The Gates of Repentance Are Open Like the Sea

"By awesome deeds in righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation" (Psalms 65:6). Rabbi Yudah in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: the awesome deeds You have done with us in this world, on account of the sufferings You bring upon us in this world. Rabbi Chaggai in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: the awesome deeds You will do with us in the world to come, on account of the sufferings You bring upon us in this world. "The trust of all the ends of the earth" (Psalms 65:6) -- You are the trust of the mighty; in Your name they trust. Those who set out on journeys trust in Your name; those who put out to sea trust in Your name; those who go out by caravan. "And the far seas" (Psalms 65:6) -- Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman: what is the meaning of what is written, "and the far seas"? He said to him: repentance is compared to the sea. Just as this sea is always open, so the gates of repentance are always open. And prayer is compared to a ritual bath: just as this ritual bath is sometimes open and sometimes shut, so the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes shut. Just as with this ritual bath, a person seeks to immerse and finds his father or his teacher there and is ashamed and goes away, so with prayer. But this sea -- one withdraws a little, goes down, and immerses. Rabbi Berekhiah, Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Anan bar Rabbi Yose: even the gates of prayer are always open. And this accords with what Rabbi Yose bar Chalafta said: there are set times for prayer, and David came and explained, "But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at a time of favor" (Psalms 69:14). David said before the Holy One: Master of the worlds, at the time when I pray before You, may it be a time of favor. "O God, in the abundance of Your kindness answer me with the truth of Your salvation" (Psalms 69:14). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: "The hope of Israel is the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:13) -- just as this ritual bath purifies the impure, so the Holy One purifies Israel. Therefore Hosea warns Israel and says to them, "Return, O Israel" (Hosea 14:2).