WHY TESHUVAH IS INEVITABLE
As of this writing, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for fourteen weeks. What started as a weeklong visit to the International Space Station for Wilmore and Williams may stretch many more months. Engineers on earth are working overtime to diagnose and correct the malfunctions of their Starliner spacecraft so it can return. Is their shuttle even repairable? While people and spaceships have little in common, they too sometimes need course-correction. What is the timespan for perfecting the human condition?
From the Mishneh Torah, a monumental compendium of all the Torah’s laws by the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 1138–1204). In Hilchot Teshuvah, the Rambam explains that the spiritual return of the entire Jewish people is guaranteed:
All the prophets commanded the Jewish people to repent, and Israel will only be redeemed through repentance.
The Torah has already promised that, ultimately, all Israel will repent towards the end of their exile, and they will immediately be redeemed, as it states (Devarim 30:1-3): “And it shall be when all these things come to pass upon you... and you will return to G-d, your L-rd.... and G-d, your L-rd, will bring back your captives.”
The Backspace Key
G-d created the world with a remarkable feature—a pre-installed “undo” button. Even after a human mistake or misjudgment, G-d has endowed us with the ability to erase the original error as if it never happened. This superpower is known as teshuvah.
Throughout Jewish history, there have been numerous instances of straying from G-d, followed by periods of estrangement, wandering, and exile. In this light, teshuvah serves as the antidote to exile, offering a way for the Jewish people to return to their original stature, both physically and spiritually. The promise is clear: the moment the Jewish people turn towards G-d, He stands ready to welcome them home.
In human relationships, people are sometimes careless, inconsiderate, or temperamental. When a mistake is minor, it’s relatively easy to recover and correct the damage. But sometimes the consequences are devastating. In a moment of thoughtlessness, lives are shattered, relationships severed, reputations sullied beyond repair. Undoing such profound harm demands a complete restructuring of the relationship.
The Rambam's ruling suggests that teshuvah is not merely an option for the Jewish people to repair their relationship with G-d; it is a certainty. Reading between the lines, the Rambam appears to be alluding to a deeper level in the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people. What does the assurance of their teshuvah indicate about the nature of a Jew’s connection with the Divine?
Chassidic Perspective on Teshuvah
In a Chasssidic discourse in Likkutei Torah on Parshat Ha’azinu, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe, 1745-1812) explores the deeper dimension of teshuvah:
The main point of teshuvah is as expressed in the verse, “And the spirit shall return to G-d Who granted it” [Kohelet 12:7].
The meaning is that the soul is an actual part of G-d Himself, which came down through many contractions and expansions - a process of G-dly ordained evolvement, et cetera, until it becomes enclothed in the body, (which is symbolized by a connecting cable, as in the verse “Jacob, the rope of his inheritance,” referring to the body.)
And from this it is understood what teshuvah is—the return of the soul with humility and complete dedication to its source and supernal root from which it was taken, which is the aspect of ayin (nothingness), the ultimate level of G-dliness from which all existence emerges.
Divine Realignment
The conventional view of teshuvah is that it serves to mop up messes, to restore what had been tarnished to its original purity.
On a deeper, kabbalistic level, teshuvah is much more than fixing the damage. It is getting in touch with the soul’s root, which in essence is one with G-d.
Exile represents a cooling, or distance, in the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people. In this sense, teshuvah and redemption are intertwined. Teshuvah is about getting in touch with the innate and unbreakable connection to G-d. On this plane, past misdeeds hold no power; they become insignificant.
From this perspective, teshuvah need not be a prolonged, arduous process. It can be as quick as a flash—a single, pure thought that transforms a person entirely. In one brief moment a person’s entire being can be realigned with its Divine source. It may take time for this transformation to fully permeate human, everyday actions and decisions. On a fundamental level, though, the core work of teshuvah is already complete.
Not Only for Sinners
Teshuvah, typically translated as “repentance,” literally means return. In Chassidic thought it refers to the soul returning to its core identity as an actual part of G-d. When this dimension of soul is accessed, sins fall away and the negativity of the past can be uplifted and purified. This is why, when Moshiach comes, even the righteous will do teshuvah, to return their soul to its root source.
During the month of Elul, known as the days of mercy, G-d makes Himself especially available for us to connect with Him. Take advantage of the opportunity by increasing in Torah, prayer, and charity. Each day of Elul, listen to the shofar, give a few extra coins to tzedakah, and recite a few additional chapters of Psalms.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
- Emek Hamelech, Sha’ar Tikunei Teshuvah, Ch. 3
- Otzar Hachaim by Rabbi Yitzchak of Acco, Ch. 174
- Sichot Kodesh, Acharon Shel Pesach 5718
- Igrot Kodesh, Vol. 22, p. 472
When defining teshuvah in this manner, it can be assumed that, collectively, the Jewish people are ready for Redemption. Their spiritual imperfections no longer stand in the way of a renewed relationship with G-d. The unprecedented spiritual awakening seen in the present generation indicates that on a macro level, teshuvah has already been fulfilled.
However, it’s not enough for teshuvah to be a singular moment of clarity. It must become a foundation for living a productive, fulfilling life. The internal personal realignment becomes the impetus for a more universal shift, to make universal redemption a lived reality.
True, deep teshuvah involves first accessing the soul’s essential bond with G-d, and then using it as a platform to build a life of meaning and purpose.
The unprecedented spiritual awakening seen in the present generation indicates that on a macro level, teshuvah has already been fulfilled.
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