## Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah

###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:1
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:1)

**אַךְ** כָּל זֶה לְעִנְיַן כַּפָּרָה וּמְחִילַת הֶעָוֹן, שֶׁנִּמְחָל לוֹ לְגַמְרֵי מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עַל מִצְוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ כְּשֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵימָה, וְאֵין מַזְכִּירִין לוֹ דָּבָר וַחֲצִי דָּבָר בְּיוֹם הַדִּין לְעָנְשׁוֹ עַל זֶה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם־הַבָּא, וְנִפְטָר לְגַמְרֵי מִן הַדִּין בָּעוֹלָם־הַבָּא.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
However, all this refers to atonement and forgiveness of the sin—he is pardoned completely for having violated the command of the King when he has done a full repentance. No charge or semblance of accusation is made against him on the day of judgment to punish him for his sin, G–d forbid, in the World to Come. He is completely exonerated from the judgment to come.


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:2
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:2)

אָמְנָם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְרָצוֹן לִפְנֵי ה׳ וּמְרוּצֶּה וְחָבִיב לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ כְּקוֹדֶם הַחֵטְא, לִהְיוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְקוֹנוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָתוֹ – הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא קָרְבַּן עוֹלָה אֲפִילוּ עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה קַלָּה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ כָּרֵת וּמִיתַת בֵּית־דִּין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים עַל פָּסוּק ״וְנִרְצָה לוֹ״; וְכִדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא פֶּרֶק קַמָּא דִזְבָחִים, דְּעוֹלָה מְכַפֶּרֶת עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, וְהִיא דוֹרוֹן לְאַחַר שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה וְנִמְחַל לוֹ הָעוֹנֶשׁ.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
Nonetheless, that he may be acceptable before G–d, as beloved of Him as before the sin, that his Creator may derive delight from his service—in past times he would bring an *olah*¹ offering. This offering was brought even for an ordinary positive commandment that involves no excision or execution. In *Torat Kohanim* there is a comment on the verse, “It shall be accepted for him,”² and we find in the Talmud, *Zevachim* chapter 1,³ that the *olah* offering atones for positive commandments; it is a “gift” after he has done penance and the punishment was commuted.

footnotes:
¹ Leviticus 1:3.
² Ibid., 1:4.
³ 7b.


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:3
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:3)

וּכְאָדָם שֶׁסָּרַח בַּמֶּלֶךְ וּפִיְּיסוֹ עַל־יְדֵי פְּרַקְלִיטִין וּמָחַל לוֹ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, שׁוֹלֵחַ דּוֹרוֹן וּמִנְחָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁיִּתְרַצֶּה לוֹ לִרְאוֹת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ (וּלְשׁוֹן ״מְכַפֶּרֶת״, וְכֵן מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה ״וְנִרְצָה לוֹ לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו״ – אֵין זוֹ כַּפָּרַת נַפְשׁוֹ, אֶלָּא לְכַפֵּר לִפְנֵי ה׳ לִהְיוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְקוֹנוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״תָּמִים יִהְיֶה לְרָצוֹן״).

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
If one displeases his king and appeases him through an intercessor, and the king does forgive him, still he will send an appropriate gift to the king that the king might agree that he appear again before his sovereign. (The expression “atones” we quoted from the Talmud, and in the verse, “It will be accepted for him to *atone* for him,”² does not refer to the soul’s atonement for the sin, but rather his “restoration” before G–d. Now the Creator may derive delight from him, as the Talmud remarks there, and as the verse, “It shall be perfect, to be desired.”)4


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:4
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:4)

וְעַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ קָרְבָּן לְהָפִיק רָצוֹן מֵה׳ – הַתַּעֲנִית הוּא בִּמְקוֹם קָרְבָּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּגְּמָרָא ״שֶׁיְּהֵא מִיעוּט חֶלְבִּי וְדָמִי שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵט – כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרַבְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ וְכוּ׳״.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
Today, as we have no offerings to call forth G–d’s pleasure, fasting replaces the offering. The Talmud says, “May my loss of fat and blood be regarded as though I had offered before You….”⁵ 17a.

footnotes:
⁵ Berachot


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:5
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:5)

וְלָכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּכַמָּה תַּנָּאִים וְאַמוֹרָאִים, שֶׁעַל דָּבָר קַל הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּים תַּעֲנִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, שֶׁהָיָה מַתִּיר שֶׁתְּהֵא פָּרָה יוֹצְאָה בִּרְצוּעָה שֶׁבֵּין קַרְנֶיהָ בְּשַׁבָּת, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים, וּפַעַם אַחַת יָצְאָה כֵּן פָּרָתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁכֶנְתּוֹ וְלֹא מִיחָה בָּהּ, וְהוּשְׁחֲרוּ שִׁינָּיו מִפְּנֵי הַצּוֹמוֹת עַל שֶׁלֹּא קִיֵּים דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵירָיו; וְכֵן רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁאָמַר: ״בּוֹשְׁנִי מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם בֵּית שַׁמַּאי״, וְהוּשְׁחֲרוּ שִׁינָּיו מִפְּנֵי הַצּוֹמוֹת; וְרַב הוּנָא, פַּעַם אַחַת נִתְהַפְּכָה לוֹ רְצוּעָה שֶׁל תְּפִילִּין, וְהִתְעַנָּה מ׳ צוֹמוֹת; וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
Therefore there are many cases of Talmudic sages, who for some trivial fault underwent a great many fasts. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah contended that a cow may go out (wearing) its strap between its horns on Shabbat while his colleagues prohibited it. Once a neighbor’s cow went out with its strap and R. Elazar did not hinder her. Because he did not support his colleagues, he fasted so long that his teeth were blackened.⁶ 2:8. Rabbi Joshua once remarked, “I am ashamed of your words, Beit Shammai.”⁷ 22b. His teeth too turned black through fasting. Rav Huna, because his *tefillin* strap once turned over, endured forty fasts.⁸ 25a; R. Huna fasted forty days for slighting a colleague (*Bava Metzia* 33a). There are many such incidents.

footnotes:
⁶ Jerusalem Talmud, Beitzah
⁷ Chagigah
⁸ Moed Kattan


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:6
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:6)

וְעַל יְסוֹד זֶה, לִימֵּד הָאֲרִיזַ״ל לְתַלְמִידָיו עַל פִּי חָכְמַת הָאֱמֶת, מִסְפַּר הַצּוֹמוֹת לְכַמָּה עֲוֹנוֹת וַחֲטָאִים, אַף שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן כָּרֵת וְלֹא מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, כְּמוֹ, עַל הַכַּעַס – קנ״א תַּעֲנִיּוֹת וְכוּ׳; וַאֲפִילוּ עַל אִיסּוּר דְּרַבָּנָן, כְּמוֹ סְתָם יֵינָם – יִתְעַנֶּה ע״ג תַּעֲנִיּוֹת וְכוּ׳; וְכֵן עַל בִּיטּוּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה דְּרַבָּנָן, כְּמוֹ תְּפִלָּה – יִתְעַנֶּה ס״א תַּעֲנִיּוֹת וְכוּ׳.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
With this precedent, the Arizal⁹ taught his disciples, according to Kabbalah principles, the number of fasts for many transgressions, though they entail no excision or death by divine agency. Examples: for anger—151 fasts; even for a Rabbinic prohibition like *stam yainam*¹⁰, sect. 47.—seventy-three fasts; for neglecting a positive Rabbinic enactment like prayer—sixty-one fasts.

footnotes:
⁹ Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, of blessed memory (1534-1572), a Kabbalist with a profound influence on Rabbi Schneur Zalman.
¹⁰ Wine used in idolatrous libations are Biblically prohibited. The Rabbinic prohibition is extended to any “ordinary” non-Jewish wine. See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch


###### Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:7
[Tanya, Part III; Iggeret HaTeshuvah 2:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20III%3B%20Iggeret%20HaTeshuvah/r/2:7)

וְדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל, סוֹד הַתַּעֲנִית הִיא סְגוּלָּה נִפְלָאָה לְהִתְגַּלּוּת רָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כְּמוֹ הַקָּרְבָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ: ״רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ לַה׳״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּישַׁעְיָה: ״הֲלָזֶה תִּקְרָא צוֹם וְיוֹם רָצוֹן לַה׳״, מִכְּלָל, שֶׁהַצּוֹם הַנִּרְצֶה הוּא יוֹם רָצוֹן:

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
In general, the mystery of the fast is remarkably effective for the revelation of the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, similar to the offering, of which it is said, “An aroma pleasing to G–d.”¹¹ In Isaiah¹² we find, “Do you call this a fast and a day desirable to G–d!” Obviously, an acceptable fast is a “desirable day.”

footnotes:
¹¹ Leviticus 1:13.
¹² 58:5.