3.05.2013

Become An Expert in Running and Returning

When a person wants to travel in the paths of Teshuva, he needs two expertise. He must be an expert in 'running' and 'returning', meaning in the elements of advancing and receding, which are the concepts mentioned in the verse "If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." Meaning, it is not possible for a person to do Teshuva unless he is firm and strong in his mind, that he will constantly serve Hashem regardless if he is holding on a high level, relative to his stature where he is in a state 'advancing', in line with the concept of 'If I ascend up into heaven, You are there' or whether he falls from his level and is now holding on an extremely low small level, in the pits of hell, Heaven forbid. Despite this he must not let himself despair and instead should strengthen himself and grasp on to whatever service of Hashem he can at that point, in line with the concept of 'if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there'. Even in in the lower realms of Hell, Heaven forbid, even there Hashem exists and is willing to hold a person's hand, allowing him to come close to Him, even from there. When a person has these two expertise, then he goes in the paths of Teshuva and merits the Glory of Hashem and then Hashem's right hands is stretched to accept his repentance.

(Kitzur Likutay Moharan Hayashon Torah 6 Clause 6)

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