Teshuva means to return and come close.
It means restoring a relationship from distance.
That distance is not only caused by doing something wrong.
"Sometimes the distance is much colder.
It is the hidden attitude of, “If I could get the benefits without the relationship or living through responsibility, that would be better.”
That is a deep pain." [intense emotional numbness] - Likutei Torah.
It means a person may want goodness, safety, certainty, community, or redemption, but not the closeness, honesty, responsibility, and trust that relationship with the Creator requires.
Teshuva is returning from that coldness.
Moving to Israel is not a replacement for teshuva.
Believing someone is the messiah is not a replacement for teshuva.
A small-large group studying Torah is not a replacement for the teshuva of the Jewish people.
Redemption comes through the Jewish people returning to relationship with the Creator. - Maimonides
That relationship begins through feeling awe toward Him and expressing appreciation. - Chabad Chassidus
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Awe means becoming aware of the Creator’s greatness through fear and wonder.
The fear comes from realizing that your choices truly matter before Him.
The wonder comes from realizing that the Infinite Creator desires human beings to freely reveal goodness within His world.
That awe awakens love.
Love wants greater closeness with Him, and the sadness comes from recognizing how much more of His goodness could still be revealed in you and in the world.
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Appreciation means saying again and again, “You are good, Your instructions are good, and You have my best interest in mind.”
That means learning to trust that He is good.
The Rebbe explained that this also means living with the mindset, “I am here to be a channel of goodness toward myself and others,” while asking the Creator for more revealed goodness.
It means life becomes a conversation with Him.
Not only in the mind, but in the nervous system too.
Mitzvos are the Creator’s instructions, but meditation helps those instructions become relationship.
A person has to think again and again: “This action is helping me return to the Creator. This is teaching my body to trust that His instructions are good.”
Sometimes that means taking one to five minutes of slow breathing with the mitzvah (5 second inhale, 5 second exhale), so the mind, body, and nervous system are all practicing return.
Without mitzvos (His instructions), teshuva often does not last.
Without meditation, mitzvos can become cold routine.
But with mitzvos and meditation together, teshuva reaches the nervous system and becomes a practiced relationship with the Creator.
When people skip that inner work, they may attach their hope to a person, a place, or a movement, and then call that redemption.
But redemption is not escapism.
Redemption means the Jewish people return to the Creator so deeply that His goodness can be more revealed in the world.
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Related guides:
Buddhism/Atheism isn't healthy for the nervous system: https://nextself.ai/spirituality/beliefs-are-not-only-an-idea/
Jewish secret to transform suffering into goodness: https://nextself.ai/spirituality/good-arguments-struggle-fear-shame-people-pleasing/
Why should all of humanity study Jewish mysticism? https://nextself.ai/spirituality/mysticism-relevant-all-humanity/
Misguided awe can be like idol worship: https://nextself.ai/spirituality/one-unhealthy-spiritual-pattern-misdirected-awe/
Adam and Eve revealed the work human nature was designed for: https://nextself.ai/spirituality/humanity-becomes-a-co-partner-in-creation/
"False messiah tragedies keep happening in every community because people mistake signs of redemption for the relationship with the Creator and responsibility that redemption requires."
Explore the NextSelf 2026 Index and 2025 Index.
They organize the core ideas on awareness, compassion, boundaries, and how they build real relationship and responsibility with The Creator.
All information is for educational purposes only.