When the Alter Rebbe left prison on Yud-Tes Kislev, he wrote about his release to his colleagues, the holy tzaddikim, R’ Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev and R’ Boruch of Mezhibuzh (printed in Igros Kodesh, letters 38, 39):

"Hashem has done wonders and made Himself great in the land. He has made wondrous and great His glorious and holy Name, which was exalted and sanctified publicly, especially in the eyes of all the ministers and each nation in every country of the king, so that even in their eyes the matter is tremendously wondrous. Indeed, they have announced that certainly ‘this is from G-d - it is wondrous in our eyes.’"

In other words, the Alter Rebbe connected his release from jail with the effect and impact on the ministers and nations, who also recognized that this was from Hashem, influencing them to the extent that even their behavior would be proper and in accordance with Hashem’s commandments.

The Rebbe MH"M asks (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 25, p. 186): This idea, that even the non-Jews recognized the miracle and that it influenced their behavior, as important and wonderful as it is - what value does it have relative to the geula and the revelation of pnimiyus ha’Torah? Through pnimiyus ha’Torah, the innermost part of the neshama was revealed - the "spreading of the wellsprings outward" - which leads to "k’asi mar" (Moshiach’s coming)!?

This question is especially significant because it involves g’dolei Yisroel, who were great in pnimiyus ha’Torah, who had an understanding of the geula and its import. Concerning the amazing chiddush it brought about Above and below in this world, and throughout the entire seider hishtalshelus, who cares about the impact it had on gentile ministers and nations?

Whoever has tasted of the teachings of the Rebbeim is aware that the entire episode of the imprisonment and release of the Alter Rebbe on Yud-Tes Kislev is much more than a local story, much more than relevant to only one isolated group of people - it is a fundamental event that affects all the Jewish people, and contributes to the bringing of Moshiach.

The imprisonment was only a mirror-effect of a judgment up Above, which dealt with the question as to whether it was permissible and necessary to continue spreading the wellsprings of chassidus, especially in a way of chochma, bina, daas. Up Above there was a complaint: The world was not yet ready for chassidus. It is forbidden to grind the "crown jewel" if its true value is not appreciated, if its preciousness will be wasted.

Even if permission was already granted to spread chassidus in order to save the life of the "prince," it was enough to give a drop, and that’s all, as did the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid. It should not be in the way of Chabad, which is a far greater "waste" of the treasures. Up Above there was reason to claim that this "waste" was not necessary then in order to save the Jewish people, but was only for the sake of granting a foretaste of Geula, for which the world may not have been ready.

This was the quarrel Above and below. This is what the Alter Rebbe gave his life for b’gashmius and b’ruchnius, suffering greatly - to the point of the sufferings of death.

Chag HaGeula (Yud-Tes Kislev), Rosh HaShana L’Chassidus, when, as it says in T’hillim, "He redeemed my soul in peace and I left in peace, the G-d of peace," was not only a personal release and geula of a private individual, or even of an ish klali. This day was the confirmation that the decision had been rendered Above (and therefore below, as well) giving both permission and ability to spread the wellsprings of chassidus outward, in the way of Chabad. As Moshiach promised the Baal Shem Tov: when his wellsprings would spread outward, he would come.

Why is it the spreading of the wellsprings that brings Moshiach? The Rebbe explains: This statement does not mean to indicate that spreading the wellsprings is a segula in whose merit Moshiach comes. As the Rambam says, every deed or word or thought of Torah and mitzvos tips the scale to bring the Geula. What is it about spreading the wellspring of chassidus that brings Moshiach? Spreading chassidus is itself the beginning of the Geula.

The fact that when Moshiach comes there will be no hunger, no war, no hatred and competition, and goodness will be bountiful is not the essence of Geula, but the results of Geula. Because of Geula, we’ll have all these good things, both b’gashmius and b’ruchnius. The essence of Geula is, rather, "the revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu in this physical world," as it says: "The glory of Hashem will be revealed and all flesh together will see that the mouth of Hashem has spoken"; "And the earth will be full with the knowledge of Hashem as water covers the sea." Since Hashem is the ultimate in truth and goodness, beyond all limitations, when He is revealed, utter goodness will be experienced as a matter of course.

What are "your wellsprings"? What is the point of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov? The point of all of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov is that "everything is Elokus, and Elokus is everything." When the wellsprings of chassidus spread forth, when the world recognizes and feels that everything is Elokus, which is "the revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu in this physical world" - this stage of existence is not a segula to bring the Geula; this stage of existence is the Geula.

The reason the Baal Shem Tov himself did not usher in the era of Moshiach in his time was not because the wellsprings were not completely revealed then, but because they still hadn’t reached and penetrated the "outside." There was a "revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu," but it still hadn’t fully penetrated this physical world. When the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov fill all of the chutza, all of this physical world, so that it is saturated with Elokus - this is actually the true and complete Redemption.

This was also the primary reason for the founding of Chassidus Chabad. Chabad was not founded because of the importance of intellect for its own sake. On the contrary, Chabad chassidus explains how it is impossible for true hiskashrus to Hashem to be based on intellect. After all, intellect can err. But even if the intellect would be absolutely unerring, it would still be limited. And hence, hiskashrus to Hashem would, therefore, also be limited, ch’v, according to the seichel of each person. (The teachings of the Baal Shem Tov are not intellectually based; they speak specifically in terms of faith, without intellectual understanding).

The revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu in this world must be brought down into seichel in Chabad chassidus, because as long as the revelation does not penetrate the intellect, it remains "up Above" in the seventh heaven, on the level of emuna (which is above the world), without penetrating the physical world. The seichel is the highest level of this physical world, therefore the beginning of the path of bringing the wellsprings outward is by having them penetrate the seichel. Drawing the revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu down from the seventh heaven (to the sixth heaven) opened the pathway, granting permission to continue this further, throughout the seven generations of our Rebbeim.

The goal is reached in our generation, the seventh generation, "to draw down the Sh’china," not only from "heaven to heaven," but "from the heaven to earth," the literal "revelation of Ohr Ein Sof Boruch Hu in this physical world," within the physicality of this lowest world. And in our generation this revelation continued to penetrate more and more deeply as time passed, further completing the plan of making for Hashem a "dira ba’tachtonim," so that even within the lowest of the low, the cry of "ein od milvado" and "everything is Elokus and Elokus is everything," bursts forth.

This is why Geula is connected not only with the Jewish people but with the entire world becoming refined and redeemed. In the redemption from Mitzrayim, Hashem wanted the Egyptians to know "that I am G-d." It wasn’t enough to vanquish Mitzrayim; the Egyptians had to recognize G-d. And "as in the days of your going forth from Egypt, I will show you wonders," the final Redemption also entails the entire world being redeemed. Geula is not only for the "lost ones in the land of Ashur and the outcasts in the land of Egypt," but even for Ashur and Egypt themselves.

When we left Mitzrayim, the Egyptians came to know Hashem by being broken by the plagues. But in our time, they will see and acknowledge that "the glory of Hashem will be revealed, and all flesh will see that the mouth of Hashem has spoken." "And the earth will be full of the knowledge of Hashem like the waters cover the sea."

This is why, the Rebbe shlita explains, it was particularly important to the Alter Rebbe that even the nations and ministers recognize that his geula came from Hashem, and that their realization of it impact their conduct, and this is what he stressed in the letter he wrote to other tzaddikim about his geula. This is because an important component of the Alter Rebbe’s release from jail was that the wellsprings would begin to reach the outside, so that even the nations and ministers of the nations of the world recognize the greatness of Hashem and the oneness of Hashem - not just Hashem’s hashgacha in general, but in the way that chassidus explains Hashem’s oneness in Shaar HaYichud V’HaEmuna.

Although according to some opinions, gentiles were not commanded to refrain from shituf (believing in more than one G-d), their knowledge of the oneness of Hashem (as it is explained in chassidus) contributes a great deal both in regard to their personal conduct and in their interaction with Jews. Therefore, we should work to ensure that everybody recognize "that He alone is emes." Even non-Jews should know that nature and its laws are nothing and have no existence independent of Elokus, so that even within the lowest of the low, and specifically from it, G-d’s oneness bursts forth in the clearest way.

This goal is achieved through what Hashem commanded in the Torah and what He conveyed to us through Moshe Rabbeinu. A most important part of our job is to bring all nations of the world to the awareness of the greatness and the rule of the Rebbe MH"M.

Presumably, this includes inspiring them to ask for the Geula and to proclaim "Yechi," because although "crowning the king" is connected with Jewish souls, our greatness is especially expressed by bringing along the entire world in doing likewise. When Adam crowned Hashem as king, it was necessary for all of Creation to accept Hashem’s rule.

It is clear that we have a mission to disseminate the "belief in Hashem and in Moshe, His servant" - i.e., the Rebbe MH"M - along with the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach. This is especially pertinent to the abnormal situation in Eretz Yisroel. When the Intifada first began, the Rebbe said the Sheva Mitzvos should be disseminated among the Arabs in Eretz Yisroel, especially among the youth in their schools. The Rebbe even gave mashkeh for this and urged Rabbi Shmuel Gerlitzky of Tel Aviv and Rabbi M.M. Gluckowsky of Rechovot to hurry.

It turned out they weren’t fast enough, for at the last minute all the Arab leaders cancelled due to the Intifada. We see there is a connection between spreading the "belief in Hashem and Moshe, His servant," the Sheva Mitzvos, and preventing undesirable behavior on the part of the Arabs.

One way to reach out with the message of Hashem Echad and about "Moshe, His servant," is with the Miracle Water kits that contain water from the mikva the Rebbe used, which bring blessings to those who observe the Sheva Mitzvos. The professional quality of the packaging, the brochure, and the graphics, along with a message (available in eight different languages) about the Sheva Mitzvos, the Rebbe MH"M and Geula, is truly impressive.

Those who have contact with gentiles can use this kit as a gift. Even so, those recipients who buy the kit more readily absorb the message (as the Rebbe said about other similar projects, quoting the Gemara that says that if a doctor treats you for free, his treatment is worthless, because people value what they pay for).