28th day of Tamuz

This subject, simultaneously harboring contrite humility in the heart—the state of teshuvah tataah, as explained—and the abovementioned [contrary emotion of] joy in G‑d that is also necessary for the service of prayer,

has already been discussed in Likkutei Amarim, at the end of ch. 34.

This is as stated in the Zohar 1: “[Weeping is lodged in one side of my heart, and] joy is lodged in the other side of my heart.”

Joined to this is faith and confidence, the heart being firm and certain in G‑d—that “He delights in kindness,”2

and is “gracious and merciful”3 and abundantly forgiving the instant one entreats Him for forgiveness and atonement.

(4As it is written, “In accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions”;5

or: “Cleanse me, purify me”6;

or: “Erase all my sins….”7)

[The worshipper offers supplications such as the above] without the faintest vestige of doubt.

For this reason, in every Shemoneh Esreh, the moment we plead, “Pardon us…,” [we conclude,] “Blessed are You, O G‑d, gracious One Who pardons abundantly.”

Now we are forbidden to recite a blessing of doubtful obligation for fear that it be pronounced in vain.8

However, there is no doubt here whatsoever,

for we have asked, “Pardon us, forgive us.”

Furthermore, were we not to repeat our transgressions, we would be immediately redeemed,

in accordance with the blessing we recite immediately afterward, “Blessed are You, O G‑d, Who redeems Israel.”

Even by human standards [this certainty of pardon is legitimate, for] one must forgive as soon as he is asked for pardon.

He must not cruelly withhold his forgiveness,

even if one were to cut off his hand,

as we find in the Gemara, at the end of ch. 8 of Bava Kama.9

So, too, if one has asked his fellow for forgiveness three times and has been rebuffed, he need not apologize further.

When King David asked the Gibeonites10 to forgive King Saul, who had killed their people, and they refused to do so,

David decreed that they should not enter the congregation of G‑d, i.e., they would never be allowed to convert and thereby join the Jewish people, who are merciful…,

as we have learned in Yevamot, end of ch. 8.11

As a Divine trait, how much more certain is it—nay, infinitely more certain—[that forgiveness is swift].

As to the fact that we praise and bless G‑d as being “the gracious One Who abounds in forgiveness”—the verb chosen is marbeh (“abounds”), implying a quality unique to G‑d.

In Ezra,12 [too,] we find that G‑d “pardons abundantly.”

This means:

In the mortal world, if one person harms another and asks his pardon, which is granted,

and then repeats the misdeed,

it becomes very difficult to grant pardon again,

and certainly a third and fourth time.

By the standard of G‑d, however, there is no difference between once and a thousand times,

for pardon is a manifestation of the attribute of mercy,

and Divine attributes are not bounded and finite; they are infinite,

as in the verse, “For His mercies have not ended.”13

Relative to infinity, there is no difference whatsoever between a small number and a large one,

for “before Him, all are considered as naught,”14 and “He makes equal the small and the great….”15

Therefore, “He removes our sins every year.”16

As to all the sins for which we confess in the Al Chet annually, though repeatedly violated,

we again confess for them on Yom Kippur in the coming year, and so on always.

“Every year” does not necessarily imply a yearly pardon, for three times every day, we pronounce, “Blessed are You, O G‑d, Who is gracious and abounds in forgiveness.”

As our Sages teach,17 the prayers were instituted in place of the daily sacrificial offerings.

The daily morning sacrifice would atone for the sins of the previous night, and the daily evening sacrifice atoned for the sins of the past day,

and so on, day by day, constantly.

[“Every year” means only that] Yom Kippur atones for the grave sins while the regular offering of the olah sacrifice atoned only for the violation of positive commands.

In our time, worship with repentance [substitutes for offerings], atoning only for violations of positive commands, as noted above.

However, this thrice-daily recitation of G‑d’s assurance of forgiveness is not [the attitude of one who says,] “I will sin and [later] repent,” concerning whom our Sages say, “He is not granted an opportunity to repent.”18

For that is relevant only if while committing the sin, he could have overcome his evil impulse but depended in his heart on repenting [later].

Since it was [the opportunity for] repentance that caused him to sin, “He is not granted an opportunity [to repent],”

and even then, he is not granted an opportunity.

However, if he pressed forcefully and overpowered his evil impulse and did repent,

then his repentance is accepted.

However, we, who plead daily, “Forgive us,”

preface that prayer by saying, “Bring us back with a perfect repentance before you,”

so that we revert no more to folly and sin no more.

On Yom Kippur, too, we ask, “May it be Your will that I sin no more.”

Opportunity is abundantly granted [for repentance].

As our Sages teach: “Whoever comes to purify himself [of his sin] is given assistance.”19

The expression “whoever comes” [indicates that he is granted assistance] as soon as he comes,

and the pardon and forgiveness are thus also granted forthwith.

As to the verse that says, “My sin is always before me,”20

this does not imply that one ought to be constantly melancholy and humiliated, G‑d forbid,

for later verses declare, “Let me hear gladness and joy…,”21

and “uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity…”22;

moreover, “Throughout one’s days, one should experience teshuvah [ilaah],”23 [a manner of repentance] that is marked by great joy, as noted above.

Rather, [the term used for “before me” is] specifically negdi, which implies being opposite but at a certain distance,

as in the verse that says, “You shall stand at a distance (mineged)”24; or: “at a distance (mineged) around the Tent of Assembly shall they camp.”25

Rashi defines the above term (lit., “opposite”) as “at a distance.”

Hence, the intention [of our verse] is merely that one’s heart should not grow haughty

and that he be humble of spirit before all men

because there will be a remembrance between his eyes that he has sinned before G‑d.

In fact, as far as joy is concerned, the remembrance of one’s past sins will be especially effective

in encouraging happiness in the face of whatever misfortunes threaten to overtake him,

whether from heaven or through the agency of man,

whether in speech or in deed.

(26This [humility on account of one’s imperfect record] is good counsel that enables a man to be immune to becoming angry or taking offense in any way….)

As our Sages declare, “Those who are humiliated yet do not humiliate in turn,

who hear their insult and do not retort,

who perform out of love and are happy in affliction—concerning them does Scripture say,27 ‘Those who love Him [shall be] like the sun rising in all its might.’”28

Moreover, “whoever passes over his feelings, all his sins are passed over.”29