עקירת הרצון כעקירת המעשהUprooting the Will

'akirat ha-ratzon ka-'akirat ha-ma'asehIn Gamatria ↗

Regret that uproots the will uproots the deed itself.

If judgment is so exact, what is mercy for? Strict judgment would punish at once, in full anger, with no repair. How could murder or adultery be undone? Mercy gives the reverse of all three. It gives the sinner time. It keeps the punishment short of destruction. And it grants repentance as pure kindness, so that uprooting the will counts as uprooting the deed. When the penitent admits his sin, regrets it fully, wishes it had never been, and leaves it, the sin is uprooted like an annulled vow: 'Your iniquity is removed' (Isaiah 6:7). Even this has a footing in justice: regret replaces the pleasure once taken. But simply letting sins pass would end justice altogether. 'He is slow to anger, and collects what is His.' So no one who opens his eyes has an excuse to be careless.

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