The Sages are expansive in praising the virtue of repentance, which reaches the heavenly Throne and is capable of transforming even a person’s most severe sins into merits.

Rabbi Levi said: Great is repentance, as it reaches the heavenly Throne….

Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, as it facilitates the redemption, as it is stated: “A redeemer will come to Zion and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20).

Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as intentional sins are transformed for him into unwitting transgressions…. Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as intentional sins are transformed for him into merits?… This is not difficult: Here, one repents out of love [and his sins transform into merits]; there, one repents out of fear [and his sins transform into unwitting transgressions].

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, as it lengthens a person’s years….

The Sages taught that Rabbi Meir would say: Great is repentance, as due to one individual who repents, the heavenly court forgives the entire world. (Yoma 86a–b)