כי “For on this day, He will provide atonement for you, to purify you from all your sins; before G‑d, you will be purified.” Vayikra 16:30. It is necessary to understand the apparent redundancy in the terms “to purify you” and “you will be purified.” As a preface, it is necessary to understand the concept of the Ten Days of Teshuvah and why [this period was established] as being ten days.

והיום [It is also necessary to understand:] The term “this day” [in the above verse] refers to the tenth day, [Yom Kippur]. [Moreover, the concept that Yom Kippur] will “provide atonement for you” [is problematic]. Seemingly, whenever

I.e., any time during the year, not only on Yom Kippur.

a person turns [to G‑d] in teshuvah, he should be forgiven immediately.

אך The concept [can be explained as follows]: The concept of teshuvah is [to bring] a person [to the point where he is in] a face-to-face [relationship] with G‑d. For teshuvah involves returning and coming close to G‑d.

I.e., teshuvah does not merely involve repentance for sin, but an inner process in which the soul comes close to G‑d (see Likkutei Torah, Devarim, p. 60d; Sefer HaMaamarim 5688, p. 6ff; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 409).

On the surface, [the concepts of distance and closeness] are not relevant regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written:1 “I fill the heavens and the earth.” If so, why must a person return and come close to G‑d? How has he become distant?

I.e., since G‑dliness pervades all existence, how is it possible for a person to distance himself from Him?

אלא The concept can be [explained with] an analogy. It is like two people standing next to each other, with their backs turned. There is no greater distance than this.

For although they are physically close to each other, they do not relate to each other. Similarly in the analogue, although there is no physical separation between man and G‑d, there is the possibility that the attention of both man and G‑d, as it were, could be focused elsewhere.

The fact that man has separated himself from G‑d through sin is easy to comprehend, for he is obviously turning his back on G‑d. It is, however, more difficult to conceive of G‑d separating Himself from His creation, for all existence is dependent on Him. To explain this concept, the Alter Rebbe elaborates on how G‑d can grant vitality unwillingly.

Closeness can be established only when they turn face to face. Similarly, it is written:2 “And you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” [Implied is that] Above, there is a dimension comparable to the face and one comparable to the back. Thus it is written:3 “G‑d will shine His countenance upon you”; i.e., that influence will be conveyed with a shining countenance from the inner dimension of His will,

The Hebrew term פנים means both “face” and “inner dimension.” Indeed, a person’s vitality and inner qualities are revealed in his face. G‑d’s “shin[ing] His countenance” implies revealing Him within our inner dimensions. See the maamar entitled Ani LeDodi (Likkutei Torah, Devarim, p. 32b), translated in Vol. II of this series.

as it is written:4 “I loved Yaakov.”

And because G‑d loves Yaakov, i.e., the Jewish people, the influence He grants them is given with happiness and love.

And it is written:5 “I will certainly obliterate [Amalek].”

Although the verse refers to Amalek, to a certain extent, it relates to all hostile, gentile nations. Since G‑d swears to obliterate the existence of that nation’s existence (and that of the other hostile nations), it is obvious that He hates it. Nevertheless, were He not to grant vitality to that nation[s], it could not exist. Thus we are forced to say that He grants it vitality, but He grants it unwillingly, as the Alter Rebbe proceeds to explain.

Therefore the influence He grants [Amalek], endowing it with life, is from His hind dimensions, as one who throws something over his shoulder.6 [For example,] when one gives to an enemy, he does not give with a complete will, but as one who is forced to give. The influence does not come from His inner and fundamental will.

In truth, there is no concept of G‑d giving against His will — being forced, as it were, to provide influence — for there is nothing that can force Him to act. Here the intent is that He has no desire for the hostile gentile nations in and of themselves. They exist only to create a settled environment for the world, for the Jews could not exist in a wilderness (see Rambam’s Introduction to his Commentary on the Mishnah). Thus even though G‑d does not have a genuine desire for the gentile nations in and of themselves, He is, as it were, forced to bring them into being in order to bring His overall plan for Creation to fruition. Therefore, in the Ultimate Future, when intermediaries are no longer necessary, these nations will cease to exist.

אבל To a righteous man, by contrast, [G‑d’s] influence comes from the inner dimensions of His will. He gives with a wholehearted desire, with a shining countenance, with happiness and gladness of heart, with an abundance of strength and joy.

ועד"ז Similar concepts can be understood regarding teshuvah.

I.e., just as there are expressions of G‑d’s inner will and expressions of His external will, so too, a person can relate to G‑d in a similar manner. He can act wholeheartedly, expressing his inner spiritual desires, or he can act listlessly, without investing any of his inner energy in his observance.

For it is written:7 “For they turned their necks to Me.”

I.e., the back of the neck. Thus, literally, the verse means that the people turned their backs to G‑d, forsaking Him. The Alter Rebbe explains that even when the people are turning to G‑d, it is possible that they are not facing Him, as it were; i.e., they are not investing their inner energies in their Divine service.

The verse can be interpreted as meaning, “they turned to Me”; i.e., they turned to G‑d in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, but it was only with “their necks,” not with the inner dimension of their will, with love and yearning, but rather “like training oneself to fulfill a person’s command by rote,”8

I.e., G‑d’s mitzvos are observed without any awareness of their Divinity, like a person who habitually performs a routine without thinking of what he is doing.

proceeding with coldness. Teshuvah involves returning to a face-to-face relationship with G‑d — that one’s inner will and desire will be focused on G‑d’s Torah and His mitzvos

For, as stated above, teshuvah is not only to repent for sins, but rather involves a full-hearted intensification of one’s relationship with G‑d.

“with happiness and gladness of heart; with an abundance of all things.”9 ,i

אך In order to understand [the importance of teshuvah and] how this approach will be firmly established in a person’s soul, it is necessary to preface with [an explanation of] our Sages’ statement:10 “Study is great because it leads to deed.”

To understand the unique dimension of teshuvah, it is first necessary to contrast two fundamental elements of our normative Divine service: Torah study and deed, the actual performance of mitzvos.

[From this,] one can conclude that deed is most essential,11 for study is only great because it leads to deed. And our Sages declared:12 “When a person studies without intending to carry out what he studies, it is preferable that his placenta had turned over.”

I.e., that he was never born.

ובירושלמי [On the surface, this is difficult to understand,] for on the verse:13 “All desires cannot compare to it,”

In the verse, the antecedent is “knowledge,” which our Sages understand as referring to Torah study.

the Talmud Yerushalmi14 comments: “even the desires of Heaven.”

I.e., the mitzvos — the expressions of G‑d’s desires.

For all of the mitzvos are not equivalent to one word of the Torah, for the virtue of studying Torah is greater than the virtue of observing mitzvos.

וגם Similarly, our Gemara15 ,ii

I.e., Talmud Bavli

takes note of an apparent contradiction: One verse says:16 “All your desires cannot compare to it,”

“It” refers to Torah study; “your desires” to a person’s individual desires.

implying that “your desires” [are secondary to Torah study], but not “the desires of Heaven.”

I.e., that seemingly, the observance of mitzvos takes priority over the study of Torah.

And [another verse] states: “All desires cannot compare to it,” [seemingly including]“even the desires of Heaven.”

I.e., that seemingly, the study of Torah takes priority over the observance of mitzvos.

In resolution, [the Gemara] states: “This

The verse giving precedence to the observance of mitzvos.

refers to a mitzvah that it is impossible to have others fulfill” and “this,

The verse giving precedence to Torah study.

to a mitzvah that it is possible for others to fulfill.” [Implied is that when] it is possible for others to perform a mitzvah, one should pass it by and occupy himself in Torah study.

ולכאורה On the surface, this is difficult to understand: The entire Torah is merely an elucidation and explanation of how the mitzvos are performed. How could one study the elucidation and explanation of the mitzvos and have the mitzvah itself performed by another person?

For, as stated above, the Torah must be studied with the intent to apply it.

וגם It is also necessary to understand our Sages’ statement:17 “Anyone who occupies himself in [the study of] the laws of a burnt-offering is considered as if he sacrificed a burnt-offering. One who occupies himself in [the study of] the laws of a meal-offering is considered as if he sacrificed a meal-offering.” [This is problematic.] The sacrifices are dependent [on the existence of] the Beis HaMikdash and the Altar, iii

I.e., they may only be brought in the Beis HaMikdash and only when the Altar is intact.

and offering them is dependent on a kohen.

I.e., it is forbidden for someone who is not a kohen to offer a sacrifice.

How is it then possible for Scripture to consider it as if one brought a sacrifice when he is a non-kohen, not a member of the priestly family? And [where he is located], there is no Beis HaMikdash or Altar?

I.e., from our Sages’ words it appears that not only does the person have the positive virtue of having studied these laws, it is also considered as if he performed the deed of sacrificial worship. That is problematic for the reasons explained above.

ויובן These [questions] can be resolved through the explanation of the virtue of Torah study in general: that it is a mitzvah incumbent on each and every man to study all the laws of the Torah, even those laws which are not necessary for everyone [to know]; 18

The Alter Rebbe is emphasizing that the mitzvah of Torah study does not merely involve knowledge of the laws to be applied in practice, but also knowledge of those which a person need not know for the sake of his observance. For, as will be explained, Torah study has a spiritual purpose and an effect on a person’s soul over and above the need for knowing how to fulfill its laws.

for example, the laws concerning instructions regarding the Torah’s prohibitions that must be ruled upon only by Rabbinic authorities, and the judgments that apply between a person and his colleague that must be ruled upon only by Rabbinic judges. Nevertheless, the mitzvah [of study] is incumbent on every man, even one who does not seek to be a Rabbinic judge or authority.


Summary

The Alter Rebbe explains that the concept of teshuvah does not merely involve seeking atonement for sins, but rather a desire to come close to G‑d. Coming close to Him does not involve overcoming physical distance, but instead focusing one’s attention on G‑d and making one’s relationship with Him an inward connection.

In order to understand how such a connection can be developed, it is necessary to clarify the importance of Torah study; how Torah study takes precedence over all the mitzvos, how the study of the Torah can compensate for the offering of sacrifices, and how there is a mitzvah to study the entire Torah, even those aspects that are not relevant to a person’s conduct.