Elul: T'shuvah

(2) When the world had not been created there was the Kadosh Barukh Hu and the Great Name alone. It occurred to God to create the world. God began to outline the world, the world before Themself, but it would not stand. They told a parable: What is this similar to? To a king who wishes to build himself a palace. If God had not outlined Their foundations, entrances, and exits on this earth, God could not begin to build. Therefore the Kadosh Barukh Hu outlined the world before Them. But it did not stand until God created t'shuvah.

(3) Seven things were created before the world was created, and they are: Torah, Gehinnom, Gan Eden (Garden of Eden), the Throne of Glory, the Beit haMikdash (the Temple), t'shuvah (repentance/return), and the Name of the Mashiakh (Messiah).

(4) From where do we understand what this has to do with 'Torah'? From the text: "Hashem acquired me in the beginning of God's path, before God's works of old" (Mishlei/Prov. 8:22). Before means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with 'Gehinnom'? From the text: "Tofteh (the firey place) was already prepared" (Isaiah 30:33). Already means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with 'Gan Eden'? From the text: "And Hashem your God planted a garden in Eden early*"(Breishit/Gen. 2:8). Early means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with the 'Throne of Glory'" From the text: "Your thrown was established of old" (T'hillim/Ps. 93:2). Of old means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with the Beit haMikdash? From the text: "The Throne of Glory exalted from the beginning" (Jeremiah 17:12). From the beginning means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with 'T'shuvah'? From the text: "Before mountains were brought forth...[before you birthed the earth and the world, from existence to existence You are God]" (T'hillim/Ps. 90:2) and [right after] it's written "You turn a person to dust/contrition...[you demanded: return, b'nei adam (humanity)]" (T'hillim/Ps. 90:3). Before means when the world had not been created. From where do we understand what this has to do with 'the name of the Mashiakh'? From the text: "Before the sun Yinon was his name" (T'hillim/Ps. 72:17). In another place it is written: "And you, O Bethlehem of Ephrath, Least among the clans of Judah, from you one shall come forth To reign over Israel for Me— one who comes out from the beginning*, from ancient times" (Micah 5:1). The beginning means when the world had not been created.

*מקדם means beginning, early and also east--the sun rises early in the east.

(1) All commandments of the Torah, whether they be mandatory or prohibitive, if a man violates any one of them, either presumptuously or erroneously, when he will repent himself and turn away from his sinful way, he is obliged to confess before God, blessed is He! even as it is said: "When a man or woman shall commit any sin..… Then they shall confess their sin which they have done (Num. 5.6–7), which is a confession of words. Such confession is a mandatory commandment. How is the verbal confession made? The sinner says thus: "I beseech Thee, O Great Name! I have sinned; I have been obstinate; I have committed profanity against Thee, particularly in doing thus and such. Now, behold! I have repented and am ashamed of my actions; forever will I not relapse into this thing again." This is the elementary form of confession; but whosoever elaborates in confessing and extends this subject is, indeed, praise-worthy. Likewise all those who bring sin-offerings or trespass-offerings, when they offer their sacrifices, whether for their errors or for their spitefulness, find no atonement in their sacrifices, unless they repent, and deliver themselves of a verbal confession, even as it is said: "He shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing" (Lev. 5.5) So, too, are the guilty upon whom the tribunal pronounced either a sentence of death or of stripes, who find no atonement either in their death or in being lashed unless they do repent and make verbal confession. Even he, who injures his friend or causes him damages in money matters, although he makes restitution of what he owes him, finds no atonement, unless he makes verbal confession and repents by obligating himself never to repeat this again, even as is said: "Any sin that man commits" (Num. 5.6).¹Sifra, Lev. 5; Yoma, 36b; Shebu’ot, 13a; Sanhedrin, 43a; Baba Kama, 92b.C.

(1) What is complete teshuvah? When a person has the opportunity to commit the same sin, and he possess the ability to do it, but he separates and does not do it because of teshuvah and not out of fear or lack of strength. What is an example? A person who had illicit sex with a woman, and after some time he is alone with her, and he still loves her and possesses his physical power and is in the same country where he committed the sin, but he separates and does not sin – that person is a complete ba’al teshuvah, about whom [King] Solomon said, Remember your Creator in the days of your youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1). And if a person only does teshuvah in the days of old age, when it is not possible to do what he once did, even though this is not the highest teshuvah, it is effective and that person is a ba’al teshuvah. Even if a person sinned all his days and did teshuvah on the day of his death and died in his teshuvah, all his sins are forgiven, as it says, Before the sun is darkened, and the light of the moon and the stars, and the clouds return after the rain (Ecclesiastes 12:2), which is the day of death. This implies that if he remembers his Creator and does teshuvah before he dies, he is forgiven.

(2) What is teshuvah? It is when a person abandons the sin that he sinned and removes it from his thoughts and commits in his heart that he will not do it again, as it says, The wicked should abandon his path etc. (Isaiah 55:7). And also that he regrets sinning, as it says, After I returned I regretted (Jeremiah 31:18). And the One Who Knows Hidden Things testifies about him that he will never return to this sin, as it says, And we will no longer call the work of our hands “god” etc. (Hosea 14:4). And he must confess verbally and say these things that he has committed in his heart.

(4) Among the ways of teshuvah are for the penitent to constantly shout before God with crying and pleading; and to do tzedakah according to his ability; and to distance himself very far from the thing in which he sinned; and to change his name, meaning to say “I am someone else and I am not the same person who did those things;” and to change all of his actions for good and onto the straight path; and to go into exile, because exile atones for sins since it forces him to bow and to be humble and of low spirit.

(5) It is very praiseworthy for the penitent to confess in public and disclose his sins to them, and reveal interpersonal sins to others and tell them: “I surely sinned against so-and-so and did such-and-such to him; but today, behold, I return and regret.” But anyone who is prideful and does not disclose, but rather hides his sins – his teshuvah is not complete, as it says, One who covers his transgressions shall not prosper (Proverbs 28:13). What situation are we talking about? Interpersonal sins. But with regard to sins between a person and the Omnipresent, one need not expose oneself; and it is arrogance if one reveals them. Instead, one should return before God, blessed is He, specify his sins before Him, and confess them in public only generally. And it is better for him that his sins are not revealed, as it says, Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalms 32:1).

(6) Even though teshuva and crying out are desirable all year, on the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, they are more desirable, and are immediately received, as it says: "Seek out G-d and you will find him. Call to him, and he will be close." This is talking about someone who is doing teshuva alone. But if someone if doing teshuva as part of a quorum, anytime that they do teshuva with a full heart, they are answered, as it says, [For what great nation is there, that has God so near to them,] as the Lord our God whenever we call to Him (Deuteronomy 4:7).

(7) Yom Kippur is a time of teshuva for everyone, for the individual and for the public, and it is the end of [the time for that's year's] forgiveness and pardoning for Israel. Therefore, all must do teshuva and confess on Yom Kippur. The commandment of confession for Yom Kippur starts on the eve of the day, before one eats [in preparation for the fast], lest one choke during the meal before [one gets the chance to] confess. Even though one confesses before he eats, he confesses again during the evening prayer the night of Yom Kippur. And he confesses again during the morning prayer, and the Musaf prayer, and the afternoon prayer, and during the Ne'ilah prayer. How does one confess [during these times]? Privately, after one's prayer [i.e. the Amidah]. And the cantor, during their prayer in the fourth blessing.

(8) The confession that is customarily [said] by all of Israel, "But we have sinned...", that is the essential confession. Those transgressions that are confessed on Yom Kippur, one must again confess them on the next Yom Kippure, even if he remains repentant, as it says, (Psalms 51:5) "For I know my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me."

(9) Teshuva and Yom Kippur only atone for transgression between a person and God, such as one who eats a forbidden food, or has a forbidden sexual relationship, etc. But transgressions between person and their friend or neighbor, such as hurting someone, or cursing someone, or stealing from someone, etc, those are never forgiven until they gives the other what they owes them, and [the person] is appeased. Even if they returned the money they owed [the person], the must appease them and ask them to forgive them. Even if they only perturbed the person verbally, they must make amends and meet with them until they forgives then. If the person does not wish to forgive them, they should bring a group of three people who are friends with them and they will approach them and ask [forgiveness] from them. If they does not give in to them, they must bring people a second and third time. If they still do not give in, they should leave them alone, and that person who did not forgive – they are the sinner. But if it was their teacher, they must come and go even a thousand times until they forgives them.

(10) It is forbidden for a person to be cruel and not make amends; instead, a person should get appeased easily and get angry slowly. And at the moment when the sinner asks for forgiveness – forgive with a whole heart and a desirous soul. And even if he pained him and sinned against him many times, he should not take revenge or hold a grudge -- that is the way of the Children of Israel and their correct hearts. But the nations of uncircumcised heart are not so, but are rather (Amos 1:11) "and he kept his wrath for ever." And similarly it is said about the Gibonites, who did not forgive Israel, (II Samuel 21:2) "the Gibonites are not of the children of Israel" [because they do not forgive, a sign of cruelty].

(11) Someone who sins against another person, and that person dies before they can ask them for forgiveness, they should bring ten people and stand them by their grave and say in front of [the group], “I have sinned against the Lord, God of Israel and against this certain person because I did such-and-such to them.” And if they owed them money, they should give it to their heirs. If they do not know who the heirs are they should give it to the court and confess.

(9) The person who says "I will sin and repent, sin and repent," they don't sufficiently have what it takes to make t'shuvah. [The one who says] "I will sin and Yom Kippur will atone [for me]," [for them] Yom Kippur has not atonement.

For sins bein adam l'Makom (between a person and God), Yom Kippur atones. For sins bein adam l'khavero (between a person and another person), Yom Kippur has no atonement until [the person who has done the wrong] appeases the other person.

This was explicated by Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah: "You will be cleansed of all your sins before Hashem" (Vayikra/Lev. 16:30). For sins bein adam l'Makom (between a person and God), Yom Kippur atones. For sins bein adam l'khavero (between a person and another person), Yom Kippur has no atonement until [the person who has done the wrong] appeases the other person. Rabbi Akivah said: Happy are you, Israel! Before whom are you purified? And who purifies you? Your father in the heavens, as it says: "I will sprinkle pure water on you and purify you." And: "Hope (mikveh) [of] Israel, Hashem" (Jeremiah 17:1)