What
Is
Preparation
for
the
Selichot
[Forgiveness]
Article
No.
36,
1986
It
is
known
that
for
anything
we
want,
we
must
prepare
the
means
to
obtain
it.
Accordingly,
what
must
one
prepare
in
order
to
receive
Selichot
[forgiveness]?
In
corporeality
we
see
that
one
does
not
say
to
another,
“Sorry,”
unless
he
has
done
something
that
harmed
the
other
person
in
terms
of
money,
honor,
or
bodily
harm,
by
causing
him
some
injury.
In
that
case
it
can
be
said
that
one
should
ask
for
the
other’s
forgiveness,
to
forgive
the
wrong
that
he
has
done
to
him.
There
are
two
things
to
discern
here:
1)
If
he
did
not
do
anything
to
him,
but
he
is
asking
him
for
forgiveness,
the
other
person
will
look
at
him
as
though
he
is
insane.
If
we
saw
someone
walking
on
the
street
saying
to
everyone,
“Sorry,
sorry,”
we
would
certainly
think
that
he
is
mad.
Forgiveness
pertains
only
to
some
felony.
2)
If
a
person
causes
a
great
loss
to
another
person
and
apologizes
as
though
he
did
something
small,
he
will
certainly
not
receive
what
he
has
asked
for,
since
he
has
done
a
great
offense,
but
he
apologizes
as
though
he
did
something
small.
It
is
inconceivable
that
he
will
forgive
him.
Rather,
one
measures
the
severity
of
the
damage
that
he
has
done
to
his
friend,
and
to
that
extent
chooses
the
means
that
will
make
his
friend
forgive
him.
We
see
in
corporeal
conducts
how
people
behave
concerning
forgiveness
among
people,
and
from
the
conduct
between
man
and
man
we
should
apply
the
same
order
between
man
and
God.
That
is,
when
one
comes
to
ask
the
Creator
for
forgiveness,
to
forgive
his
sins,
the
two
above
discernments
apply,
as
well:
1)
that
you
do
not
apologize
for
anything,
but
only
for
hurting
another,
or
you
will
be
perceived
as
insane,
or
that
you
are
mocking
the
other
by
asking
his
forgiveness.
2)
The
request
for
forgiveness
should
match
the
measure
of
harm
to
the
other.
Therefore,
when
one
comes
to
ask
the
Creator
to
forgive
his
sin
against
Him,
that
he
blemished
His
honor,
one
must
think
about
his
sin
against
the
Creator.
This
is
so
because
if
a
person
does
not
feel
any
sin
yet
asks
for
forgiveness,
it
is
as
though
he
is
joking.
He
is
yelling
and
crying
and
asking
the
Creator’s
forgiveness
when
he
does
not
feel
that
he
has
damaged
the
King’s
glory
whatsoever.
The
reason
why
a
person
does
not
feel
his
sins
is
as
our
sages
said
(Yoma,
86),
“If
a
person
commits
a
transgression
and
repeats
it,
it
becomes
to
him
as
permitted.”
This
is
the
reason
why
a
person
does
not
feel
his
sins
when
he
comes
to
ask
the
Creator
for
forgiveness.
It
follows,
according
to
the
second
discernment,
meaning
discerning
the
measure
of
the
sin,
that
first
one
must
acknowledge
the
measure
of
the
flaw
that
he
has
flawed
in
the
glory
of
the
King.
Otherwise
you
cannot
speak
of
forgiveness.
Thus,
one
should
try
as
much
as
possible
to
be
able
to
ask
that
He
will
forgive
his
sins
according
to
his
sins,
meaning
that
they
will
be
of
equal
weight.
Our
sages
also
said
(Sukkah,
52),
that
to
the
wicked,
the
sins
seem
like
a
hairsbreadth,
and
to
the
righteous
they
seem
like
a
high
mountain.
The
question
is,
what
does
this
“seem”
mean?
That
is,
they
said,
“Seem
to
them,”
but
what
is
the
truth?
The
thing
is
that
when
one
does
not
notice
before
whom
he
sins
and
does
not
feel
the
importance
and
greatness
of
the
Creator,
he
is
faithless.
At
that
time,
when
he
begins
to
think,
“But
I’m
a
Jew,
as
well,”
and
since
now
is
the
month
of
Elul,
and
it
is
customary
in
Israel
throughout
the
generations
that
since
it
is
a
month
of
mercy,
and
anyone
who
is
regarded
as
“Israel”
knows
that
now
is
the
time
to
ask
the
Creator
for
forgiveness
for
the
sins
of
the
house
of
Israel.
Also,
we
blow
the
Shofar
[festive
horn]
so
man’s
heart
will
begin
to
contemplate
repentance
for
sins.
At
that
time
one
believes
that
he,
too,
must
have
sinned
and
must
ask
the
Creator
for
forgiveness.
However,
what
is
the
measure
of
the
flaw
that
he
has
blemished
in
the
King?
A
person
cannot
feel
this
feeling.
Rather,
to
the
extent
of
one’s
faith
in
the
greatness
of
the
Creator
he
can
assume
the
measure
of
the
flaw
that
he
has
caused
by
his
sins.
Therefore,
all
those
who
come
to
ask
for
forgiveness
without
any
preparation
as
to
what
they
are
forgiven
for
are
as
one
who
is
asking
forgiveness
of
someone
although
he
did
terrible
things
to
him,
which
require
true
remorse
for
his
actions,
yet
he
is
asking
forgiveness
as
though
he
did
something
insignificant.
Naturally,
the
request
for
forgiveness
is
also
without
real
value
as
it
should
be
for
a
real
sin.
It
follows
that
before
one
comes
to
ask
forgiveness,
he
must
first
reflect
on
the
core
of
the
sin.
Afterward
he
can
consider
the
sins
that
were
caused
by
the
core
of
the
sin.
One
should
know
that
the
core
of
the
sin
with
which
one
blemishes,
and
from
which
all
the
sins
extend,
is
that
one
is
not
trying
to
have
permanent
faith.
If
he
has
partial
faith,
he
settles
for
it.
It
is
as
it
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
to
the
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot”
(item
14),
that
if
he
had
permanent
faith,
that
faith
would
not
let
him
sin.
That
is,
he
asks
forgiveness
from
the
Creator
since
he
sees
that
the
real
reason
for
all
the
sins
is
that
he
lacks
permanent
faith.
Therefore,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
that
strength,
meaning
to
have
the
ability
to
always
have
faith
steadfast
in
his
heart.
Naturally,
he
will
not
come
and
commit
sins
and
blemish
the
glory
of
the
Creator
because
he
has
no
feeling
of
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
and
because
he
does
not
know
how
to
appreciate
the
glory
of
heaven,
and
how
not
to
harm
it.
Therefore,
he
asks
forgiveness
from
the
Creator,
to
help
him
and
give
him
the
strength
to
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
above
reason,
meaning
to
have
the
power
to
overcome
and
strengthen
in
faith
in
the
Creator,
and
to
know
how
to
behave
between
man
and
God,
with
some
reverence.
This
means
that
when
one
reflects,
he
will
see
that
he
needs
only
one
thing—to
reflect
on
the
difference
between
Jew
and
gentile,
for
which
we
bless
each
day,
“Blessed
are
You,
O
Lord,
for
not
making
me
a
gentile.”
But
one
does
not
pay
much
attention
to
what
he
says,
“For
not
making
me
a
gentile.”
That
is,
he
does
not
consider
himself:
in
what
way
he
is
Israel
and
not
a
gentile.
We
must
know
that
the
main
distinction
is
in
the
faith—Israel
believes
in
the
Creator
and
a
gentile
has
no
faith
in
the
Creator.
Once
he
knows
that
difference
he
must
check
his
measure
of
faith
in
the
Creator,
meaning
as
it
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
to
the
Study
of
Ten
Sefirot”
(item
14),
how
much
he
is
willing
to
make
concessions
for
his
faith
in
the
Creator.
Then
he
will
be
able
to
see
the
truth,
meaning
if
he
is
willing
to
do
things
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
or
is
he
willing
to
work
for
the
Creator
only
to
a
small
extent,
meaning
that,
God
forbid,
he
should
blemish
self-love,
or
else
he
will
not
be
able
to
do
anything.
It
therefore
follows
that
then
is
the
time
when
he
can
see
the
truth:
his
true
measure
of
faith
in
the
Creator.
From
this
he
can
see
that
all
the
sins
stem
only
from
this
reason.
By
receiving
preparation
and
qualification
when
he
comes
to
ask
the
Creator
to
forgive
his
sins
he
can
assume
the
true
measure
of
the
flaw,
meaning
in
what
way
he
has
blemished
the
glory
of
the
King
and
he
will
know
what
to
ask
of
the
Creator,
meaning
what
sins
he
has
sinned
and
which
he
must
correct
so
as
not
to
sin
again.
Now
we
can
understand
what
is
written
in
the
portion,
Nitzavim
[Standing]
(Deuteronomy,
30:11):
“For
this
commandment,
which
I
command
you
today,
is
not
beyond
you,
nor
is
it
far.
It
is
not
in
heaven,
and
not
beyond
the
sea,
for
the
matter
is
very
near
you—in
your
mouth
and
in
your
heart
to
do
it.”
The
words,
“For
this
commandment,”
to
which
commandment
is
he
referring?
We
should
also
understand
the
meaning
of
“It
is
not
beyond
you.”
The
thing
is
that
the
core
of
the
Mitzva
[commandment]
is
the
Mitzva
of
faith,
meaning
to
believe
in
the
Creator.
Afterwards
we
can
keep
His
Mitzvot
[plural
of
Mitzva].
All
the
slanderers
and
all
the
obstructions
come
to
the
Mitzva
of
faith.
The
body
begins
to
ask
many
questions—both
questions
that
the
body
itself
is
asking,
and
questions
about
faith
that
the
body
hears
other
people.
They
come
to
a
person
when
he
wants
to
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
“as
an
ox
to
the
burden
and
as
a
donkey
to
the
load,”
meaning
everything
above
reason.
Suddenly,
the
body
becomes
smart
and
begins
to
investigate
and
ask
“Who”
and
“What”?
Under
no
circumstances
does
it
let
us
take
upon
ourselves
the
Mitzva
of
faith.
The
body’s
questions
are
so
strong
that
one
cannot
answer
its
questions.
Then
a
person
becomes
bewildered
and
does
not
have
the
strength
to
overcome
its
just
arguments,
according
to
the
reason
by
which
it
is
asking.
The
body’s
questions
are
a
true
wonder.
The
writing
tells
us
about
this:
“For
this
commandment,”
meaning
the
commandment
of
faith,
“is
not
beyond
you.”
That
is,
you
do
not
need
to
answer
the
body’s
questions,
which
it
asks
within
reason,
since
the
Mitzva
of
faith
is
built
specifically
above
the
intellect.
That
is,
the
external
mind,
which
was
given
to
man,
cannot
attain
it.
This
is
why
you
do
not
need
to
answer
its
bewildering
questions.
Instead,
one
must
believe
that
all
the
questions
that
the
body
asks
do
not
come
in
order
for
you
to
answer
them.
It
is
to
the
contrary:
These
questions
come
to
a
person
so
as
to
give
him
a
place
to
believe
above
reason.
Otherwise,
if
the
body
understood
with
its
intellect
that
a
person
wants
to
work
for
the
Creator,
it
would
be
within
reason.
This
would
be
called
“knowing,”
not
“believing,”
for
precisely
where
one’s
mind
does
not
grasp,
there,
if
he
does
something,
it
is
purely
on
the
basis
of
faith.
It
therefore
follows
that
one
does
not
need
to
be
very
talented
in
order
to
be
able
to
answer
the
body’s
questions,
since
all
the
answers
are
“Above
reason,”
called
“faith.”
This
is
regarded
as
“It
is
not
in
heaven,
and
not
beyond
the
sea,”
requiring
great
tactics.
Rather,
it
is
utterly
simple,
and
it
is
called
“It
is
in
your
mouth
and
in
your
heart
to
do
it,”
meaning
if
there
is
only
a
desire
in
the
heart
then
we
can
overcome.
But
the
matter
of
“above
reason”
requires
clarification,
since
there
are
many
discernments
to
make
there.
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
above
reason
means
that
one
should
depict
for
oneself
how
he
would
keep
Torah
and
Mitzvot
if
his
reason
determined
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
That
is,
if
he
felt
the
taste
that
is
in
each
and
every
Mitzva.
One
must
believe
that
as
there
are
corporeal
pleasures,
such
as
pleasures
of
eating,
drinking,
and
respect,
where
each
thing
tastes
differently,
we
must
also
believe
that
there
is
a
special
taste
in
each
Mitzva.
Accordingly,
if
he
tasted
the
change
of
flavors
during
his
engagement
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
what
excitement
and
vitality
he
would
feel
during
his
work?
Reason
would
compel
him
to
create
for
himself
an
image
in
the
work
that
is
suitable
for
a
servant
of
the
Creator.
He
would
look
at
all
the
things
that
want
to
disrupt
him
from
his
work
as
inconsequential,
unworthy
of
his
attention.
According
to
the
above-mentioned
depiction,
which
he
depicts
to
himself
within
reason,
he
should
make
the
same
depiction
above
reason.
That
is,
although
he
does
not
feel
that
there
will
be
something
that
reason
supports,
he
still
works
precisely
as
if
he
has
strong
reason
and
feeling.
When
he
does
this,
it
is
regarded
as
working
above
reason.
However,
as
long
as
he
feels
that
if
he
had
reason
he
would
be
serving
the
Creator
more
willingly
and
more
consistently,
then
he
is
still
working
within
reason,
since
there
is
still
a
difference
between
reason
and
above
reason.
Precisely
when
it
makes
no
difference
to
him,
it
is
regarded
as
“above
reason.”