Moshiach
Yom Yom: 14-20 Iyar
Merkaz
Shiurei Torah - Chabad
14
Iyar – Demanding Redemption
This
is the lesson of Pesach Sheini: ...The essence of the mitzva
came about solely through the Jewish people demanding and
insisting, “Why should we lose out?” As a result, the
new mitzva of Pesach Sheini was commanded. In fact, this mitzva
made all the mitzvos complete, for with the addition of
Pesach Sheini the number of mitzvos totals 613...
So
too concerning the Jewish people’s demanding the Redemption. Not
only is demanding and insisting not opposed to Torah, ch’v,
but on the contrary, the Torah commands us to conduct ourselves
this way. The Men of the Great Assembly established that when a
Jew asks Hashem for his needs while davening, he should
say: “Quickly bring forth the scion of Dovid Your servant...for
we hope for Your salvation all the day…May our eyes behold Your
return to Tziyon.”
It
is not enough that we ask and demand this once in our prayers, but
we repeat this request and demand in every single prayer, three
times a day! ...Through the Jewish people asking and crying out
for the Redemption, they make the Redemption come more quickly
than it would without this request and demand.
(Hisvaaduos
5744, Vol. 3, p. 1,684)
15
Iyar: ahavas Yisroel takes priority over the Beis HaMikdash
The
Zohar establishes that the building of the Beis HaMikdash
precedes the ingathering of the exiles (which is also the ruling
of the Rambam, as he writes, “and he builds the Mikdash
in its place and gathers the dispersed of the Jewish people). This
order of events underscores the greatness of the Jewish people,
for in order for the ingathering of the Jewish people from exile
to be one of utter perfection (through the light and revelation of
the holiness of the third Beis HaMikdash), they forego the
elevation and perfection that would be inherent in the building of
the Beis HaMikdash were it to be built after the
ingathering of the exiles when all Jews would be living in Eretz
Yisroel. This sacrifice illustrates the greatness of the Jewish
people, as it applies even when it comes to building the Beis
HaMikdash!
This
is the lesson in man’s avoda that is learned from the
fact that the Beis HaMikdash will be built before the
ingathering of the exiles: Since the Jewish people are so great
that they forego the perfection of the Beis HaMikdash for
the sake of the wholeness of the Jewish people, we see from this
how great and important is ahavas Yisroel!
May
we go from speaking about the importance and necessity of ahavas
Yisroel to actually acting with ahavas Yisroel, for
“action is the main thing.”
(Sicha
- Chayei Sara 5743; unedited)
16
Iyar: All should cry out “ad masai”
All
Jews must cry out “ad masai,” to the extent that not
even one Jew remains who has not cried out “ad masai.”
Then certainly Hashem will fulfill the prayer and request of the
Jewish people, “for Hashem is great, and He will not reject
[their prayers],” in a manner of “immediately they are
redeemed.”
[The
Rebbe began to cry out “ad masai” and everyone joined
in, and then the Rebbe said that in order to negate any sadness
they should cry out “ad masai” with a niggun
(and they sang “ad masai”)].
(Sicha
VaYeira 5748 ; unedited)
17
Iyar: A jew has unlimited abilities
The
answer to [one who complains that he has no strength to fight the
exile] is that he should realize that he actually has unlimited
abilities — “Havaye stands above him.” ...
When
a Jew realizes and contemplates his potential, he approaches the avoda
he has left to do in the brief moment of exile and does it with a
new vitality – “and Yaakov lifted his feet.” It is for this
reason that we are joyful in the brief last moment of exile.
Through serving Hashem with joy, one negates all concealment.
(Sicha
Simchas Beis HaShoeiva 5716; unedited)
18
Iyar: the Redemption of Lag B’Omer
We
must add that the emphasis of Redemption on Lag B’Omer also
relates to the entire world. We learn in the Gemara that Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai said, “I can absolve the entire world from
judgment from the day I was created until now, though if Elazar,
my son...were with me — from the day the world
was created until now.” First and foremost, may we be
absolved of the judgment of exile, so that the Redemption will
come immediately.
This
is alluded to in the name Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai. Sometimes
“(ben) Yochai” is spelled with an Alef and other times
it is not. The Alef of Yochai alludes to drawing down and
revealing the Alufo Shel Olam (Master of the world) in the gola
(exile)...for thereby the gola becomes Redemption,
Geula (gola with the addition of an Alef).
(Sicha
leil Lag B’Omer 5751; unedited)
19
Iyar: our generation, the generation that completes the Divine
service of exile?
How
can we say that our generation is more connected to the future
Redemption when the Sages say, “If the earlier ones are like
angels, etc.” ...
The
explanation is based on a parable of the Sages that is
discussed in sifrei musar about the midget standing on the
giant’s back. Although he is a midget, by standing on the back
of the giant, he can see much farther than the giant himself.
The
earlier generations are analogous to a giant – “the earlier
ones are like angels” — whereas our generation is compared to
a midget. Since the sum total of the avoda of our
generation comes after the avoda of the earlier
generations, it is specifically through the avoda of our
generation that we merit the future Redemption. Regarding this,
the Sages say, “A task is ascribed only to the one who completes
it.”
(Sicha
Motzaei Shabbos Tzav 5743; unedited)
20
Iyar: Mesirus nefesh to bring Moshiach
To
those who complain about the excited and extensive talk about the
coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, there is a letter by the Munkatzer
Rebbe that was recently reprinted. He writes explicitly and
unambiguously, so that it cannot be understood any other way, that
we need mesirus nefesh in order to bring Moshiach
Tzidkeinu, similar to the mesirus nefesh that is needed for
the three circumstances about which it says “be killed and do
not transgress
(Sicha
Mikeitz 5744; unedited)
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