Chesed and Teshuvah

Based on Ahavas Chesed vol. 2 chapter 3

Why does teshuvah (repentance) work? (What does this have to do with chesed? Wait and see!)

Hashem runs the world in two ways: through strict judgment and through kindness and mercy. When we are judged, our merits are weighed against our misdeeds and we come out with a spiritual credit or debit. But even our merits are deficient: Did we perform the mitzvos carefully, with attention to all the details? Did we have the proper intentions? Under strict judgment, these “incomplete” mitzvos wouldn’t count and one’s misdeeds would invariably outweigh his merits. Even if one did teshuvah, his teshuvah would be scrutinized and found lacking. But under kindness and mercy, these mitzvos count – and even some of our sins are tossed out for extenuating circumstances!

Now don’t we all want God to treat us with kindness and mercy? Of course we do! But as Chazal tell us (Baba Kama 92a), God treats us as we treat others. So, if we want to be treated with chesed, it follows that we must do likewise! As the Gemara in Shabbos (111b) puts it, if a person has compassion for others, God will have compassion for him.

The Zohar (Emor) likewise states that our actions on Earth stimulate the corresponding cosmic forces. Therefore, if a person acts with kindness, he activates the spiritual force of kindness. Conversely, if a person never acts with chesed, always being very exacting about his time and money, he activates the force of strict justice, so that’s how such a person will be treated.

We see from all this how acts of chesed cause our teshuvah to be accepted and our judgments to be favorable. This is another reason why Hashem encourages chesed so strongly throughout the Torah.

Get handy, colorful chesed "cheat sheets" in A Universe of Chesed!