Musar su Salmi 24:3

We find in the Torah that when a man commits a sin whose intentional transgression requires a sin-offering, that the blood of the sin-offering is sprinkled on the outer alter and that if the anointed priest committed the sin, its sprinkling must be on the inner alter and the holy parocheth [(the curtain separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies)]. The reason is as follows: For every sin that a man commits, the "blemish" rises on high in the holy world according to the greatness of his soul. And it is known (see Ta'anith 5a) that everything we see in this world has its counterpart above. There is a Jerusalem below and there is a Jerusalem above. There is a mountain of the L-rd, the Temple Mount, below and a "mountain of the L-rd" above. There is a place called the "camp of the Shechinah," the court of the tent of meeting, below, and also, above, concerning which Scripture says (Psalms 29:3): "And who will stand in His holy place?" When a man sins, he brings uncleanliness above into the holy place, the court of the tent of meeting above. Therefore, here he must sprinkle on the outer altar, whereby the uncleanliness above is removed. But the blemish of the anointed priest, whose level of holiness is extremely great, reaches the highest place, the tent of meeting above, wherefore, here, too, he must sprinkle on the tent of meeting.

This is what David himself said later in his words: "Reward me, O G-d, according to my righteousness, according to the purity of my hands repay me" (ibid 18:21) and "the L-rd has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the purity of my hands before His eyes" (ibid 18:25). This refers to this purity and cleanliness which we have mentioned. He then further said: "For by You I run upon a troop... I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them" (Tehilim 18:30). And he himself further stated: "Who will ascend upon the mountain of G-d, who will stand in His Holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart." (Tehilim 24:3).

Know that with regard to the repentance which a man does, let him not think that the moment he repents and takes upon himself the obligation that he will not return to his sin, his sin will be forgiven; but only after a length of time in serving God will his repentance be accepted. For the heart is not humbled in one day or two, but in many days. Just as in the case of a king’s son who sins against the king. Even though the king has pity upon him, and intends to do good to him, he will not show him a pleasant countenance except after a long period of affliction and crying out and weeping, just as King David, of blessed memory, did in the case of Absalom. Even though he consented to restore him to Jerusalem, Absalom stood waiting for two years and did not see the face of the king until his heart was completely subdued. Such is the way of the penitent, to plead for many days and to cry out, and then his repentance will be accepted, as it is said, (Psalms 22:3), “O my God, I call by day but Thou answereth not; and at night there is no surcease for me.” And as Habakkuk, the prophet, lamented (1:2), “How long, O Lord, shall I cry and Thou wilt not hear?” Now the prophets are not answered except after much affliction, imploring, crying out, and petitioning, all the more so a man who sins and acts wickedly even in the midst of his affliction. Now, the cause of this is the need to purify the heart, for even though the heart may have a sincere intention, it is necessary to subdue it for many days by intense service to God, by self-affliction, by fasting, and by weeping; then the uncircumcised heart will be humbled. When it is humbled, it will be clean and when it is clean, then the Creator will accept it, as it is said (Job, 13:16), “That a hypocrite cannot come before Him.” And as it is said, (Psalms 24:3), “Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord and who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.”