Musar su Salmi 25:8

In explanation of repentance and its principles
Among the good things which God, may He be blessed, has bestowed upon His creations is the path which He prepared for them to ascend from the baseness of their actions, to escape the trap of their inequities, to hold their souls back from destruction and to remove His anger from upon them. Because of His goodness and uprightness, He has taught them and warned them to return to Him when they sin against Him - for He understands their nature, as it is stated (Psalms 25:8), "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He shows sinners the way." [Even] if they greatly sin and rebel and act like treacherous betrayers - He does not close the doors of repentance to them, as it is stated (Isaiah 31:6), "Return, to Him to whom they have been so shamefully false." It is [also] stated (Jeremiah 3:22), "Turn back, O rebellious children, I will heal your afflictions." We are warned about repentance in several places in the Torah. It is explained that repentance is accepted even when the sinner repents because of his many troubles - how much more so [will it be accepted] if he returns because of fear or love of God - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:30), "When you are in distress because all these things have befallen you and, in the end, return to the Lord your God and obey Him." It is explained in the Torah that God will help those who repent beyond what their natural ability would allow; and that He renews a pure spirit within them, to reach great heights in His love - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:2), "And you return to the Lord your God, and you and your children heed His command with all your heart and soul, just as I enjoin upon you this day." Further, it is stated about the body of the matter (Deuteronomy 30:6), "Then the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your offspring," to acquire love for Him. And the Prophets and Writings constantly speak on the subject of repentance, such that the principles of repentance are all explained in their words, as will be explained.

And our Sages, of blessed memory, said that repentance is not denied to the sinner unless his heart remains evil. But as for him who wants to draw nearer to God, God does not close the gates of repentance before him, but he opens the gates of repentance for him and teaches him the righteous path, as it is said, "Good and upright is the Lord, therefore doth He instruct sinners in the way" (Ps. 25:8). And further, "But from thence ye will seek the Lord thy God; and thou shalt find Him, if thou search after Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deut. 4:29). And further, "But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it" (Deut. 30:14). And further, "The Lord is nigh unto all those that call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth" (Ps. 145:18).

The camp, i.e. flag of Reuben, represents the letter ה in the name of G–d. The Talmud in Menachot 29b, asks why this terrestrial world was created with the letter ה, and answers that this is because the world is like a porch. If someone wants to depart, he may depart. The meaning is, of course, the open space on the left leg of the letter ה. The Talmud goes on to query this very phenomenon, and concludes that it is a signal to the repentant sinner that he will be welcomed back into the fold if he decides to return after he had "left." To the question that the letter has an opening underneath which the repentant sinner could use to return to the fold if he wants to, the Talmud says that sinners need additional encouragement to return to the fold. Therefore this letter has two openings. The direction South which faced the camp of Reuben, is guarded by the angel מיכאל whose position is traditionally on the right. [We have to conceive of "South" as being to the right of "East", not like in our maps which show "North" on top. Ed.] South is reminiscent of the institution of repentance, since it is an extension of the attribute of חסד presided over by the angel מיכאל. The Jerusalem Talmud Makkot 2,6, which describes the attitude to sinners by such attributes as "wisdom," "prophecy," etc. demonstrates that only G–d Himself suggests that a sinner do תשובה, and thus rehabilitate himself. Our sages say that the "right side" of G–d is always prepared to accept repentant sinners (Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer 33). G–d reportedly said to Reuben that until his time no one ever initiated repentance. As a reward G–d promised that a descendant of Reuben, i.e. the prophet Hoseah, would do so likewise when the occasion would arise. This is why we find Hoseah calling to the Jewish people: "שובה ישראל עד ה' אלוקיך." (Hoseah 14,2).