In short, these are the three aspects of teshuvah:
- Rectifying the damage wrought by aveiros
- Ridding oneself of negative habits
- Achieving closeness to Hashem once again.
For every one of these aspects, a miracle is needed—for a person doesn’t possess the means to accomplish them on his own in the normal course of nature. It is for this reason Chazal have told us that teshuvah preceded the creation of the world.
HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave us the gift of teshuvah and says to a person: “I know that you’re unable... I know that you will never be able to accomplish any of these aspects of teshuvah on your own. All I ask of you is to do your part and come just a bit closer to Me, and if you do so, I will perform a miracle for you. פתח לכם אפתח ואני מחט של כפתחו פתח לי פתחו אולם, של כפתחו open for me an opening as tiny as the opening of a needle, and I will open for you an opening as large as a hall.”
Because we’re discussing a neis, a person cannot control when and how it will take place. He can only do his part, to begin the process. That’s where his bechirah, free will, lies. And the truth is that even this—taking the first step in the teshuvah journey—can only happen through tefillah for siyatta diShmaya.
