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Likutei Amarim
Chapter 25וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד״ וגו׳ (דברים ל, יד),אָדָם וּבִרְשׁוּתוֹ הוּא לְהַעֲבִיר רוּחַ שְׁטוּת וְהַשִּׁכְחָה מִקִּרְבּוֹ, וְלִזְכּוֹר וּלְעוֹרֵר אַהֲבָתוֹ לַה׳ אֶחָד, הַמְסוּתֶּרֶת בְּוַדַּאי בִּלְבָבוֹ בְּלִי שׁוּם סָפֵק. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וּבִלְבָבְךָ״ (שם).
This is the meaning of the verse "Rather, the matter is very near to you…" (Deut. 30:14): that given moment a person is capable of removing the spirit of folly and forgetfulness from within him so that he may remember and rouse his love for the one God that at any is certainly concealed in his heart, without a shadow of a doubt. This is the meaning of the continuation of the verse "and in your heart." The author of the Tanya is not referring here to the love that is evoked when one contemplates God's greatness, because that love is not equally accessible to all, nor is it available at all times. Rather, when put to the test, every Jew clearly demonstrates that he possesses a constant, innate love for God that enables him to overcome the spirit of folly that attempts to thwart his divine service. Even if he ordinarily cannot rouse this love, even if he cannot express it in his thoughts and in his feelings, even if a sword must be pressed against his throat before he can feel anything, that love is always present. As the verse continues, it is "in your mouth and in your heart, to perform it." Beyond the feelings that a person is aware of, he possesses an inner readiness, which entertains no doubts, to bring this love into actual expression. In one way or another, it is "in your heart" in truth and not the product of the imagination.
וְנִכְלָל בָּהּ גַּם דְּחִילוּ, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִיפָּרֵד בְּשׁוּם אוֹפֶן מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ אֲפִילּוּ בִּמְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ
Encompassed in this hidden love is also fear, that is, that one should not become separated, by any means, from God's unity and oneness, even if it means literally giving up one's life The love of God, whether it is concealed or revealed, is the desire and the ability to cling to God. This love encompasses the awe of God, that is, the fear of losing one's connection with God, the object of this love.
בְּלִי שׁוּם טַעַם וְשֵׂכֶל מוּשָּׂג, אֶלָּא בְּטֶבַע אֱלֹהִי.
without any reason or logic but rather by virtue of one's divine nature. When a person engages in such self-sacrifice, he himself might not know why he does so. The power behind this self-sacrifice does not flow from his rational mind. He is not acting from his own capacity but from the divine force within him, even if he is completely unaware of it.
וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בִּשְׁבִירַת הַתַּאֲווֹת, הַקַּלָּה מִיִּסּוּרֵי מִיתָה,
All the more so with regard to subduing one's lusts, which entails lighter suffering than the torments of death, Because a person has the strength to refuse to commit a sin even at the cost of his life, he certainly has the strength to resist all of life's other temptations, because nothing can be as terrible as the threat of death and nothing as seductive as the will to live.
שֶׁקָּרוֹב אֵלָיו הַדָּבָר יוֹתֵר לִכְבּוֹשׁ הַיֵּצֶר, הֵן בִּבְחִינַת ‘סוּר מֵרָע׳ אֲפִילּוּ מֵעֲבֵירָה קַלָּה שֶׁל דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבוֹר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּפְרָד בָּהּ מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ כְּמוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מַמָּשׁ בִּשְׁעַת מַעֲשֶׂה.
it is easier to subjugate one's evil inclination, to turn away from evil, even from violating a minor prohibition of rabbinic origin, in order to not transgress the will of God, since at that moment that he commits a transgression he is separated from God's unity and oneness, as if he literally committed idolatry. The difference between various transgressions is meaningful only after they have been committed, not at the time of the act itself. At that moment, every sin, no matter what it is, constitutes disloyalty toward God. Whether the person has transgressed a biblical prohibition or a rabbinic edict, his action contradicts the divine will. If he has failed to fulfill a mitzva because he had no desire to do so, whether he lacked the will or the ability, he has made the choice as to which side he belongs. If his decision is not to stand with God, then the details of his failure are irrelevant. At that moment, he has sunk far lower than any impure kelippa.
וַהֲרֵי גַּם בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה אַחַר כָּךְ.
In truth, one can subsequently repent for the sin of idolatry as well. After the fact, a person can repent and rectify his misdeeds, whatever their nature. In light of this, a person might tell himself from the outset that even were he to sin, he would not be completely cut off from God because afterward he could atone for it. In a certain sense, the possibility of sin is predicated on the assumption that one will have the opportunity to repent later. From this perspective, even idolatry is not substantially different from any other sin. In the final analysis, no sin precludes the possibility of repentance. It makes no difference whether a person decides to violate a seemingly minor rabbinic enactment or to worship an idol. He might conclude that in either case he will not suffer complete and absolute disconnection from the Divine even if he decides from the outset to sin.
וְאַף שֶׁהָאוֹמֵר: ‘אֶחְטָא וְאָשׁוּב׳ – אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין כו׳ (יומא פרק ח משנה ט), הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין מַחֲזִיקִים יָדוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ שְׁעַת הַכּוֹשֶׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
Though the Mishna states regarding one who says, "I will sin and then I will repent," that "Heaven does not provide him the opportunity to repent" (Yoma 8:9), this merely means that they do not provide him an opportune occasion to repent. Some sins, such as idolatry, obviously sever the link between a person and God, and a person could commit such a sin only by explicitly telling himself that afterward he will repent. But such a strategy apparently would not be effective since the Sages state that if a person sins with such a plan in mind, he should not rely on his intention to atone for it afterward. Yet the author of the Tanya tells us that the Sages do not mean to say that the person will find it impossible to repent. Rather, he is not provided the opportunity to repent. Generally speaking, after a person sins, he is given the proper circumstances, whether it his environs or his spirits, that inspire him to repent. But if a person decided to sin from the outset, relying on the fact that he will atone for it afterward, he is not provided such opportunities.
אֲבָל אִם דָּחַק הַשָּׁעָה וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה – אֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
But if he forces the moment and repents, nothing stands in the way of repentance. If a person decides to sin and afterward repent, he is not provided with the opportunities to do so. Nevertheless, if he is unyielding and does repent, that repentance is authentic. It follows that a person can repent not only for presumably minor transgressions but even for a sin as grave as idolatry. Even if he said, "I will sin, and then I will repent," so that he was not provided with favorable circumstances to do so, he can still genuinely repent. It makes no actual difference whether a person has committed a minor sin and still feels that he is a good Jew or whether he has engaged in idolatry and realizes that he is separated from God.
וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מוּכָן וּמְזוּמָּן לִמְסוֹר נַפְשׁוֹ עַל קְדוּשַּׁת ה׳, שֶׁלֹּא לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֲפִילּוּ לְפִי שָׁעָה וְלַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה אַחַר כָּךְ.
Despite this, every Jew is ready and willing to give up his life for the sake of sanctifying God's name rather than prostrate himself before an idol even for a moment with the intention of repenting afterward. Although a person can repent for any sin, no matter how vile and depraved, there are some sins a Jew will never commit, not even with the knowledge of the possibility of repentance. At the moment of the sin, he would be like an actual apostate, cut off from God, and his concealed love of the Divine cannot allow him to be separated from God for even a moment.
וְהַיְינוּ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר ה׳ הַמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּנַפְשָׁם כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת זְמַן וְשָׁעָה כְּלָל אֶלָּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, וְשַׁלִּיט וּמוֹשֵׁל עָלָיו כַּנּוֹדָע.
This is on account of God's light that is clothed within their souls, as explained above (chap. 19). This light is not bound by the realm of time at all, but rather transcends time and even controls and governs it, as is well known. The reality in which we live is bound by time, and likewise, both mitzvot and transgressions are committed within the bounds of time. A person can sin, telling himself that later he will repent, because he assumes that afterward he will have the time to do so. But certain deeds, certain circumstances, are such that the question of what will happen later loses all meaning. When a person must choose whether or not to commit idolatry, when the question is whether he is with or against God, at that moment all the garments covering his soul fall away and the reality that he faces is illuminated by the light of Ein Sof that had been clothed within him. At that moment, he faces a decision that transcends time, and the question of what will happen afterward does not concern him and has no meaning for him.
וְהֵן בִּבְחִינַת ‘וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב׳
Likewise, this can be accomplished by doing good, Until now, the author of the Tanya has discussed "turning away from evil," by using the ability concealed within oneself to sacrifice one's life rather than commit a transgression. The author now adds that this ability for self-sacrifice also exists with regard to doing good.
לְהִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי בִּגְבוּרָה וְאוֹמֶץ הַלֵּב נֶגֶד הַיֵּצֶר הַמַּכְבִּיד אֶת גּוּפוֹ וּמַפִּיל עָלָיו עַצְלָה, מִבְּחִינַת יְסוֹד הֶעָפָר שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית, מִלְּהַטְרִיחַ גּוּפוֹ בִּזְרִיזוּת בְּכָל מִינֵי טוֹרַח וַעֲבוֹדַת מַשָּׂא בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ טוֹרַח וְעָמָל,
by steeling oneself like a lion with might and a courageous heart against the evil inclination, which encumbers his body and casts over him a feeling of laziness that stems from the element of earth in the animal soul (see chap. 1). This laziness prevents his body from enthusiastically expending all types of effort and labor in the service of God, which entails exertion and toil, Just as a person's evil inclination urges him to commit evil, so does it dissuade him from doing good. The same evil inclination that energizes him to act with the alacrity of a deer to commit sins weighs him down and removes his desire and enthusiasm for performing mitzvot.
כְּגוֹן לַעֲמוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה בְּעִיּוּן וּבַפֶּה, לָא פָּסֵיק פּוּמֵּיהּ מִגִּירְסָא, וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל: "לְעוֹלָם יָשִׂים אָדָם אֶת עַצְמוֹ עַל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה כְּשׁוֹר לְעוֹל וְכַחֲמוֹר לְמַשְּׂאוֹי״ (עבודה זרה ה, ב).
such as toiling in Torah with in-depth study and orally so that one's mouth does not pause from Torah study, in accordance with our Rabbis' statement "A person should always make himself subjugated to matters of Torah like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden" (Avoda Zara 5b). One does not always experience or sense the Divine that is manifest in the Torah he studies. He must study in any case, just as an ox pulls its load, guided by its yoke. The ox has no understanding as to the importance of its act of pulling. It simply does so with all its might because that is its duty; it is the will of its master. Moreover, Torah study demands more than time. It requires diligence, perseverance, concentration, and vocalization of the words. Beyond ability and the amount of time that a person invests in his Torah study, he must have an intense relationship with it. If he devotes his mind and his entire being to acquiring the knowledge of the topics that he desires to study, the time he puts into his study will have a far greater value than it would otherwise.
וְכֵן לִתְפִלָּה בְּכַוָּנָה בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ מַמָּשׁ,
Likewise, with regard to praying with intent, one should pray literally with all one's might, The ability to focus in prayer is generally connected with a person's desire to pray correctly and the amount of intentional effort that he invests, but sometimes this devotion and intensity occur spontaneously. When a person prays for something that matters deeply to him, or when he is intensely moved, his concentration is automatic and profound. In general, though, if a person does not exert himself to focus on his prayers, he will not be able to maintain his concentration. The intensity in prayer that is demanded of us does not stem from the illumination that occasionally shines down from above but from the difficult work of focusing one's attention and harnessing all one's strength to concentrating on the words and their meaning. It is not enough to make an effort. A person must immerse his entire soul in prayer and disengage from everything else.
וְכֵן בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ שֶׁהִיא בְּדָבָר שֶׁבְּמָמוֹן כְּמוֹ עֲבוֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה,
and also with regard to serving God in monetary matters, such as the service of giving charity, Giving charity is not merely an act. It is categorized as "service," a part of one's divine service. When a person acts generously, with his actions or with his money, he is engaged in the difficult service of giving of himself.
וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּאֵלּוּ מִמִּלְחֲמוֹת הַיֵּצֶר וְתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו לְקָרֵר נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְקִיר מָמוֹנוֹ וּבְרִיאוּת גּוּפוֹ.
and similar matters where one must confront battle tactics and stratagems employed by the evil inclination intended to cool the passions of a person's soul so that he will not forfeit his money and sacrifice his physical health. A person might not relish having to get up early and expose himself to the cold for the sake of attending morning services, after which he must study Torah and, in general, serve God with intensity and great spiritual tension, none of which contribute to his mental tranquility or physical well-being. The evil inclination uses these concerns to quench the fire of a person's love of God and desire to serve Him. Everyone experiences such struggles, in one form or another.
שֶׁלַּעֲמוֹד נֶגְדּוֹ וּלְכָבְשׁוֹ קָרוֹב מְאֹד אֶל הָאָדָם כְּשֶׁיָּשִׂים אֶל לִבּוֹ שֶׁלְּנַצֵּחַ הַיֵּצֶר בְּכָל זֶה, וְיוֹתֵר מִזֶּה וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הֶפְכּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, קַל מְאֹד מִיִּסּוּרֵי מִיתָה, ה׳ יִשְׁמְרֵנוּ.
It is very easy to oppose and subjugate one's evil inclination when a person carefully considers that prevailing over the evil inclination in all these instances, and, moreover, actually acting in opposition to this inclination, entails much lighter suffering than the torments of death, may God protect us. A person should do more than remain indifferent to the advice of his evil inclination. When he feels tired and dejected, he must not only overcome these feelings and persist in his service to God, but he must increase his intensity and enthusiasm. All this is easier than suffering the torments of death.
וְיִסּוּרֵי מִיתָה, ה׳ יִשְׁמְרֵנוּ, הָיָה מְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן שֶׁלֹּא לִיפָּרֵד מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲפִילּוּ לְפִי שָׁעָה, לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן, כְּדֵי לְדָבְקָה בּוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
Yet one would lovingly and willingly accept upon himself the torments of death, may God protect us, so as not to become separated from God's unity and oneness, even momentarily, by prostrating oneself before an idol, God forbid. All the more so should one have the ability to lovingly and willingly accept upon himself to do the will of God in order to cleave to God for eternity. We see that a person is prepared to give up his life, unfettered by any rational considerations, in order to sanctify God's name. Despite the loss, despite the fear, despite the terrible suffering it entails, he has the strength and spiritual capability to do this. If that is the case, then he certainly has the ability to apply that strength in other ways, such as carrying out God's will with fierce love and desire. As the author of the Tanya explained in previous chapters, the performance of the mitzvot and Torah study constitute an unequaled attachment to God. If a person is prepared to die rather than leave God for even a moment, how much more so does he have the strength to toil in the study of Torah and the performance of the mitzvot in order to cleave to Him in life.
דְּהַיְינוּ כְּשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ, יִתְגַּלֶּה בָּהּ פְּנִימִית רָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן בִּבְחִינַת פָּנִים וְגִילּוּי רַב וְלֹא בְּהֶסְתֵּר כְּלָל.
That is, when one fulfills the will of God through this service of performing mitzvot with love, the inner aspect of God's supernal will is profoundly revealed in that service internally, without any concealment whatsoever. God's inner will exists within the mitzvot. Thus, when one performs the will of God "through this service [of performing mitzvot with love]," this will is manifest with no obstructions whatsoever.
וּכְשֶׁאֵין שׁוּם הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים בָּרָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן, אֲזַי אֵין דָּבָר נִפְרָד כְּלָל וּכְלָל לִהְיוֹת יֵשׁ וְדָבָר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ.
When there is no concealment of countenance in God's supernal will, then nothing is separated from Him in the slightest, having its own existence and substance. A mitzva cuts through the veil that obscures all the worlds. The structure of the worlds is built on levels, one beneath the other, one veil after the other, masking the Divine in ever more opaque concealments. This process of concealment makes possible the existence of the world, the olam, which itself connotes the he'elam, the concealment. The complex system of revelation and concealment, of concealment enfolded within concealment, makes up the existing framework of the universes and creates the delicate balance of this world's existence, hovering between concealment and revelation. Yet within this system, passing through all its levels of concealment, one transfer point is open on both sides: the doorway of the mitzvot. Here on earth, a person might not sense the divine revelation within a mitzva, but at the moment of its fulfillment, a person is no longer bound within the concealment of God's countenance.
וְלָזֹאת, תִּהְיֶינָה נַפְשׁוֹ הָאֱלֹהִית וְהַחִיּוּנִית, וּלְבוּשֵׁיהֶן כּוּלָּן, מְיוּחָדוֹת בְּתַכְלִית הַיִּחוּד בָּרָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן וְאוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
As such, both the divine and vital animal souls of the person who performs a mitzva and their garments, thought, speech, and action, will all be unified in perfect unity with the supernal will and the light of Ein Sof , blessed be He, as explained above (chap. 23). The moment there is a revelation of man's will intertwined with God's will, when the innermost part of a person clings to the innermost part of God's will, then the soul of the person who performs a mitzva is unified with God. This is a unification of both the divine and animal souls, along with their garments, the thoughts, speech, and deeds employed by the body. All are perfectly aligned with the supernal will. At that moment, there is no concealment of God's countenance to mask the divine will. The crooked is made straight, concealments disappear, and man's spiritual and physical existence becomes transparent to his inner being. At that moment, a complete union is forged between man and God.
וְיִחוּד זֶה לְמַעְלָה הוּא נִצְחִי לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ וּרְצוֹנוֹ לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן.
In the upper spheres, this unity is eternal, for God and His will transcend time. This union, this point of contact, between man and God is, from a human standpoint, temporal, lasting only as long as a person is involved in the mitzva. But from God's standpoint, the matter is entirely different. A mitzva is the will of God, and, like Him, it transcends time. Similarly, while a person is entirely absorbed in his performance of the mitzva, completely unified with the divine will, he is connected to the eternal, to that which transcends time. The word mitzva shares a root with the word tzavta, which means bond. A mitzva represents a bond with the eternal. It is as if a piece of the fabric of eternity stretches from the Divine, beyond time and space, and envelops both the reality of the mitzva in this world and the person performing it. Even though here on earth the mitzva is performed at a specific time, in itself it contains no element of time. Though the person performing the mitzva serves as a vehicle for the Divine in this world only during the time that he performs the mitzva, the connection to the eternal that is forged does not last only during the time of its performance. The connection with Ein Sof ultimately lies beyond the boundaries of time.
וְכֵן גִּילּוּי רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁבְּדִבּוּרוֹ, שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה – הוּא נִצְחִי. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וּדְבַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ יָקוּם לְעוֹלָם״ (ישעיה מ, ח), "וּדְבָרָיו חַיִּים וְקַיָּימִים״ כו׳, וְ״לֹא יַחֲלִיף וְלֹא יָמִיר דָּתוֹ לְעוֹלָמִים״ כו׳.
Likewise, the manifestation of His will through His speech, the Torah, is eternal, as it is written, "But the word of our God will stand forever" (Isa. 40:8), and it is written in the prayer service, "His words are alive and enduring" and "God will never exchange nor alter His law.…" If the word of God were limited by time, it might change with the passage of time. But the divine statement is eternal. The Ten Commandments are not merely utterances that were relevant at a particular moment but an ongoing revelation at every moment of existence: "a great voice that did not cease" (Deut. 5:19). That voice continues unceasingly throughout all time, without change, without the boundaries of time and place.
אֶלָּא שֶׁלְּמַטָּה הוּא תַּחַת הַזְּמַן, וּבְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה לְבַדָּהּ שֶׁעוֹסֵק בָּהּ בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ בַּמִּצְוָה,
Below, however, in our world, this unity is subject to the constraints of time, and it occurs only while one is engaged in Torah study or the fulfillment of a mitzva, In the higher realms, where the source of the soul clings to the Torah, the connection is eternal and boundless, but in this world, which exists within time and is subordinate to changes brought about by time, the mitzva is also subject to the boundaries of time. When a person is engaged in Torah study and mitzvot, he is living in two different realities. Part of him stands within the boundaries of time and space, and he therefore performs the mitzva within a certain span of time, from this moment to that moment. But another part of him unites with eternity, so that there is no difference between one period of time and another, and the concept of time ceases to have any meaning whatsoever.
כִּי אַחַר כָּךְ, אִם עוֹסֵק בְּדָבָר אַחֵר – נִפְרָד מֵהַיִּחוּד הָעֶלְיוֹן לְמַטָּה,
because afterward, if he engages in something else, he is separated from the supernal union in our world below, High above, at the primal root, time has no meaning, and unification with God is eternal. But here in this world, where the soul inhabits a time-bound body, we are liable at some moment to be separated from God and to instead connect ourselves to other concerns.
וְהַיְינוּ, כְּשֶׁעוֹסֵק בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים לְגַמְרֵי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם צוֹרֶךְ כְּלָל לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳.
that is, when he engages in utterly purposeless matters that are not at all necessary for the service of God. The heavenly union created by the performance of a mitzva is not severed when a person ceases to engage in that mitzva performance but only when he engages in completely worthless endeavors. No one can be engaged in Torah study and mitzvot twenty-four hours a day. One must sleep, eat, and take care of his other earthly concerns. But as long as he carries out his obligations, even when he is not studying Torah or performing mitzvot, the unification with God does not cease. It continues to exist above, although it does not grow any stronger nor is the person below severed from it. The Talmud states that even if a person has recited just one paragraph of the Shema, once in the morning and once in the evening, he has fulfilled the obligation of Torah study as mandated in the verse "This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth" (Josh. 1:8).
וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר וְשָׁב לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ אַחַר כָּךְ, לְתוֹרָה וְלִתְפִלָּה, וּמְבַקֵּשׁ מְחִילָה מֵה׳ עַל שֶׁהָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲסוֹק אָז בַּתּוֹרָה וְלֹא עָסַק – ה׳ יִסְלַח לוֹ,
Nevertheless, when he subsequently repents and returns to the service of God, through Torah study and prayer, and asks God to forgive him for the Torah he could have studied yet did not, then God will forgive him, It is true that he involved himself in matters that have no connection to God and His Torah. But as long as he did not commit a transgression, he did no damage. He only suspended the connection of the ultimate unification, and for that, God will forgive him.
כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל: "עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וְשָׁב – לֹא זָז מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ״ (יומא פו, א).
in accordance with our Rabbis' statement "If one violates a positive commandment and repents, he is forgiven immediately, even before he moves from his place" (Yoma 86a). The person did not violate a prohibition; he did not cause harm. All that can be said is that he could have done better. Because he caused no damage, there is nothing to rectify. Once he repents, there is no need for anything more, He is immediately forgiven and returns to the state of unification with the Divine.
וְלָזֶה תִּקְּנוּ בִּרְכַּת "סְלַח לָנוּ", שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בְּכָל יוֹם, עַל עֲוֹן בִּיטּוּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם נִיצּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּכָל יוֹם,
It is for this reason that the Sages instituted the blessing that begins "Forgive us" in the Amida three times daily: It is on account of the sin of neglecting Torah study, a sin from which a person is not spared even a single day. This blessing is recited in the morning, afternoon, and evening Amida prayer. But the question arises: Does a person sin so frequently between one prayer service and the next that he needs to seek forgiveness each time? It is impossible to avoid the sin of neglecting Torah study entirely. The obligation to study Torah is not limited to certain times, places, or conditions. One is obligated to study Torah, in some manner, at any time and in all circumstances, and almost no one can fulfill this requirement every day and every moment of his life. That is why a person must ask forgiveness three times a day. This applies not only to Torah study but to the commandments of loving and fearing God as well, which are also universally applicable. Whenever a person is disconnected from the love and fear of God, he is severed from the divine unification, and for this too he must ask forgiveness three times a day.
וּכְמוֹ הַתָּמִיד שֶׁהָיָה מְכַפֵּר עַל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה.
This blessing is similar to the daily offering, which atoned for neglect of a positive commandment. The daily sacrifice, the tamid, which was offered in the Temple in the morning and late afternoon, atoned for unperformed and improperly performed positive commandments.
וְאֵין זֶה ‘אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב׳,
This is not regarded as a case of "I will sin and then I will repent," The notion of requesting forgiveness constantly and predictably may seem no different from the idea of intending to sin and afterward repent, regarding which the Talmud says that a person is not given the opportunity to repent. But the two are not the same. The category of intending to sin and afterward repent applies only under certain conditions.
אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַחֵטְא מַמָּשׁ הוּא סוֹמֵךְ עַל הַתְּשׁוּבָה – וּלְכָךְ חוֹטֵא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
unless during the act of the transgression itself one relied on the subsequent repentance, and it is on account of this that he sinned, as explained elsewhere (Iggeret HaTeshuva, chap. 11). Saying "I will sin and then I will repent" is not the same as knowing that repentance is possible. A person need not have totally forgotten the concept of repentance in order to eventually repent. Rather, we are talking about a person who could have overcome his urges, who could have in some way emerged from his confusion, yet nevertheless he sinned. Such a person, one who sins because he thinks that he can repent afterward, is not given the means to do so. When repentance is a part of the very mechanism of the sin, when it makes it easier for a person to transgress, then he will find it harder to repent. However, people generally do not neglect Torah study intentionally and with forethought. They get distracted, and other matters weigh on their minds. Neglecting Torah study is therefore a sin that people stumble into. Although they do not intend to be remiss, it is human nature to err in such matters. It is for this that a person requests "Forgive us" three times a day.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן לָמָּה צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה לַדּוֹר שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם, לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם בִּמְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ. וַהֲלֹא הִבְטִיחַ לָהֶם: "פַּחְדְּכֶם וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם יִתֵּן ה׳״ וגו׳ (דברים יא,כה)? אֶלָּא
In light of this, we can understand why we find in the book of Deuteronomy that Moses, our teacher, commanded the generation of Jews entering the Land of Israel to recite the Shema twice daily, so that they might accept the yoke of Heaven with self-sacrifice. But did Moses not promise them, "No man will stand before you; the Lord
מִשּׁוּם שֶׁקִּיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹתֶיהָ תָּלוּי בָּזֶה שֶׁיִּזְכּוֹר תָּמִיד עִנְיַן מְסִירַת נַפְשׁוֹ לַה׳ עַל יִחוּדוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה קָבוּעַ בְּלִבּוֹ תָּמִיד מַמָּשׁ, יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, לֹא יָמִישׁ מִזִּכְרוֹנוֹ. כִּי בָּזֶה יוּכַל לַעֲמוֹד נֶגֶד יִצְרוֹ לְנַצְּחוֹ תָּמִיד בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
your God will place terror of you and fear of you upon the entire land on which you will tread" (Deut. 11:25)? Rather, it is because the fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments are contingent on this, that one must constantly remember the matter of sacrificing one's life to God for the sake of His unity. This must be fixed permanently in one's heart, literally day and night, never slipping his mind. It is through this that one will be able to stand in opposition to his evil inclination, constantly vanquishing it at every given moment, as mentioned above. The generation that entered the Land of Israel needed the strength of self-sacrifice, not for the external war that it would wage against the land's inhabitants, but for the inner daily battles that each individual would face. The readiness and spiritual ability to sacrifice themselves in the course of sanctifying God's name would form the foundation of everything they would be confronted with in life, in this "land" of life to which they were coming. It is for this reason that this command was given to the generation who entered the land, not to the wilderness generation. A person who is ready to give his life for God and whose consciousness of this is "fixed permanently in one's heart" can perform the same act of self-sacrifice in countless small ways in his regular life. This chapter concludes the series of chapters (from chapter 18 onward) that focus on the concealed love embedded in the heart of every Jew. This love serves as the driving force behind a Jew's readiness for self-sacrifice for the sake of God. The author of the