Where is the source for God reaching under His throne to give us the wonderful gift of teshuva, repentance?
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1Why do you suspect there is a source for that idea? Please edit to clarify. Such additions not only make your question more interesting (now it sounds like "Where is the source for purple elephants?"), but also can help readers get ideas for where to search.– Double AA ♦Dec 5, 2016 at 18:14
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1 Answer
Presumably the reference is to Sanhedrin 103a:
אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי: מאי דכתיב וישמע אליו ויחתר לו, ויעתר לו מיבעי ליה! - מלמד שעשה לו הקדוש ברוך הוא כמין מחתרת ברקיע, כדי לקבלו בתשובה, מפני מדת הדין.
Said Rabbi Yohanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: what is the meaning of that which is written (II Chronicles 33:13) 'and He was entreated of him, and dug for him' [ויחתר]? It should have said: 'and heard his supplication' [ויעתר]! This teaches that the Holy One, blessed is he made the likeness of a tunnel in the heaven in order to to accept him in his return (t'shuva).
The Yerushalmi Sanhedrin (10:2) specifies that this tunnel was under the kisse hakavod:
מה עשה לו הקדוש ברוך הוא חתר לו חתירה מתחת כסא הכבוד שלו
What did God do for him? He dug him a tunnel under his throne of glory...