Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 1

תַּנְיָא בְּסוֹף יוֹמָא: שְׁלֹשָׁה חִלּוּקֵי כַפָּרָה הֵם, וּתְשׁוּבָה עִם כָּל אֶחָד; עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וְשָׁב – אֵינוֹ זָז מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ; עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וְשָׁב – תְּשׁוּבָה תּוֹלָה, וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. LIKKUTEI AMARIM PART THREE
Called “Iggeret Hateshuvah”^*For an introduction to this part of the Tanya, see Addendum, p. a.
It has been taught in a Baraita at the end of Tractate Yoma:¹86a. There are three types of atonement, and repentance accompanies each. If one neglects a positive commandment and repents, he is forgiven forthwith. If one violates a prohibition and repents, his repentance is tentative, and Yom Kippur atones.

(פֵּירוּשׁ, דְּאַף־עַל־גַּב דִּלְעִנְיַן קִיּוּם, מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁדּוֹחָה אֶת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, הַיְינוּ מִשּׁוּם שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי קִיּוּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מַמְשִׁיךְ אוֹר וְשֶׁפַע בְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים מֵהֶאָרַת אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, דְּ״רַמַ״ח פִּקּוּדִין אִינּוּן רַמַ״ח אֵבָרִין דְּמַלְכָּא״), וְגַם עַל נַפְשׁוֹ הָאֱלֹקִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים: ״אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו״; אֲבָל לְעִנְיַן תְּשׁוּבָה, אַף שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ הָעוֹנֶשׁ עַל שֶׁמָּרַד בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מַאֲמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הָאוֹר נֶעְדָּר וְכוּ׳. (This means that though, in terms of fulfillment, positive commandments are superior and supersede²Yevamot 3b. prohibitions, this is because by performing a positive command one precipitates an illumination and flow into the higher worlds³Kabbalah and Chasidut explain the difficulty in creating a finite physical universe by an infinite Creator with the concept of tzimtzum, or contraction, concealment. There was a series of concealments of the presence and infinitude of the Creator, resulting ultimately in our physical universe, in the virtually total obscuring of G–d. The noncorporeal intermediate steps between Creator and this material world are called “Worlds,” four in general terms, with innumerable subgradations within each of these Worlds. The highest World is Atzilut, “Emanation,” a state of proximity and relative unity with G–d. Lower Worlds appear to be independent, entities apart from the Creator. In the fourth, Asiyah or “Action,” there is the spiritual plane where physical matter does not yet exist, and the final corporeal World we inhabit. “Higher” and “lower” refer to stages closer or more distant from the Creator, with a deeper or lesser awareness of Him, hence a greater or lesser awareness of their own being. (There is no implication of physical distance, an obviously irrelevant concept.) Through performance of mitzvot, positive commandments, subordinating the physical world and specific objects at hand to a higher, Divine purpose, all stages (or Worlds) experience a clearer apprehension of the Creator, become “closer” to Him, His presence and being becoming more evident. This “illumination” extends also to the individual soul performing the mitzvah. It will be noted shortly that sin has the opposite effect, both for the transgressing soul and “higher.” It is of interest that the beneficial results of good and the deleterious effects of misdeed concern far more than the individual involved. Man’s importance is cosmic. All the “worlds” feel the repercussions of man’s actions. This concept of man as the ultimate in Creation, the determinant of the fate of the universe, is found frequently. See Rashi on Genesis 1:1 for a typical statement. The word “reflected” is used in the text here for, at most, the revelation is at a far remove from His true being, or even from the light emanating from Him. The term hints at the unbridgable chasm between finite and what, for want of a better word, we call the Infinite. Some of the terms discussed here are explained more fully in the Translator’s Explanatory Notes to On Learning Chassidus and in The Tzemach Tzedek and the Haskalah Movement, p. 110, footnotes 3 and 4. Likkutei Amarim, Parts 1 and 2 are, of course, primary sources. from the reflected Light of the En Sof, blessed is He, (in Zohar⁴ Tikkunei Zohar 30. we find the 248 positive commandments equated with the 248 “organs⁵The revelation of G–d effected by performance of mitzvot varies according to each mitzvah, for example, a mitzvah of thought (Torah study, etc.), speech (Shema reading, etc.), or deed (charity, donning tefillin, etc.). A different organ of the body performs the mitzvah, and a different “organ of the King” is revealed through the performance, perception of a different aspect of the Creator. (The 613 Biblical commandments are divided into 248 positive and 365 negative commandments.) of the King”) and also to his Divine soul,⁶See Likkutei Amarim, end of chapter 1, and chapter 2, describing “animal” and Divine souls. as we declare in the blessings, “Who has hallowed us with His commandments.”⁷The blessing recited before performing a mitzvah is associated with a positive act rather than with the (passive) restraints exercised in observing a prohibition. Performance brings sanctification with it. But concerning repentance, though the punishment for rebelling against His rule and not performing the King’s word is commuted, nonetheless, that illumination is withheld….⁸The status quo ante, as it were, is maintained. The beneficence ensuing from performance is not granted, but neither is there any charge of neglect.

וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה עַל פָּסוּק: ״מְעֻוָּות לֹא יוּכַל לִתְקֹן״ – ״זֶה שֶׁבִּיטֵּל קְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע שֶׁל עַרְבִית אוֹ וְכוּ׳״, דְּאַף שֶׁנִּזְהָר מֵעַתָּה לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע שֶׁל עַרְבִית וְשַׁחֲרִית לְעוֹלָם, אֵין תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ מוֹעֶלֶת לְתַקֵּן מַה שֶּׁבִּיטֵּל פַּעַם אַחַת; Our Sages⁹ Berachot 26a. apply the verse, “A misdeed that cannot be corrected,”¹⁰Ecclesiastes 1:5. to neglecting the evening reading of Shema or….¹¹…the morning reading (Deuteronomy 6:7) or morning or evening prayer. Though he will be scrupulous henceforth about reading the morning and evening Shema forevermore, his repentance is ineffectual in correcting what he once neglected.

וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּדְבַּק הָרָע בְּנַפְשׁוֹ – עוֹשֶׂה פְּגַם לְמַעְלָה בְּשָׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹר חוּצְבָּהּ (בַּלְּבוּשִׁים דְּי׳ סְפִירוֹת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּתִיקּוּנֵי זֹהַר: ״לְבוּשִׁין תְּקִּינַת לוֹן, דְּמִנַּיְיהוּ פָּרְחִין נִשְׁמָתִין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא וְכוּ׳״), לְכָךְ, אֵין כַּפָּרָה לְנַפְשׁוֹ וְלֹא לְמַעְלָה עַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְכִפֶּר עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִטּוּמְאוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִפִּשְׁעֵיהֶם וְגוֹ׳״, ״לִפְנֵי ה׳ תִּטְהָרוּ״ – ״לִפְנֵי ה׳״ דַּיְיקָא. By violating a prohibition, evil cleaves to his soul, he impairs its root and origin (in the garbs of the ten sefirot¹²The sefirot are attributes or aspects of G–d, approximating the intellectual and emotive attributes of man, and are indeed the sources of these human attributes. Man reveals himself, he acts, through his attributes (or their “garbs”—thought, speech, and deed). The revelation of G–d, His actions, are similarly through His attributes, the ten sefirot. These sefirot exist on each of the Four Worlds noted above in note 3. See the Explanatory Notes cited there. of Asiyah,¹³Corporeal man exists on the physical plane of Asiyah, derives from the spiritual Asiyah. as Tikkunei Zohar¹⁴Introduction. writes, “You have made garments for them,¹⁵i.e., the ten sefirot. from which souls issue forth to man….”) Therefore there is no atonement for his own soul or higher until Yom Kippur, as is written, “He will atone for the holy place for the impurities of Israel and their sins…before G–d will you be purified.”¹⁶Leviticus 16:16. “Holy place” refers to atonement for the impure who entered the Sanctuary. See Tractate Shavuot, beginning. Before G–d is stressed.¹⁷Indicating that purification must attain to that high plane, “before G–d” Himself.

וְלָכֵן אֵין לִלְמוֹד מִכָּאן שׁוּם קוּלָּא חַס־וְשָׁלוֹם בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, וּבִפְרָט בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, וְאַדְּרַבָּה, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: וִיתֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא עַל עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה וְכוּ׳, אַף שֶׁהֵן כְּרֵיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית־דִּין, וְלֹא וִיתֵּר עַל בִּיטּוּל תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה). Hence one dare not infer any leniency from this, G–d forbid, in the positive commandments, particularly in Torah study. On the contrary, our Sages assert, “G–d has pardoned idolatry…”¹⁸Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 1:7. The Sage infers from Jeremiah 9:12, “Because they forsook My Torah” (were the afflictions of exile to be brought upon Israel) that the cause of exile was not idolatry, licentiousness, or bloodshed, but rejection of Torah. These three are cited because of their exceptional gravity (they alone must be kept even at the price of martyrdom) and because the Prophets had denounced these shortcomings in the people.—though excision and capital punishment are involved—“and did not pardon neglect of Torah study.”)

עָבַר עַל כְּרֵיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית־דִּין – תְּשׁוּבָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים תּוֹלִין, וְיִסּוּרִין מְמָרְקִין (פֵּירוּשׁ, גּוֹמְרִין הַכַּפָּרָה, וְהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן מְרִיקָה וּשְׁטִיפָה לְצַחְצֵחַ הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי, כַּפָּרָה הִיא לְשׁוֹן קִינּוּחַ, שֶׁמְּקַנֵּחַ לִכְלוּךְ הַחֵטְא), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּפָקַדְתִּי בְשֵׁבֶט פִּשְׁעָם וּבִנְגָעִים עֲוֹנָם״. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן הַבָּרַיְיתָא: If one commits a sin of excision¹⁹See Exodus 12:19 and 21:21 for examples. or execution, repentance and Yom Kippur are tentative and sufferings scour (i.e., they complete the atonement. Memarkin, the expression here, denotes scouring and rinsing to “polish” the soul. Kapparah, atonement, is the term for cleaning, removing the impurities of the sin), as we find, “I shall remember with a rod their sins, and with afflictions their misdeeds.”²⁰Psalms 89:23. Thus far the Baraita.

וְהִנֵּה, מִצְוַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה מִן הַתּוֹרָה, הִיא עֲזִיבַת הַחֵטְא בִּלְבַד (כִּדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא פֶּרֶק ג׳ דְּסַנְהֶדְרִין וּבְחֹשֶׁן־מִשְׁפָּט סוֹף סִימָן ל״ד לְעִנְיַן עֵדוּת), דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁיִּגְמוֹר בְּלִבּוֹ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, לְבַל יָשׁוּב עוֹד לְכִסְלָה, לִמְרוֹד בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר עוֹד מִצְוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הֵן בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה הֵן בְּמִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. The commandment of repentance as required by the Torah is simply the abandonment of sin (cf. Sanhedrin,²¹25b. ch. 3; Choshen Mishpat, end of sect. 34, regarding witnesses). He must resolve in perfect sincerity never again to revert to folly to rebel against His rule, blessed be He; he will never again violate the King’s command, G–d forbid, neither a positive command nor a prohibition.

וְזֶהוּ עִיקַּר פֵּירוּשׁ לְשׁוֹן ״תְּשׁוּבָה״ לָשׁוּב אֶל ה׳ בְּכָל לִבּוֹ וּבְכָל נַפְשׁוֹ, לְעָבְדוֹ וְלִשְׁמוֹר כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״יַעֲזוֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ וְאִישׁ אָוֶן מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו, וְיָשׁוֹב אֶל ה׳ וְגוֹ׳״; וּבְפָרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים כְּתִיב: ״וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקוֹלוֹ וְגוֹ׳, בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וְגוֹ׳״, ״שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״, ״הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ ה׳ אֵלֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. This is the basic meaning of the term teshuvah, repentance, to return to G–d with all his heart and soul, to serve Him, and to keep all His commandments. “Let the wicked abandon his way, and the sinful his thoughts, and return to G–d….”²²Isaiah 55:7. In Parashat Nitzavim it is written: “Return to the L–rd your G–d and hearken to His voice…with all your heart…,”²³Deuteronomy 30:2. and “Return O Israel to the L–rd your G–d…,”²⁴Hosea 14:2. and “Bring us back, L–rd, to You….”²⁵Lamentations 5:22.

וְלֹא כְּדַעַת הֶהָמוֹן, שֶׁהַתְּשׁוּבָה הִיא הַתַּעֲנִית. וַאֲפִילוּ מִי שֶׁעָבַר עַל כְּרֵיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית־דִּין, שֶׁגְּמַר כַּפָּרָתוֹ הִיא עַל־יְדֵי יִסּוּרִים, הַיְינוּ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מֵבִיא עָלָיו יִסּוּרִים (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וּפָקַדְתִּי בְשֵׁבֶט וְגוֹ׳״ – ״וּפָקַדְתִּי״ דַיְיקָא), וְהַיְינוּ, כְּשֶׁתְּשׁוּבָתוֹ רְצוּיָה לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ, בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֶל ה׳ בְּכָל לִבּוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ מֵאַהֲבָה, אֲזַי, בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא וְ״כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים וְכוּ׳״ – אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא, לְעוֹרֵר הָאַהֲבָה וְחֶסֶד ה׳ לְמָרֵק עֲוֹנוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה׳ יוֹכִיחַ וְגוֹ׳״. This is not at all the common conception that repentance is synonymous with fasting. Even where sufferings are the completion of atonement, as in the case of sins of excision or execution, G–d brings the sufferings on the sinner. (“I shall remember with a rod,” clearly specifies I.) When the repentance is acceptable before Him, as he returns to G–d with all his heart and soul out of love, then following the initiative from below,²⁶Kabbalah and Chasidut frequently refer to the dual concepts of “arousal (or stimulation, awakening, initiative) from below,” meaning by human beings, and “arousal from Above” by G–d. Either may be the cause of the other. For example, the Exodus was the result of G–d’s initiative, arousal from above, for the people had not “earned” redemption. The hurried escape, the arousal below, followed. During the Rosh Hashanah repentance period, initiative must come from below, repentance, followed by an arousal Above, forgiveness. The initial stimulation awakens a dormant reaction. (The terms are found in Zohar II:135b). and “As water reflects the Countenance…,”²⁷Proverbs 27:19. there is an awakening Above, arousing the love and kindness of G–d, to scour his sin through affliction in this physical world. “For whom the L–rd loves He chastises….”²⁸Ibid., 3:12.

וְלָכֵן לֹא הִזְכִּירוּ הָרַמְבַּ״ם וְהַסְּמַ״ג שׁוּם תַּעֲנִית כְּלָל בְּמִצְוַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה, אַף בִּכְרֵיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית־דִּין, רַק הַוִּידּוּי וּבַקָּשַׁת מְחִילָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה: ״וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת חַטָּאתָם וְגוֹ׳״. Therefore Maimonides and Sefer Mitzvot Gadol make no mention of fasting in the mitzvah of teshuvah, even for sins of excision or capital sins. They cite only confession and the plea for forgiveness—“They shall confess their sin….”²⁹Numbers 5:7.

וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּיוֹאֵל: ״שׁוּבוּ עָדַי בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם בְּצוֹם וּבִבְכִי גוֹ׳״, הַיְינוּ – לְבַטֵּל הַגְּזֵרָה שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה לְמָרֵק עֲוֹן הַדּוֹר עַל־יְדֵי יִסּוּרִים בַּאַרְבֶּה. וְזֶהוּ הַטַּעַם בְּכָל תַּעֲנִיּוֹת שֶׁמִּתְעַנִּין עַל כָּל צָרָה שֶׁלֹּא תָבֹא עַל הַצִּבּוּר, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּמְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר. But then we find in Joel,³⁰2:12. “Return to Me with all your hearts, with fasting and weeping….” However, this was to nullify the Heavenly decree that had already been issued, to expunge the sin of the generation through the affliction of locusts. This is the justification for all fasts undertaken for any trouble threatening the community, as in the Book of Esther.

וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּסִפְרֵי הַמּוּסָר, וּבְרֹאשָׁם סֵפֶר הָרוֹקֵחַ וְסֵפֶר חֲסִידִים, הַרְבֵּה תַּעֲנִיּוֹת וְסִיגּוּפִים לָעוֹבֵר עַל כְּרֵיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית־דִּין, וְכֵן לְמוֹצִיא זֶרַע לְבַטָּלָה, שֶׁחַיָּיב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה גַּבֵּי עֵר וְאוֹנָן, וְדִינוֹ כְּחַיָּיבֵי כְרֵיתוֹת לְעִנְיָן זֶה – הַיְינוּ, כְּדֵי לִינָּצֵל מֵעוֹנֶשׁ יִסּוּרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְגַם, כְּדֵי לְזָרֵז וּלְמַהֵר גְּמַר כַּפָּרַת נַפְשׁוֹ. וְגַם אוּלַי אֵינוֹ שָׁב אֶל ה׳ בְּכָל לִבּוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ מֵאַהֲבָה, כִּי אִם מִיִּרְאָה: There are descriptions in the Mussar literature,³¹For a description of the approaches of Musar (ethical teachings), Chakirah (philosophical speculation), and Chasidut, see On the Teachings of Chassidus. particularly the Rokeach and Sefer Chassidim, of numerous fasts and mortifications for excision and capital sins. The same is true of sins punished by death by divine agency,³²Exodus 21:29 and Rashi for an example. like wasteful emissions of semen, as the Torah recounts of Er and Onan.³³Genesis 38:7-10. In this sense their judgment is identical. These fasts and mortifications are intended to avoid the punishment of suffering at the hand of Heaven, G–d forbid, and also to urge on and expedite the conclusion of his soul’s atonement. Also, perhaps he does not return to G–d with all his heart and soul out of love, but only out of fear.