On Repentance

The subject of repentance, or teshuvah, captivated Rabbi Soloveitchik’s imagination, and it is easy to understand why. As a transformation of the personality in response to the Divine Will, teshuvah uncovers the depths of human nature and of man’s relationship with God. In addressing repentance, Rabbi Soloveitchik confronted questions such as: Can a person change? Is one’s personality static or dynamic? What is the relationship between reason and emotion, between sin and suffering, between guilt and growth, past and future, free will and causality? How is one to approach God – with love or fear, as an individual or as part of a community, appealing to grace or justice, with a sense of self-nullification or self-worth? Given the issues raised, it is no wonder that some of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s most religiously powerful and psychologically penetrating insights appear in his discussions of repentance. This classic volume speaks to the sensitive and searching soul not just during the days of penitence but throughout the entire year. With a foreword by Dr. Itzhak D. Goldberg and an afterword by Rabbi Reuven Ziegler.