Open Me an Opening the Width of a Needle's Eye

Rabbi Judah the Patriarch in the name of Rabbi Judah son of Rabbi Simon: In the way of the world, when a man shoots an arrow, how far does it travel? The length of a field of grain, or two such fields. Great is the power of repentance, for it reaches up to the throne of glory. Rabbi Yose said: It is written, "Open to me" (Song of Songs 5:2). The Holy One said, "Open to Me an opening the width of a needle's eye, and I will open for you an opening through which tents and great gateways can enter." Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Hanina, and Rabbi Aibu in the name of Resh Lakish: Do repentance in the blink of an eye, "and know that I am the LORD" (Psalms 46:11). Rabbi Levi said: If Israel would do repentance for a single day, they would be redeemed. What is the reason? "Today, if you will hear His voice" (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Judah son of Rabbi Simon said: "Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God" (Hosea 14:2) - even if you have denied the very Root. Rabbi Elazar said: In the way of the world, when one man insults his fellow in public and later seeks to appease him, the other says, "You insult me in public and seek to appease me privately, between you and me? Go and bring the people before whom you insulted me, and I will be appeased to you." But the Holy One is not so. Rather, a man may stand and revile and blaspheme in the marketplace, and the Holy One says to him, "Repent privately, between you and Me, and I will accept you."