feel the pain of his sins, that is, when he circumcises the foreskin of his heart, until his heart truly feels the greatness of his pain, and he grieves and regrets and returns in true repentance, then all the hearts of all the drops that were drawn from him, whether his actual children or those that were drawn to another place, G-d forbid, all of them will have the foreskin of their hearts circumcised, and they will feel where they are cast, and a great commotion will occur among them, and they will all be aroused to repentance (141). The difference between death and life is only for the person who is drawn after the desires of eating and drinking, and for him, death is evident. But the tzaddik who conquers his inclination, even in what is permitted to him, holds his desire in his hand, he is always alive, even after death, and there is no difference for him between death and life (144).

ו. עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִיתHAND, he rectifies speech, and then he can speak before G-d, blessed be He, and pray with intention. And through the rectification of speech, one brings those who are far closer to G-d, blessed be He, and through this, he perfects faith and merits complete faith. And through this, he merits to refine the foods, and then through his eating, a unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, face to face, is achieved (62). A person must have compassion on his soul, to hasten to return to G-d, blessed be He, in his youth before he grows old, for then he still hears the voice of the Torah’s proclamation, which proclaims every day and calls to the person to return to G-d, blessed be He, which are the thoughts of repentance that come upon a person each time.

7. Fasting nullifies disputes, both material and spiritual disputes, that is, when one is unable to pray or do what is necessary in the service of G-d, which is also included in disputes. And fasting is beneficial for this, to subdue the heart to attach the will to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to make peace (179). But after he grows old, it is much harder to bring him back [see inside, section 206] (205). VIT, true prayer, true Torah, and true matches and marriages. And all this is merited through praise and thanksgiving to G-d, blessed be He, and through studying halachot, which are the main delight of the World to Come (Part II, 2).

8. Fasting revives the dead, that is, it revives the days that passed in darkness and have no vitality. For one who damages a day by not performing mitzvot and good deeds, all the more so if, G-d forbid, he does evil on it, G-d forbid, then that day has no vitality, and he kills that day [see inside]. And fasting revives those dead days. And it all depends on the fast; the more one fasts, the more he revives the dead days that passed in darkness (ibid.). One must know that an Israelite is completely distant from sin, and sin is not at all relevant to him due to his refinement and spirituality. Therefore, a sin, G-d forbid, is an extremely heavy burden for an Israelite, impossible to bear upon himself even for a single day, for the burden of sin is harder and heavier than all the burdens of all kinds of afflictions in the world.

9. Through fasting, one merits joy, and according to the days of fasting, so too does he merit joy (ibid.). Therefore, each person must have compassion on himself, strive to return from his sins, and greatly seek from G-d, blessed be He, to merit finding a leader who is a true compassionate one, who will illuminate his knowledge and extricate him from his sins. For this is the main compassion, greater than all kinds of compassion [see Tzaddik, section 36, and Rebuke, section 17] (7, 3). The main aspect of complete repentance is when a person passes through the very places he was in before repentance, each according to what he experienced in previous days.

10. The reason one fasts for a bad dream is to draw joy through the fast, as mentioned above, that this is the main rectification of the dream. Therefore, for one who does not wish to fast for the dream, the benevolent ones say to him, “Go, eat your bread with joy.” For the main rectification is through joy (Part II, 5, 10). And when he passes through those places and matters that he was actually involved in initially, and now turns his back on them and subdues his inclination not to do again what he did, this is the main aspect of complete repentance, and only this is called repentance (49). The main aspect of repentance is through shame, for one must be greatly ashamed before Him, blessed be He [see Shame, section 4].

11. On the day of the fast, it is good to recite the sections of the sacrifices from the Book of Leviticus, as they are already arranged in the Ma’amadot (ibid.). And this is merited through seeing oneself with the true tzaddik [see Tzaddik, section 108] (72). One who wishes to merit repentance should regularly recite Psalms, for Psalms are conducive to repentance. For there are many obstacles to doing repentance. For some have no arousal at all for repentance.

א. עִקַּר הַתִּקּוּן שֶׁל כָּל הָעֲווֹנוֹת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת. וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת לְאַחֲרִית טוֹב לָנֶצַח צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וְתַלְמִידֵיהֶם, וִיסַפֵּר לִפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיק כָּל לִבּוֹ, הַיְנוּ וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ כָּל עֲווֹנוֹתָיו. כִּי עֲווֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם חֲקוּקִין עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו, כִּי כָּל עֲבֵרָה יֵשׁ לָהּ צֵרוּף אוֹתִיּוֹת, וּכְשֶׁעוֹבֵר אֵיזֶה עֲבֵרָה אֲזַי נֶחְקָק צֵרוּף רַע עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו כְּפִי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַלָּאו שֶׁעָבַר, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מַכְנִיס בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל הַלָּאו הַזֶּה שֶׁעָבַר בְּתוֹךְ הַטֻּמְאָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה מֵבִיא מַלְכוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְתוֹךְ גָּלוּת דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְזֶה הַצֵּרוּף הָרָע שֶׁנֶּחְקָק עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו נוֹקֵם בּוֹ. וְעַל־יְדֵי וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי הַתַּלְמִיד חָכָם יוֹצְאִים מֵעַצְמוֹתָיו הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַחֲקוּקִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִתְתַּקֵּן הַכֹּל (ד, ה) And even one who is aroused to do repentance faces many obstacles, for some have the gate of repentance closed before them, and some do not know how to reach the gate that pertains to them, through which specifically they must return to G-d, blessed be He, and similar obstacles that prevent a person from repentance, to the point that he could, G-d forbid, spend his days and die without repentance, G-d forbid. And for all this, reciting Psalms is conducive, for even if one has no arousal for repentance, through Psalms he will merit to be aroused to repentance.

ב. עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי נִתְעוֹרֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ טֻמְאָה קְטַנָּה שֶׁמְּבַלְבֶּלֶת אוֹתוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ גּוֹרֵם, שֶׁגַּם הָרְשָׁעִים הַגְּמוּרִים שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִכְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים, גַּם הֵם נַעֲשִׂים כִּסֵּא לַקְּדֻשָּׁה וְחוֹזְרִים בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְעוֹזְרִים לְעוֹבְדֵי הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁיִּבְנוּ בִּנְיָנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה (שָׁם בסוף) For every person, according to who he is, can find himself within the recitation of Psalms, and through this, he will merit to be aroused and do repentance and come to the gate of repentance that pertains to his soul, and open the gate until he merits complete repentance. And through this, G-d, blessed be He, will return to him and have mercy on him, fortunate is he. Therefore, in the days of Elul and the Ten Days of Repentance, all Israel engages in reciting Psalms. For reciting Psalms is conducive to repentance. But one must engage throughout the entire year in reciting Psalms with intention to merit repentance, as mentioned above (73). Repentance is effective for all transgressions in the world, even for the most severe sin in the Torah, which is one who intentionally wastes seed, G-d forbid, or all kinds of severe damages to the covenant, G-d forbid.

Repentance is effective for everything. And the intention of the holy Zohar is not to be taken literally. For in truth, there is nothing that stands before repentance, as our sages, of blessed memory, said. And it has already been explained that the main aspect of complete repentance is impossible to merit except through true tzaddikim, and through them everything is rectified (Sichot Haran 271).

3. The main aspect of repentance is when one hears his disgrace, remains silent, and endures the insults and bloodshed that come upon him. Through this, he diminishes the blood in the left ventricle and sacrifices his evil inclination, and through this, he merits divine honor (6, 2). ד. קֹדֶם הַתְּשׁוּבָה עֲדַיִן אֵין לוֹ הֲוָיָה, כְּאִלּוּ עֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְהַוָּה בָּעוֹלָם, כִּי טוֹב לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא מִשֶּׁנִּבְרָא. וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְטַהֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, אָז מֵכִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הֲוָיָה בָּעוֹלָם, עַל־כֵּן תְּשׁוּבָה הִיא בְּחִינַת אֶהְיֶה, הַיְנוּ אֲנָא זָמִין לְמֶהְוֵי, כַּנַּ"ל (שָׁם)

4. Before repentance, he still has no existence, as if he has not yet come into being in the world, for it would have been better for him not to have been created than to have been created. And when he comes to purify himself and do repentance, then he prepares himself to have existence in the world. Therefore, repentance is the aspect of “I will be,” that is, “I am ready to become,” as mentioned above (ibid.). ה. גַּם צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת שֶׁכְּשֶׁבָּא לִטָּהֵר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה אוֹמְרִים לוֹ הַמְתֵּן, הַיְנוּ אַף שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְמַהֵר מְאֹד לְהִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשׁוֹ לִבְרֹחַ מִתּוֹךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אַל יְבַהֲלוּהוּ רַעְיוֹנָיו, כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה רִחוּקוֹ מִתְּפִלָּה וּמִכָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כִּי הַהֶכְרֵחַ לְהַמְתִּין, עַד שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לְתִקּוּן גָּמוּר כָּזֶה, בְּחִינַת הַבָּא לְטַהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ וְכוּ' אוֹמְרִים לוֹ הַמְתֵּן וְהָבֵן (שָׁם)

5. One must also know that when he comes to purify himself and do repentance, they say to him, “Wait,” that is, even though he must hurry greatly to escape for his life, to flee from the darkness, nevertheless, his thoughts should not panic him when he sees his distance from prayer and all matters of holiness. For it is necessary to wait until he merits such a complete rectification, the aspect of “One who comes to purify, they assist him,” etc., they say to him, “Wait and understand” (ibid.). ו. צָרִיךְ לֶאֱחֹז תָּמִיד בְּמִדַּת הַתְּשׁוּבָה כִּי אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם אוֹמֵר, חָטָאתִי עָוִיתִי פָּשַׁעְתִּי אֲפִלּוּ זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לוֹמַר בְּלִי פְּנִיָּה, נִמְצָא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה עַל תְּשׁוּבָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, הַיְנוּ עַל חָטָאתִי עָוִיתִי פָּשַׁעְתִּי שֶׁאָמַר (שָׁם ג)