25 Tishrei: Teshuvah

TESHUVAH Rabbi Eliezer said, “If Israel repents, they will be redeemed; if not, they will not be redeemed.” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 97b) Teshuvah is usually translated as “repentance,” but this is not accurate… It means “to return,” to get in touch with one’s inner self. (Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, pg. 409) Teshuvah is a necessary component of, and prerequisite for, Moshiach. Yet, despite the popular misconception, teshuvah need not be only for sins. Rather, teshuvah is simply the process of getting in touch with one’s yechidah, one’s inner essence. This requires embarking on a lifelong journey of self-discovery. Don’t wait to learn from mistakes; that’s the hard way. Instead, cultivate your intrinsic desire to fully develop your personal integrity. As you do, you’ll find you will naturally abandon anything in your life that is not completely “in tune” with your true self. Once you have corrected it, you will have performed teshuvah! Compare to the idea of the Shofar Gadol, Maamar V’Haya Bayom Hahu, Meluket 6, and VeAtah Tetzaveh