![]() #42 Incorporating God’s Mothering Love and Encouragement We must deeply probe what we believe about Teshuva1 and become certain [about this aspect of its nature] that with even just an upwelling thought-image of repentance2 we mend a great deal in our personal self and in the world.3 [And once a person is certain of this,] he will inevitably feel happier after every thought he has of positively changing his life4, more pleased with himself than he was before; and even more so when his imagining reaches a contemplation of Teshuva, and is joined by Torah and wisdom and reverence for heaven; and most of all when the quality of divine love pulses in his soul. And he should be kind to himself5, and comfort his estranged6 soul, and strengthen her with every kind of encouragement in the world, for this is God’s word: “Like a man whose mother comforts him, so shall I comfort you.“7 And if he should find in himself sins that he has committed against other people8 and his power is too weak to rectify them, he must nonetheless not lose any faith at all9 in the huge healing power of Teshuva, for certainly any offences [he has committed] against God for which he has repented have already been forgiven; and, since this is so, one may consider those remaining elements that he has not yet rectified as being nullified by the majority10, because major portions of his sins have already been wiped away by his repentance. And, nonetheless, he must not slacken his effort to be very careful not to stumble into any sin against another person, and to repair all that he can from the past, using wisdom and much spiritual courage: “Escape like a deer from the hand [of a hunter] and like a bird from the hand of a trapper.“11 But he must not lose heart12 over those pieces which he has not yet been able to fix; instead, let him cling to the protection of Torah and serving God wholeheartedly, with joy, with awe and with love. ![]() ![]() ![]() עברית +/-
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