תשובה

Fasting helps for everything.

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

Exile atones for everything.

A fast is stronger than a sword. 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.

It is fitting that repentance should be done through the very same matter (wherein one sinned). Anyone who cries in the night, his cries are heard, and the stars and the constellations cry with him.

When a person thinks, 'I will do such and such; such and such I will attain', through this his thought is not fulfilled. When suffering comes to the world, one should think it is because of his sin(s) that this suffering came.

One who is humble, it is as if he offered all the sacrifices. When one sees or hears about some suffering that befell a non-Jew, he should have thoughts of repentance.

Anyone who confesses has a portion in the World to Come. One who does a sin and then regrets it, all his sins are forgiven.

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

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

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

The clothes that are made for the Tzaddik -- each garment has its own unique segulah (power) to atone. Through the sigh that is sighed, one becomes a new being.

When (lit. since or because) a man marries a woman, all his sins are forgiven (literally, sealed off). Through having love for the Tzaddikim, the Tzaddikim are able to bring the people back in repentance.

One who lives in Israel fares without sin. One who brings back the people in repentance, in his merit there is no fear and contention in the world.

It is appropriate to lighten the conditions of repentance on the sinners. Also, he merits becoming famous among the nations.

Sin weakens the strength of a man. Also, he will not be harmed from a snake.

When two Mitzvot (commandments/good deeds) come to your hands, do that Mitzva that demands greater restraint of your desires. Through falsehood one strengthens the hands of the wicked.

It is necessary to fast when causing suffering to the Tzaddik. One who repents with all his heart, the Holy One – Blessed is He - gives him a heart to know Him.

Pain in the heart is close to shedding tears. One who wants to repent should take precaution of being in debt.

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

A person's despondence is greater than a fast. Learning the Torah atones.

A table to which guests are invited, atones. When some suffering comes upon you, examine your deeds.

Sometimes when a person starts to repent, sufferings come upon him. This is because he delayed repenting. One who causes the people to gain merit becomes a partner with G-d in the Creation of the World.

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. 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.

One who brings people back in repentance is saved from jail. The demand to earn a living, and enemies, and disease, and overabundant wealth prevent a man from reaching perfection and the ultimate purpose.

Also, he is honorable in G-d's eyes. From the moment a person thinks of repenting, his prayers are accepted, even if he has not yet actually repented.

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

One who brings back evildoers in repentance, will merit to observe (lit. guard) the Shabbat. One who confesses his sins will merit that he will not have to sell from the inheritance (estates) of his forefathers.

When you teach the son of a wicked person the good way (proper conduct), through this you will be able to annul harsh decrees. The main rectification for the blemish from one's sins is through submission.

Through hearing the shofar blown by an upright (lit. kosher) man, the evil inclination is broken, and repentance is aroused in the world. A person should rebuke himself every morning.

One who confesses, the Holy One, Blessed is He - loves him with a munificent love, and withdraws His anger from him. It is impossible for a man to know in his lifetime, if his repentance was accepted.

The nations are close to repentance. 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.

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

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

When you do some damage, it is a sign that the evil inclination dominates over you. Through prayer that is expressed intensely (t.n. raised voice and uplifted eyes - Zohar), G-d will forgive you.

One who tempts his fellowman away from the good path, fire (lit. burning) comes upon him. Due to falsehoods, a person cannot improve his behavior.

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

One who returns people back in repentance merits wisdom. Repairing the body comes before repairing the soul.

Through laziness, it appears to a person that the way of repentance is hidden from him. One who cries and mourns over a kosher man is forgiven for all his sins.

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.

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.

One who reveals his secrets, it becomes hard for the thing (he revealed) to endure (- or be fulfilled). One who answers Amen Yehey Shmey Rabah with all his might - even if he has a smudge of idol worship, he is forgiven.

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.

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

Monetary loss atones for one's body.

Thirst is a rectification for unnecessary speech. Repentance brings healing to the world.

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

A fast that is without cognizance is not considered a fast. Repentance brings close the Redemption, and lengthens the days and the years of a man.

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

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

One who is resilient in how people treat him, G-d overlooks all his sins. The (learning of) Torah and doing acts of kindness, atone.

Through kindness and truth, sins are forgiven. Crying out and weeping in the night has more influence in arousing mercy.

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

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

One who does not know the Way of G-d should belittle himself. The path a person should select, is to love rebuke (given to him), and to hold greater faith.

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

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

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

Also through repentance, great heat is annulled.

The young are easier to return (them) to the Blessed G-d than the elderly. 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. One must force the wicked with monetary pressure so that they return in repentance.

Through repentance, livelihood comes easily.

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.

It is better for a person to fulfill the Mitzva however much possible, than to abandon it altogether. The Holy One, Blessed is He- creates paths in the sea, in order to overpower our sins and to extract our righteousness. When the Tzaddik becomes wealthy, through this the wicked return in repentance. Through observing the Shabbat, one draws on oneself the light of the Messiah, also through repentance.