In modern terms, when we say 'repentant' we mean a person who in the past did not live according to the Torah and began to observe the commandments. When we talk today about 'repentant Jews' we mean Jews who were not raised on the values of the faith, and at some point in their lives discovered it and adopted its path.
Such a perception of the concept of repentance has a double distortion, both towards Jews who are observant of the Torah and the commandments, and towards those who have recently come to Jewish life.
The answer is perceived in social and class terms, as a transition from one camp to another, while in its true essence it is a constant mental demand, addressed to each and every one.
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High demands
Three times each day we stand before the Creator and ask: "Return our fathers to Your Torah... and return us in complete repentance before You." This is the prayer and wish of God-fearing Jews who are meticulous in their observance of the commandments. They have never desecrated the Sabbath or eaten food that is not kosher, and yet they ask that God, the Holy One, awaken their hearts and bring them back to repentance.
And who are the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Repentance intended for? These are days whose entire essence is a call to repentance and to correct one's actions. Observant Jews in particular know how far they must repent. They, who were educated in the light of the Torah and know the scope of its requirements, feel more than anything how far they are still from fulfilling its values. They in particular know how much they fail in everyday life, and how much they must repent and correct their actions.
In a certain sense, it is precisely those who have received a Torah education who must make a more in-depth response than those who have not received a Jewish education. The latter can argue in their defense that they did not know, that they were not raised in the faith. But those who have received a Torah education and know its demands, commandments, and instructions – what will they answer and explain?
A call to ourselves
And those who are 'repenting' must also make Teshuvah. Teshuvah is not a one-time process, and it does not end with the transition from not keeping the mitzvot to a life of Torah and mitzvot. It is a mistake to think that someone who has already made this process has reached rest and the inheritance, and that the concept of Teshuvah is not aimed at them. Anyone who believes this is liable to get stuck halfway and interrupt the process of spiritual ascension that they have begun.
The beauty of the idea of repentance is that it is a constant call to self-transcendence and self-improvement. It is not limited to any particular camp or group, but to every Jew. Everyone needs repentance – religious and non-religious, those who were raised in the spirit of Judaism and those who were not educated in Judaism. Even those who have reached a high spiritual level are called to repent and ascend to an even higher level.
A correct understanding of the concept of 'repentance' will connect us all to this wonderful concept. We are all Jews, and we all need to repent, to improve, to purify ourselves – to return to God with all our heart and soul.
The general public should feel that the call to repentance is not specifically directed at those who are not yet observant of the mitzvot, but rather that those calling for repentance are first and foremost referring to themselves. In this way, we will all be entitled to "Our Father bless us all," a good sign for a good and sweet year.
