The Arizal (Shaar Ruach Hakodesh, yichud 16) writes that in Elul, one should think the pasuk (Yeshayah 43:16) נתיבה עזים ומים דרך בים הנותן, "He Who made a path through the Sea and a road amid the mighty waters." because in this month, Hashem gives us a path of teshuvah, a road to return to Hashem. Why is the path for teshuvah compared to a path or a road in the sea?
(1)
One explanation is that after a path is taken at sea, there is no sign of the path anymore. This indicates that after one does teshuvah, there will be no sign of the past aveiros.
(2)
When a person drives a car on the highway and realizes he is driving in the wrong direction, he can't turn around immediately. If he does, he can cause an accident. He must continue driving in the wrong direction until he reaches a place where he can safely turn around. But when one is in the sea and realizes he is going the wrong way, he can turn around immediately. Teshuvah is compared to דרך בים הנותן, like a path in the sea, and when he recognizes that he is going the wrong way, he can immediately turn around and take the right path.
(3)
There is a wise saying (quoted in Igros Sofrim of Reb Akiva Eiger, letter 9), "Thousands of ships passed through the great sea, and not one of them set a path." There is no set route in the sea. The sea is broad, deep, and vast, and each person finds their own route. This is a mashal for teshuvah. There isn't a set route. Each person must utilize his talents and abilities to honor Hashem in his own way, and to return in teshuvah before Hashem. A baal teshuvah shouldn't say, "Show me the exact path of teshuvah that I should go on," because each person and situation is different. There are basic guidelines, but after that, there is room for individuality, for each person to find his path of teshuvah and his own path in avodas Hashem. Therefore, we say, דרך בים הנותן, teshuvah is like the sea, which doesn't have a clear, known path. One has to jump into the ocean and find his way to his destination.
(4)
The Rokeach says that the sea represents teshuvah because just as anyone can go to the sea, so, too, anyone can do teshuvah. The option is available for all.
