Repentance, as the Alter Rebbe explained in the opening chapter, is in no way synonymous with fasting for a sin that one has committed; repentance merely entails abandoning the sin for all time. This is so even with regard to transgressions — those punishable by excision or by execution — whose atonement becomes complete through suffering. Even in these instances the suffering is not intended to be self-inflicted through fasting, but is brought on from Above.

אך כל זה לענין כפרה ומחילת העון, שנמחל לו לגמרי מה שעבר על מצות המלך כשעשה תשובה שלמה

However, all this refers to atonement and forgiveness of the sin — [the offender] is pardoned completely for having violated the command of the King once he has repented fully.

Atonement and forgiveness thus do not require fasting. If the individual repents fully:

ואין מזכירין לו דבר וחצי דבר ביום הדין, לענשו על זה חס ושלום בעולם הבא, ונפטר לגמרי מן הדין בעולם הבא

No charge nor semblance of an accusation is mentioned against him on the day of judgment so that he should be punished for his sin, G‑d forbid, in the World to Come; in his trial there he is completely exonerated.

אמנם שיהיה לרצון לפני ה׳, ומרוצה וחביב לפניו יתברך כקודם החטא, להיות נחת רוח לקונו מעבודתו, היה צריך להביא קרבן עולה

Nonetheless, in order that he should be acceptable before G‑d, as beloved of Him as before the sin, so that his Creator might derive delight from his service, — [in past times] he would bring an olah offering,1 in addition to his repentance,

אפילו על מצות עשה קלה שאין בה כרת ומיתת בית דין

even for [transgressing] an ordinary positive commandment that involves no excision or execution.

(was not read during the class)

כמו שדרשו רז״ל בתורת כהנים על פסוק: ונרצה לו

In this spirit our Sages in Torat Kohanim interpret the verse,2 “It shall be acceptable for him,” — that the olah offering causes a person who violated a positive command to become acceptable to G‑d.

וכדאיתא בגמרא פרק קמא דזבחים, דעולה מכפרת על מצות עשה, והיא דורון לאחר שעשה תשובה ונמחל לו העונש

Thus too we find in the Talmud, in the first chapter of Zevachim,3 that the olah offering atones for [the violation of] positive commandments; it is a “gift” [that is offered] after one has repented and been pardoned his punishment.

וכאדם שסרח במלך ופייסו על ידי פרקליטין, ומחל לו

This is like the case of a man who displeased his king, appeased him through intercessors, and was forgiven by him;

אף על פי כן שולח דורון ומנחה לפניו, שיתרצה לו לראות פני המלך

still he will send a gift, so that the king might consent that he appear again before his sovereign.

The olah offering was similarly brought as a gift to G‑d after the offender had repented and had been granted a pardon, in order that he once again find favor in His eyes, and be beloved by Him as before the sin.

ולשון מכפרת, וכן מה שכתוב בתורה: ונרצה לו לכפר עליו

(4The expression “atones” quoted from the Talmud, and in the verse,5 “It shall be acceptable for him, to atone for him,”

אין זו כפרת נפשו

does not refer to the soul’s atonement for the sin, for this is accomplished through repentance,

אלא לכפר לפני ה׳, להיות נחת רוח לקונו

but rather (so to speak) his restoration before G‑d, so that he will bring his Creator gratification; no vestige of the sin will remain, and the former offender will be beloved of G‑d as before,

כדאיתא שם בגמרא

as the Talmud teaches there — that once the person has been pardoned, then comes the gift of the olah offering,

וכמו שכתוב: תמים יהיה לרצון

and as the verse states:6 “It shall be perfect, so that it be acceptable.”)