ה' אֱלֹקִים אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ: (ג כד)
The Seforim say that a person must first make an אתערותא דלתתא—an effort and an awakening from himself. Hashem says, "Open for me an opening as small as the eye of a needle, and I will open for you an opening as wide as a hall." Shlomo Hamelech says in Shir Hashirim 5:2: "אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק פִּתְחִי לִי I am asleep, but my heart is awake. Listen, my beloved knocks! 'Let me in, my own'"). Hashem is waiting for you to open just a bit!
The Tal Chaim of Liska explains in depth: Where does a person even get the sudden inspiration and strength to make a needle-sized opening? That initial spark of inspiration—the sudden urge to do teshuvah—is actually a gift from Hashem Himself. Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded: "Master of the Universe, I cannot come to You boasting of my initiatives or my righteousness. Even the fact that I began to serve You, even the very first step I took in my life, was powered by the energy and the soul You planted within me. אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ—You began it. Since everything is fundamentally Yours, I have no spiritual equity to claim. I can only throw myself at Your mercy and ask for a free gift "מתנת חנם". This requires us to pray that Hashem gives us that ultimate gift of sudden inspiration in order to become elevated.
