A person has no excuse as to why he did not engage in this way of penitence. If Hashem would ask him, “Why did you not do teshuvah through fasting and afflictions?” he can answer, “I was not strong enough to endure this.” Hashem does not demand the impossible from His creations. But if Hashem would ask, “Why did you get angry and push away your fear of Heaven?”—what will he answer? (Orech Apayim)
