REPENTANCE: THE RETURN TO GOD To make amends for one’s sins and rebuild what was damaged, the role of the Tzaddik is of paramount importance. Anyone who wants to attain the ultimate good must make every conceivable effort to draw close to the true Tzaddik and his followers. He must pour out his heart before the Tzaddik and confess his past actions. Then all his sins will be forgiven. The sins one commits are engraved on one’s bones. Each sin corresponds to a certain combination of letters. When a person commits a particular sin, an evil combination is inscribed on his bones corresponding to the letters of the negative commandment of the Torah he has transgressed. Because of this the words of that commandment are cast into tum’ah, the realm of impurity. The powers of holiness are sent into exile among the forces of the Other Side, and the evil combination inscribed on his bones exacts vengeance from him. But when he confesses before a Sage, the letters inscribed on his bones are released, and what was damaged can be completely restored (4:5).
תְּשׁוּבָה
[א]. עִקַּר הַתִּקּוּן שֶׁל כָּל הָעֲווֹנוֹת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת. וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת לְאַחֲרִית טוֹב לָנֶצַח צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וְתַלְמִידֵיהֶם, וִיסַפֵּר לִפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיק כָּל לִבּוֹ, הַיְנוּ וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ כָּל עֲווֹנוֹתָיו. כִּי עֲווֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם חֲקוּקִין עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו. כִּי כָּל עֲבֵרָה יֵשׁ לָהּ צֵרוּף אוֹתִיּוֹת, וּכְשֶׁעוֹבֵר אֵיזֶה עֲבֵרָה, אֲזַי נֶחְקָק צֵרוּף רַע עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו כְּפִי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַלָּאו שֶׁעָבַר, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מַכְנִיס בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל הַלָּאו הַזֶּה שֶׁעָבַר בְּתוֹךְ הַטֻּמְאָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה מֵבִיא מַלְכוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְתוֹךְ גָּלוּת דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְזֶה הַצֵּרוּף הָרָע שֶׁנֶּחְקָק עַל עַצְמוֹתָיו נוֹקֵם בּוֹ. וְעַל־יְדֵי וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי הַתַּלְמִיד חָכָם יוֹצֵא מֵעַצְמוֹתָיו הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַחֲקוּקִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִתְתַּקֵּן הַכֹּל: (לק"א סי' ד' אות ה')
REPENTANCE: THE RETURN TO GOD
To make amends for one’s sins and rebuild what was damaged, the role of the Tzaddik is of paramount importance. Anyone who wants to attain the ultimate good must make every conceivable effort to draw close to the true Tzaddik and his followers. He must pour out his heart before the Tzaddik and confess his past actions. Then all his sins will be forgiven. The sins one commits are engraved on one’s bones. Each sin corresponds to a certain combination of letters. When a person commits a particular sin, an evil combination is inscribed on his bones corresponding to the letters of the negative commandment of the Torah he has transgressed. Because of this the words of that commandment are cast into tum’ah, the realm of impurity. The powers of holiness are sent into exile among the forces of the Other Side, and the evil combination inscribed on his bones exacts vengeance from him. But when he confesses before a Sage, the letters inscribed on his bones are released, and what was damaged can be completely restored (4:5).