Tanya/ Iggeres Ha’Teshuvah – The Epistle on Repentance, Chapter 8, Class 2

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Two basic elements, as the Alter Rebbe made clear in the previous chapter, enable the lower level of repentance to be true and direct: (a) considering how one’s soul and its Source, the Shechinah, are to be pitied and arousing supreme compassion upon them; and (b) making a thoughtful, soulful, and accurate accounting of the extent to which one’s own sins have brought about the “exile of the Shechinah.” This will make one’s heart humble and contrite, which in turn will crush the spirit of the kelipot and sitra achara.

After deeply considering all this,

וְהִנֵּה, אַחֲרֵי הַעֲמָקַת הַדַּעַת בְּכָל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל,

one can truly plead, from his inmost heart, “In accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions….”¹

יוּכַל לְבַקֵּשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת, מֵעוּמְקָא דְלִבָּא “כְּרוֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ מְחֵה פְשָׁעָי וְגוֹ’”.

This verse is recited during Tikkun Chatzot as well as during the bedside reading of Keriat Shema—propitious times for spiritual stocktaking, which will enable him to recite it wholeheartedly.

For by then his heart will be thoroughly impressed with the pathetic state of the spark of Divinity within his soul and [in his soul’s Source] Above, as noted earlier.

כִּי אֲזַי תִּקָּבַע בְּלִבּוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת גּוֹדֶל הָרַחֲמָנוּת עַל בְּחִינַת אֱלֹקוּת שֶׁבְּנַפְשׁוֹ וְשֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.

He will thereby arouse supreme mercy, from the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy which derive from the supreme will,

וּבָזֶה – יְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים מִי”ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים, הַנִּמְשָׁכוֹת מֵרָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,

alluded to by the “thorn” atop the yud,

הַנִּרְמָז בְּקוֹצוֹ שֶׁל יוּ”ד,

which by far transcends the flow issuing from the letters of the Tetragrammaton.

שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִבְּחִינַת הַהַשְׁפָּעָה הַנִּשְׁפַּעַת מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת שֵׁם הַוָיָ’.

Sins cause a blemish in the individual letters of the Tetragrammaton, as explained above. This causes the flow emanating from there, and from which a Jew derives his life-force, to descend into the kelipot and sitra achara and provide them with additional nurture.

When one arouses the supreme mercies of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which emanate from the level of the supreme will that transcends the letters of the Tetragrammaton, he is then able to rectify the letters and redirect their flow into his soul.

Therefore, on account of their lofty origin, these Thirteen Attributes of Mercy correct all defects,

וְלָכֵן הַי”ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים מְנַקִּים כָּל הַפְּגָמִים,

as it is written, “He forgives inequity and transgression…and cleanses.”²

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: “נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וָפֶשַׁע וְנַקֵּה”,

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FOOTNOES

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1. Psalms 51:3.

2. Numbers 14:18.