Daily Tanya Wednesday 27th Tamuz Igeres Hateshuvah Chapter 10 Part 2: The Stages of Divine Connection and Teshuvah

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1.      Preparation for Prayer: Lower Teshuvah

  • Before engaging in prayer, one should begin with “lower Teshuvah” (repentance), which involves humility and self-reflection. This aligns with the teaching that prayer should be approached “with a heavy head,” signifying submission and readiness to receive Divine mercy.

2.      Joy in Prayer: The Role of Happiness

  • Although humility is essential, the sages also emphasize the importance of approaching prayer with joy. Balancing these two attitudes can be challenging, especially in our generation.

3.      Practical Guidance for Repentance

  • For those unable to achieve both humility and joy simultaneously, it is advised to practice lower Teshuvah during the nightly “Tikkun Chatzot” (midnight prayers) or, at minimum, once a week before Shabbat.

4.      Shabbos: Higher Teshuvah and Spiritual Elevation

  • Shabbos represents the state of “higher Teshuvah,” where spiritual worlds ascend to their source. The Shabbos prayers, in particular, embody this elevated connection.

5.      Scriptural Foundation

  • The verse “Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” reflects the dual stages of repentance—first removing spiritual barriers through lower Teshuvah and then achieving closeness to the Divine through higher Teshuvah.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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