An Open Hand to Accept Those Who Return:
My ancestor, Rav Eliezer Zev of Kretchnif zy”a, writes (in Sefer Raza D’Shabbos) that it is known that the Torah contains all wisdom, as is stated in Yeshaya (28:29): “This too comes forth from Hashem. He gave marvelous counsel, made great wisdom.” It is also known that Hashem’s hand is always outstretched to accept those who return to Him. This is seen from Moshe Rabenu’s tefillah (Devarim 3:24): “Your greatness and Your strong hand.” Rashi explains this to mean Hashem’s “right hand” that is always open to those who come back to Him.
However, one can only be accepted by Hashem if he does teshuva and amends his ways, as Chazal say (Taanis 16A): “Sackcloth and fasting is not the cause. Rather, teshuva and good deeds is the cause.”
This is hinted to in the pasuk that speaks about “the avodah of Gershon”. As we explained above, the word “Gershon” hints to those who were driven away due to their wicked ways. The verse is saying that the avodah they must do to return to Hashem is “to work and to carry”, meaning to work on doing teshuva and to accept to carry the yoke of Heaven from now on.
זֹאת וגו' מִ שְׁ פְּחֹת הַגֵּרְ שֻׁנִּי לַעֲבֹד וּלְמַשָּׂא (ד, כד)
This... the family of Gershon to work and carry. (4:24)
