By Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Ginsberg,
Mashpia, Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim – Lubavitch, Kfar Chabad
If all the shturem that the Rebbe makes is because of the need to declare
"Yechi HaMelech" – why doesn’t he speak clearly about "Yechi HaMelech," instead
of "Ad masai"? * Whoever has learned the sicha from Beis Nissan 5748, knows. *
The declaration of "Yechi HaMelech" must be joyous and filled with vitality.
We are now after the "Rosh HaShana of Kings," and just before
the great day, the day of "anointing the Rosh Bnei Yisroel as Melech
HaMoshiach" (Seifer HaSichos 5752, Vol. 2, p. 904 - the conclusion of
the last D’var Malchus (for the time being), which the Rebbe edited right
before Chaf-Zayin Adar 5752!), celebrating the centennial "Malchus
Sh’b’Malchus" of the Rebbe shlita MH"M.
Along with this, we have marked Beis Nissan, which is not
only the hilula of the Rebbe Rashab, nishmaso Eden, but as the
Rebbe shlita says (in the sicha of Beis Nissan 5748), this is
primarily also "the day of the beginning of the leadership of my father-in-law,
the Rebbe, which includes the continuation of the leadership until the coming of
the Righteous Redeemer."
For us, this is an even more special day, as it marks the day
that the Rebbe shlita revealed to us (in the above mentioned sicha)
the specific urgency and the need to declare "Yechi HaMelech" with regard
to Melech HaMoshiach.
With this in mind, we will begin today’s farbrengen
with a chassidic story connected to these points. This is a story that
HaGaon R. Shlomo Yosef Zevin brings in his seifer on the Torah, "Sipurei
Chassidim," which he connects to the verse in Parshas VaYechi, "Until Shilo
will come - this is Melech HaMoshiach."
The tzaddik, HaRav Yisroel M’Rozhin, tells that once,
the Mezeritcher Maggid, z"l, became very intense in his demand for the
Redemption. Voices called from the Heavens, "Who dares to rush the matter as if
there is no one greater than him?" The Maggid responded, "As he is the
tzaddik of the generation, therefore, it is incumbent upon him to become
stronger in this matter." The voices asked, "How can you prove that you are the
tzaddik of the generation?" The Maggid responded, "My Chevraya Kadisha
will come and testify on my behalf that I am the tzaddik of the
generation."
The voices said, "If so, then may the members of your
Chevraya Kadisha step forward and give their testimony for you. Then, your
words will be justified."
The Maggid came to his Chevraya Kadisha. As they sat
before him, he asked them, "Is it not true that I am the tzaddik of the
generation?" None of them answered Yes. He asked them three times, but no one
responded.
The Rozhiner said, "The great wonder here is that all of them
knew very well and believed with a full heart that the Maggid, z"l,
really was the tzaddik of the generation, yet all of them remained silent
and did not say, ‘Our Rebbe is the tzaddik of the generation.’"
***
In the famous sicha of Beis Nissan 5748, there are a
few words that the Rebbe shlita said, almost in passing, to the point
that few noticed the vital message concealed in them.
In this sicha, the Rebbe says that all the shturem
that "they have been making in recent years" [Who has been making?] about the
great need to declare "Ad masai?" [Why the need for an additional
explanation of this more than the need for Moshiach to come and bring the
Redemption?] is primarily due to the need to declare "Yechi HaMelech!"
Therefore, the Rebbe speaks about the need to declare "Ad masai?" in a
way that includes declaring "Yechi HaMelech!"
At first glance, the question must be asked: If all the
shturem that the Rebbe makes is because of the need to declare "Yechi
HaMelech," why doesn’t he speak clearly about "Yechi HaMelech,"
instead of "Ad masai"? Yet, the answer is obvious from the content of the
sicha, and whoever learned it, knows.
The whole point of declaring "Yechi HaMelech!" as the
Rebbe explains, is in order that the people will bring about the revelation of
the king’s sovereignty. As is explained in the sicha, the king is not
just the "head," but also the "heart," "his heart is the heart of Klal
Yisroel." As with the heart, it doesn’t only influence and cause the
life-force to flow into all the bodily limbs, but it also receives the life’s
blood from all the limbs. In a similar fashion, the king receives his
sovereignty from the people, as "there is no king without a people."
As is explained at length in the Sifrei Maamarim 5701,
5703 (and elsewhere), the strength of the kingship (as with S’firas HaMalchus
of G-d Alm-ghty) is deeply planted and rooted in the essence of the soul of the
king, and is in no way connected to revelation. From the king’s point of view,
he does not want to be revealed at all. He wants to remain separate unto
himself, as he is Above - connected, united, and cleaving to Him, without any
connection to the people.
The revelation is achieved only through self-nullification of
the people to him "with great joy and an intense subjugation." When the people
declare that they recognize his sovereignty, and they establish as fact that he
is the king and we are his people, receiving the yoke of his kingdom and the
fulfillment of his commands and orders, this brings about the revelation of the
king to rule over the people.
The Rebbe shlita explains and emphasizes at length in
this sicha that this aspect must also apply to Melech HaMoshiach.
Despite the fact that it is not the people that appoint him, rather G-d chooses
him, nevertheless, there is the concept of "there is no king without a people"
specifically regarding Melech HaMoshiach. After G-d chooses him, the
kingly faculties that are found within him are still completely hidden. It
requires, as it were, the people to cause the revelation of his kingship for all
to see, to the point of "a fundamental increase in life" through the declaration
and the actual acceptance of his sovereignty - "Yechi HaMelech!"
And the content of the declaration is: "The time has already
arrived for ‘Awaken and sing, dwellers in the dust’ - my honored father-in-law,
the Rebbe, leader of the generation, to the point of ‘Awaken and sing
[Note: Here the Rebbe does not say ‘dwellers in the dust’], Dovid Malka
Meshicha!’"
The Rebbe then concludes: "And the action is the main
thing. We must conclude "our actions and our service" - including also the
request and the demand "Ad masai?" and the declaration "Yechi
HaMelech!" Dovid Malka Meshicha - with the greatest possible speed,
connected to joy and vitality… this will bring about the "Achishena"
[i.e., even greater immediacy] of G-d’s quickness - "your G-d is a Kohen" and
"Kohanim are quick" - to redeem B’nei Yisroel with the greatest possible
speed, immediately mamash, "G-d will not delay eventhe blink of an eye."
And the Prophet Hosea already said (3:5): "After B’nei
Yisroel will return and request Hashem, their G-d, and Dovid, their king,"
as explained by Baal HaMetzudos, "And they will also ask for Melech
HaMoshiach, who comes from the seed of Dovid, and from him they will make
their request that he will rule over them."
We now also understand that all the wondrous shturem
that the Rebbe shlita made over Kiddush Levana (on Shabbos Parshas
Noach 5752). The Rebbe said this is what is urgently needed to bring the
Redemption, as emphasized throughout the sicha, since everything has
already been completed and "the matter depends only upon Moshiach himself,"
which is derived from what we say during Kiddush Levana, at its
conclusion, "And there will be fulfilled in us what is written, ‘and they will
request Hashem, their G-d, and Dovid, their king’". As the Rebbe emphasized at
the conclusion of the sicha, since the matter depends solely upon
Moshiach himself, we must request from him in order to bring about the
revelation of his rule, as explained above at length.
Furthermore, the Prophet Hosea said (2:2): "And B’nei
Yehuda and B’nei Yisroel will be gathered together and place upon
themselves one leader," as explained by Baal HaMetzudos, "this is
Melech HaMoshiach."
It is explained in its simplest interpretation that it is the
mission and task of B’nei Yisroel to request from Melech HaMoshiach
that he will rule over them and to "place" (appoint) himself as their leader!
As the Rebbe also said at the conclusion of the sicha
from Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5751: "The appointment of Dovid Malka Meshicha
has already taken place, as is written, ‘I have found Dovid My servant, and I
have anointed him with My holy oil’. All that is required is the acceptance of
his sovereignty through the people and the connection between the king and the
people, in the fullest and most revealed fashion - with the true and complete
Redemption."
At the beginning of the sicha from Rosh HaShana 5737 (bilti
muga), the Rebbe explains that "Malchios Zichronos v’Shofros" [i.e.,
the thirty verses from Tanach recited during the Musaf prayers from Rosh
HaShana] correspond to thought, speech, and action. The blowing of the shofar
represents action, remembrance represents thought, and Malchus
represents speech, as is said, "Malchus - Peh." Similarly, with the
declaration of "Yechi HaMelech!," the thought is not relevant(!), rather
it must come out in speech when they declare verbally, "Yechi HaMelech!"
Since the whole point of the matter is that it must come from
below - from the people, that they request from the king - it is clear that it
is neither relevant nor appropriate that the king speak, arouse, or "make a
storm" on his own behalf, before the people request and beg from him to agree to
be their king. On the contrary. For his part, he is above all this and is not
relevant as such, as explained earlier. The matter will be achieved specifically
through the request and declaration of the people. Therefore, the Rebbe
shlita almost never spoke about the need and urgency to declare "Yechi
HaMelech!," rather about screaming "Ad masai?" and to request and to
beg before G-d that he will bring the Redemption.
After we have heard for years all the earth-shaking
shturem that the Rebbe made - "Ker a Velt Haint!" - about the need
and urgency to scream unceasingly "Ad masai?," and yet we didn’t grasp
what was demanded from us, the Rebbe did something that was seemingly
unnecessary and even impossible. He revealed to us that Melech
HaMoshiach, as it were, needs our actions, by the declaration of "Yechi
HaMelech!," with joy and vitality.
The Rebbe emphasized further that the truth of the matter was
all the shturem that he made over "Ad masai?" was primarily in
order for us to understand what was demanded from us - we must declare and
establish as fact, request and beg from Melech HaMoshiach that he will
reveal himself for all to see with his sovereignty over the entire world -
forever and ever.
Thus, we are so desperately needed, and we are crying out and
hoping for the imminent revelation of the Rebbe shlita before our very
eyes with the true and complete Redemption, the only real solution to the
situation in which we find ourselves today. After all this, the most essential
thing now, in the words of the Rebbe shlita, is to turn the world
upside-down, and to influence everyone possible to say and proclaim (also in
action, such as by writing, printing, and in any other conceivable form) that
the Rebbe shlita is Melech HaMoshiach, we are his people and his
servants, and we accept upon ourselves his sovereignty, and thereby, the
fulfillment of his orders and instructions.
As a result, it is clearly understood that we simply need to
know the identity of Melech HaMoshiach, to recognize and declare openly
that he is Melech HaMoshiach and no one else, he is our king, we are his
people and servants, and we accept his sovereignty upon ourselves lovingly and
willingly.
It is true that the Rebbe did not instruct us clearly
regarding this. However, according to everything we have mentioned until now,
the Rebbe, out of his great kindness, explained to us (something that in essence
he didn’t need to explain) that it has to come specifically from us, without
explicit orders. And specifically when we declare, request, beg, and accept his
sovereignty upon ourselves, this will bring the revelation for all to see,
together with the full and complete Redemption. This was the reason why the
Rebbe made such a shturem over the great need and importance in screaming
"Ad masai?"
We must know what our responsibility is, even without
specific commands. We mustn’t waste a single opportunity. (The Rebbe has
emphasized that this time, there is no chance that the opportunity will be
missed, ch"v. All the major issues have been completed, everything has
been done. We have been promised with an absolute certainty, with the added
emphasis that this comes as an actual prophecy of Hashem’s word that will not
come back empty, ch"v, i.e., it’s ready to happen now - for us. But,
together with this, the Rebbe has also emphasized that it is our responsibility
to "do everything in our power," after "I have done everything I can,"
something, as it were, that he can not do himself.) It must come straight from
us.
"The only thing that remains in the work of shlichus"
is to accept upon ourselves to do everything that the entire generation will
accept the sovereignty of the Rebbe shlita MH"M, "to greet Moshiach in
actual deed, in order that he may fulfill his shlichus and take the
Jewish people out of the Exile" (sicha from Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sara
5752). (Thus, it is most essential and relevant to know the identity of
Melech HaMoshiach, as mentioned above at length.) In particular, this will
be done through the declaration where we ask and demand and establish the fact
that (as explained in the sicha from Shabbos Parshas Toldos 5752 that
"through this and after this") there will come the ultimate revelation before
our very eyes with the true and complete Redemption - immediately, mamash,
NOW!
Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu v’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach l’olam
va’ed!