Teshuvah

The HaYom Yom of 3 Tishrei:

The Tzemach Tzedek had yechidus with the Alter Rebbe on Monday of Teitzei, 6 Elul 5564 (1804); the Rebbe told him: "On Shabbat Tavo 5528 (1768), my Rebbe (the Maggid of Mezritch) said a "Torah" beginning V'shavta ad Havayeh Elokecha He explained that the avoda of teshuva must attain a level at which Havayeh, transcendent Divinity beyond worlds, becomes Elokecha - Elokim being numerically equivalent to hateva (nature), and as we find, "in the beginning Elokim created the heavens and the earth etc." All the Holy Society (disciples of the Maggid) were profoundly stirred by this teaching. The tzadik R. Meshulam Zusya of Anipoli said that he could not attain the heights of such a teshuva; he would therefore break down teshuva to its components, for each letter of the word teshuva is the initial of a verse:

T: Tamim - "Be sincere with the Eternal your G-d."

Sh: Shiviti - "I have set G-d before me always."

U: V'ahavta - "Love your fellow as yourself."

V: B'chol - "In all your ways, know Him."

H: Hatznei'a - "Walk discreetly with your G-d."

When my father told me this, he concluded: "The word teshuva comprises five (Hebrew) letters, each letter a path and a method in the avoda of teshuva." (He explained each method at length). Each moves from a potential state to actuality through the avoda of davening.

1. Isn't it interesting that a Rebbe says something to his Chassidim, they are very inspired and one of them says this is beyond me!? Your Rebbe just told you something and you say it's not for you?

What's even more interesting is that what R' Zushe says is what is then elaborated on! Not only do we accept his comment but we even study it and the original statement of the Maggid is almost like a side to the main idea!

And even more then that; the Alter Rebbe has an entire maamer in Lku"t explaining the concept of "the avoda of teshuva must attain a level at which Havayeh, transcendent Divinity beyond worlds, becomes Elokecha"! And that was said to his Chassidim and Chassidim afterwards till us! If R' Zushe couldn't handle it then why should we?!

2. What is the connection between the statement of the Maggid and the way R' Zushe breaks down the Avoda of Teshuvah. It seems the he was inspired by the Maggid's Torah that brought him to realize the 5 ways of Teshuvah. 

3. Something this HaYom Yom seems to be saying: 

Teshuvah always seemed to be a 'fix it'. You make a mistake then you got to fix it and that's Teshuvah. That's what you learn as a kid and that basically is what Teshuvah is.

Chassidus of course adds that Teshuvah can be done even without making a mistake because even the greatest Tzaddik is so distant from Hashem that he must return-Teshuvah. Yet it's still only about fixing a problem and very one dimensional.

This Hayom Yom gives a whole new life to Teshuvah. It's multifaceted, it has different paths, Teshuvah is a whole way of life unto it's own! And of course it's not depressing! It has so much to it!

Preparing for Yom Kippur maybe the message is stop doing Teshuvah! At least the way you've always understood it. The time is too holy, too awesome. Hashem's too close to be spending so much effort trying to depress yourself. Get up and join the race to the highest point of the year. The Achas Bashanah! Take any of the five tracks and get moving. You don't want to let this opportunity slip by!