תְּשׁוּבָה

“Repentance” in Hebrew is Teshuvah (תְּשׁוּבָה), pronounced “te-shu-VAH.” Teshuvah comes from the root שׁ-ו-ב (shin-vav-bet), meaning 'to return, turn back.' Biblical repentance is not primarily about guilt — it's about turning around and coming home to God.

Teshuvah (תְּשׁוּבָה) means “Repentance, return, answer” in Biblical Hebrew. The verb 'shuv' (return) appears over 1,050 times in the Hebrew Bible — making it one of the most common verbs. God repeatedly calls His people to 'shuv' — to return. The prodigal son story is the ultimate picture of teshuvah.

Teshuvah is pronounced “te-shu-VAH.” The word comes from the Hebrew root שׁ-ו-ב.

The Ten Days of Teshuvah (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah) is the period between Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). During these ten days, Jewish tradition teaches that God's 'books' are open and people have the opportunity to return to God, make amends, and seek forgiveness before the books are sealed on Yom Kippur.

Teshuvah and Christian repentance overlap but have different emphases. Christian repentance (Greek: metanoia) emphasizes a change of mind. Hebrew teshuvah emphasizes a change of direction — physically turning around and walking back toward God. Teshuvah is less about guilt and more about homecoming. Both are essential aspects of returning to God.