Musar zu Jeschijahu 22:14

The seventeenth principle is to seek [to do] actions of kindness and truth, as it is stated (Proverbs 16:6), "Iniquity is atoned by kindness and truth; and evil is shunned through fear of the Lord." And now reflect upon the secret of this verse. For surely if the sinner has not repented to God, his sin will not be atoned by doing kindness - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:17), "who shows no favor and takes no bribe." And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, explained (Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 947) that [this means] that He will not take the bribe of [the fulfillment of] a commandment, to forgive and pass over iniquities. And they also said (Bava Kamma 50a), "Anyone who states that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is forgoing will have his life foregone." Rather He is slow to anger. But if they do not obey, he measures [the punishment] of their actions into their laps. Rather [regarding] that which King Solomon, peace be upon him, said, "Iniquity is atoned by kindness and truth" - he was speaking about a penitent. For there are sins that repentance and Yom Kippur suspend, but afflictions absolve, as will be explained in the fourth chapter. But behold that kindness protects the sinner from afflictions, since it also surely saves him from death, as it is written, (Proverbs 10:2) "but righteousness (tsedekah, which can also mean, charity) saves from death." However there is yet an iniquity - and that is the iniquity of the desecration of [God's] name - which repentance and afflictions suspend but death absolves, as it is stated, (Isaiah 22:14), "This iniquity shall never be forgiven you until you die." But behold when a person makes efforts to support the truth, follow it through, be aroused by its words, present its light in the eyes of people, strengthen the hands of the men of truth and uplift their heads and to denigrate the circles of falsehood and bring them to the dirt - behold, these are the ways of sanctification of [God's] name, of majesty and beauty to His faith and worship in the world and of strength and splendor to the holiness of his Torah. Therefore in the increase of his actions to sanctify God, to arouse the truth and to set it up and assist it, he is forgiven the iniquity of the desecration with his repentance - with his placement of the truth across from the sin of the desecration, the measure of his repentance corresponding to the measure of his sin. This is the explanation of, "Iniquity is atoned by kindness and truth."

Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 86a), “Rabbi Matya ben Charash asked Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah in Rome, ‘Have you heard the four distinctions of atonement that Rabbi Yishmael would expound?’ He said to him, ‘They are three, and repentance is [necessary] with each and every one: [If] one violates a positive commandment and repents, he is forgiven even before he moves, as it is stated (Jeremiah 3:22), “Return, you backsliding children [I will heal your backsliding].” [If] one violates a negative commandment and repents, repentance suspends [his punishment] and Yom Kippur atones, as it is stated (Leviticus 16:30), “For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to purify you of all your sins; [you shall be pure before the Lord].” [If] one transgresses [a sin that warrants] excision or a death penalty from the court and then repents, repentance and Yom Kippur suspend [his punishment], and afflictions absolve, as it is stated (Psalms 89:33), “Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with plagues.” But [regarding] one who has [the iniquity of the] profanation of [God’s] name in his hands - his repentance has no power to suspend, nor does Yom Kippur have power to atone, nor do afflictions have the power to absolve. Rather, all these [together] suspend [punishment], and death absolves - as it is stated (Isaiah 22:14), “this iniquity shall not be atoned for until you die.”’” And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 36a; Sifra, Vayikra) [that] a burnt-offering atones - after the repentance - for one who transgressed a positive commandment. For while his iniquity was atoned by the repentance [alone], the burnt-offering adds to his atonement and adds to his being accepted by God, may He be blessed.

The seventeenth principle of repentance is to pursue deeds of kindness and truth, as it is said, "By mercy and truth iniquity is expiated" (Prov. 16:6). But if the sinner does not return to the Lord, Blessed be He, then his sin will not be atoned for by kindly deeds alone, as it is said, "Who regardeth not persons, nor taketh rewards" (Deut. 10:17). And the Sages interpreted this to mean that God will not take the bribe of a good deed in order to forgive the wrongs (see Yalkut Shimoni on Proverbs, item 947). And this verse, "In mercy and truth, iniquity is expiated," applies to those who are truly repentant. For there are transgressions which repentance and the Day of Atonement hold in suspense and which are cleansed by affliction. And behold in such a case the kindness of the sinner will protect him and guard him from troubles and will also save him from death. As it is said, "But righteousness delivereth from death" (Prov. 10:2). And then there is the sin of profaning the Name of God, and in this, repentance and the Day of Atonement and even affliction hold everything in suspense, and only death cleanses a person, as it is said, "Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die" (Is. 22:14). And when a man tries to hold the truth in his hand and strengthens the hands of men of truth and lifts their heads and degrades the men of falsehood and causes them to reach the dust — these are ways of sanctifying the Name of God. And if a man is aroused to possess the quality of truth, then his sin of profanation will be forgiven him at the time of repentance.