Rosh Hashanah 17B

למי שמשים עצמו כשירים.

That is to say, God forgives sins only for one who regards himself as a remainder, i.e., of only secondary importance.

רב הונא רמי, כתיב: ״צדיק ה׳ בכל דרכיו״, וכתיב: ״וחסיד בכל מעשיו״! בתחלה ⁠— צדיק, ולבסוף ⁠— חסיד.

§ Rav Huna raised a contradiction between the two halves of a verse. It is written: “YHWH is righteous [tzaddik] in all His ways” (Psalms 145:17), indicating that God acts in accordance with the attribute of strict justice [tzedek], and then it is written in the same verse: “And kind [ḥasid] in all His works,” implying that He acts with grace and loving-kindness [ḥesed], going beyond the letter of the law. Rav Huna explained: Initially, at the time of judgment, He is righteous, but in the end, at the time of punishment, He is gracious.

רבי אלעזר רמי, כתיב: ״ולך ה׳ חסד״, וכתיב: ״כי אתה תשלם לאיש כמעשהו״. בתחלה ⁠— ״כי אתה תשלם כמעשהו״, ולבסוף ⁠— ״ולך ה׳ חסד״.

R' Elazar raised a similar contradiction: It is written: “But to you, O YHWH, belongs kindness” (Psalms 62:13), implying that God acts beyond the letter of the law, and then it is written in the same verse: “For You render to a man according to his deeds,” implying that He rewards and punishes measure for measure. R' Elazar answered: Initially, at the time of judgment: “For You render to a man according to his deeds”; but in the end, at the time of punishment: “But to You, O YHWH, belongs kindness.”

אילפי, ואמרי לה אילפא רמי, כתיב: ״ורב חסד״, וכתיב: ״ואמת״. בתחלה ⁠— ״ואמת״, ולבסוף ⁠— ״ורב חסד״.

Ilfai, and some say it was the Sage Ilfa, also raised a contradiction: It is written in the list of God’s attributes: “And abundant in kindness” (Exodus 34:6), and it is written in the same verse: “And truth,” which implies the attribute of justice. He answered: Initially, at the time of judgment: “And truth,” i.e., God employs strict justice, but in the end, when He sees that the world cannot survive on judgment based only on truth and justice: “And abundant in kindness,” i.e., He is merciful.