By the Grace of G-dIn the Days of Selichoth, 5720200th Anniversary of theHistalkus of the Baal Shem Tov ז"לBrooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

The Days of Selichoth at the conclusion of the outgoing year, and the Ten Days of Repentance at the beginning of the incoming year, emphasize the centrality of Teshuvah (Repentance) in Jewish life. It is in the spirit of Teshuvah that the old year is ushered out and the new year ushered in.

Teshuvah, as is well known, comprises two integral parts:¹ Sincere contrition in regard to the negative aspects of the past, and resolute determination in regard to the future.

The aim of Teshuvah, however, is, as the term indicates, a return to the former untarnished state. It enables the repenter to rehabilitate himself and be restored into G-d's favor, so that he "again becomes acceptable to G-d; ingratiated and beloved to Him as before the sin" (Tanya, Iggeret Ha-Teshuvah, chapter 2).²

This means, first of all, that the repentance must be carried out so thoroughly and sincerely as to make it possible for the repenter to shape the future without blemish, not only in deed, but also in word and thought.

Secondly - and herein lies the wonder of Teshuvah – that Teshuvah erases also all blemishes of the past. In other words, Teshuvah has the power of retroactivity. For although the past is no longer under a man’s prerogative, nevertheless, G-d – Who is beyond any category of time and therefore transcends the categories of time and limitation – has endowed Teshuvah with a special and wonderful quality, by means of which man can regain mastery over his past. Moreover, by means of this special power of Teshuvah, man is able not only to render the past neutral and ineffective, but he can even reverse it and turn it into something positive, as our Sages of blessed memory expressed it: "Willful wrongs become, in his case, as though they were merits" (Yoma 86b).

* * *

This power of Teshuvah, whereby man is enabled to regain control over the past, is possible because, on the one hand, it is derived from a source which transcends the category of time, as mentioned above;

And, on the other hand, it is drawn upon fully and implemented in a way that it permeates the whole being of the repenter, reaching to the very core of his Divine soul, which likewise transcends time and change, and always "remains loyal to G-dliness,"³ because it is "verily a part of G-dliness above."⁴

– It is on the basis of this everlasting relationship between the Jew and his Maker that the Old Rebbe, author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch, declared: "A Jew is neither willing nor capable of being sundered from G-d."⁵

– Likewise is G-d‘s love, as it is written: "I love you, says G-d" (Malachi 1:2) – and nothing can change it (Vayyikra R. beg. of ch. 7).

* * *

And just as Teshuvah embraces and permeates every aspect of the repenter's being, from the innermost core of his soul down to his every-day conduct and experience, so – measure for measure – does the blessing which it brings embrace him both spiritually – to the sublime heights of being "united with the Shechinah, beloved and precious, close and endeared" (Rambam, Hil. Teshuvah 7: 6-7),⁶ and materially – to be inscribed for a happy and sweet year, blessed with ”children, health and sustenance," down to all his needs in his daily life.

With the blessing of

Kesivo vachasimo toivo

L'Shono toivo umsuko

Materially and spiritually,

Signed: / Menachem Schneerson/