The Letter Tet - The Purifying Power of Repentance

The cyclical power of the letter Tet, and its ability to improve, create the wonderful possibility granted to man to repent and purify from sin by regretting his sin, abandoning it, and confessing before his Creator with his mouth. This repairs what was distorted and returns him to his original pure state, as explained in the laws of repentance. For when one regrets deeply from the heart for what he has done, he returns in thought to the moment of sin and erases the sin with his mind. Since the spiritual soul is not subject to the time dimension of this world, removing the sin with sincere regret today is like uprooting the deed committed in the past. So much so that even if he was a complete evildoer, he will not be punished for what he has done. As it is written, "And the wickedness of the wicked will not make him stumble [he will not be punished for it] on the day he returns from his wickedness," provided he truly regrets and resolves never to return to that sin.

This possibility given to us by the Creator, to erase our sins against Him through repentance, is a wonderful improvement for us. As Rabbeinu Yonah wrote: "Among the good things Hashem did with His creations, for He prepared for them a way to rise from the abyss of their deeds." And as Ramchal explained: "For really, how can man fix what he has corrupted and the sin has already been done?! Behold, one murdered his fellow, one committed adultery, how can this be fixed?" Thus, the possibility of repentance is included in the power of return in the letter Tet, and it is the improvement in its name and inner essence.

The Purifying Power of Repentance

Rambam wrote in the laws of repentance:

"In the time when the Temple does not exist, and we have no altar for atonement, there is nothing except repentance. Repentance atones for all sins: even if one was wicked all his days, and did repentance in his last moment - his wickedness is not mentioned, as it is said, 'And the wickedness of the wicked will not make him stumble, on the day he returns from his wickedness.'"

He further wrote: "A penitent should not think that he is distanced from the level of the righteous because of the sins he committed. It is not so; rather, he is beloved and cherished before the Creator, as if he never sinned. Not only this, but his reward is great, for he has tasted sin and separated himself and conquered his inclination. The sages said, the place where penitents stand, complete righteous ones cannot stand: meaning their level is higher than those who never sinned, because they conquered their desires more than them...

All prophets commanded repentance; and Israel is not redeemed except through repentance. The Torah promised that Israel will eventually repent at the end of their exile, and immediately they will be redeemed, as it is said, 'And it shall be, when all these words come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you; and you return to your heart... and you return to Hashem your God... and Hashem your God will return your captivity...'

Great is repentance, for it brings man closer to the Divine Presence, as it is said, 'Return, O Israel, to Hashem your God' and it is said, 'Return to Me, says Hashem' and it is said, 'If you return, Israel, says Hashem, to Me you will return,' meaning, if you return in repentance, you will cling to Me.

Repentance brings the distant near: yesterday this was hated, abhorred, distanced, and loathed; and today it is loved, cherished, close, and friendly."

In light of this, it is understood from the midrash that when Adam the first man wondered about the relatively light punishment his son Cain received after killing Abel, and heard from Cain that his punishment was lightened because he repented, he greatly regretted not knowing about the power of repentance and not repenting immediately when he was decreed to be exiled from Eden: "He began to slap his face and said: Is this the power of repentance, and I did not know?! Immediately he stood and said: 'A psalm, a song... Good to give thanks [from the expression of admitting guilt] to Hashem'. Not for nothing, when speaking of repentance, he used the word "good," rooted in the letter Tet. A letter whose meaning is: cyclic return to the source, and improvement.

Therefore, the letters Chet and Tet appear both in the word 'sin' (חטא) and in the word 'regret' (חרטה). In the word 'sin,' the letter Tet (which also expresses the evil inclination as explained below) is adjacent to the letter Chet (Chet from the root meaning sin). However, in the word 'regret,' rooted in Chet. Resh. Tet., when a person overcomes his inclination, he is called a hero, leader, and ruler. As the Mishnah states, "Who is a hero? One who conquers his inclination." It turns out that the head (Resh) acts as a separator between the Chet and the Tet, resulting in the root 'regret' (חרט) at the base of repentance. Then the letter Chet turns to its positive side, expressing cleansing and purification, while the letter Tet turns to express purity and improvement. The result: the language of 'engraving,' like a person who etches and inscribes on a tablet and removes the previous mark and stain.

The Ramak (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero) wrote in "Pardes Rimonim": Tet from the expression 'sweep' (טאט). Because alongside giving good to the righteous in the letter Tet, there is hidden giving punishment to the wicked. As it is written, 'And I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says Hashem of Hosts'. This principle of cyclicity that the Creator embedded in the letter Tet ultimately returns good to the good and evil to the evildoers.

Its Numerical Value

The number of the letter Tet is nine. It is the highest number in the single digits, after which returns to the starting point, considering "For dust you are, and to dust, you shall return." Since the letter Tet expresses the end of man's actions, and the conduct of patience that Hashem allows him when he sins not to punish him immediately, to give him the opportunity to repent. It may seem at that time as if the sinner gains. But truly, the cyclic letter (Tet) at the top of the number scale (nine) ultimately works to return to the starting point, and the evil deed done does not disappear (as with the conservation law of the letter Tet) but returns to punish and cleanse him from the sin. Unless he has repented, then the transgression changes and sins turn into merits through the grace of Hashem to His children. Similarly, with the righteous, even if initially the good owed to them is not apparent, ultimately the good they did returns and comes to them as deserving. As it says:

"A man who is brutish does not know, and a fool does not understand this: when the wicked spring up like grass, and all the workers of wickedness flourish? It is that they may be destroyed forever! [The grass grows quickly, but withers fast without water].

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; they will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of Hashem, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, fat and fresh they will be."

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