On
Publicizing The Identity Of Moshiach Part 2
(Click
here for Part 1)
Interview by Rabbi
Shalom Yaakov Chazan
Three
distinguished shluchim, known for their involvement with inyanei
Moshiach and Geula, gathered to discuss the Rebbe’s directives
as they pertain to our times * Their conclusion: publicizing
Moshiach’s identity must be, as the Rebbe put it, “an ongoing
and increasing activity”
Some
people claim that among the Rebbe’s answers in favor of
publicity, there were also negative answers, and that the topic is
not straightforward.
Rabbi
Majesky: There is always a rule and the exception to the rule.
But the fact is that Moshiach himself began publicizing
Moshiach’s identity to us, indicating how we should be
conducting ourselves. As far as personal answers, I cannot explain
answers I am not privy to and about which I don’t have much
information. It’s definitely possible that there are certain
people whom the Rebbe did not want to have publicizing this
matter. When the Rebbe was greatly encouraging the publicizing of
Moshiach’s identity, there was a well-known wealthy Lubavitcher
who received answers from the Rebbe telling him not to get
involved in this. But this has nothing to do with the general
approach the Rebbe showed us — using newspapers and the media to
get the message across.
So,
for example, when Rabbi Volpe wanted to translate his book, Daas
Torah, into English, the Rebbe said no. But when Sichos in
English asked the Rebbe, they were given the go-ahead. This
teaches us that something the Rebbe forbids an individual to do is
not a directive for all. When it comes to publicizing Moshiach’s
identity, the Rebbe’s general approach has been clear. The Rebbe
himself raised the issue in his talks, and then later encouraged
the singing of “Yechi” with the greatest publicity.
Here
I must add what I heard from a member of the Vaad L’Hafotzas
Sichos. The reason the Rebbe edited the Dvar Malchus
in later years is because they were prepared for publication in
the newspapers. That is why some appear in Yiddish and some appear
in lashon ha’kodesh – because in Kfar Chabad
Magazine they were printed in Hebrew, and in the Algemeiner
Journal, in Yiddish.
The
introduction to the sifrei ha’sichos, also edited by the
Rebbe, says that the sichos were first edited and published
for those same publications and only then were they published in
individual kuntreisim. This strengthens what we said
earlier: from the Rebbe’s conduct – which provides the general
rule for us – we see encouragement for publicizing Moshiach’s
identity.
Rabbi
Wilschansky: We must stress a key point here. All the answers
that negated publicizing Moshiach’s identity were before the
Rebbe began encouraging the singing of “Yechi” publicly
and on a regular basis. From that time on, no one who asked for
permission to publicize Moshiach’s identity was turned down.
Furthermore, those who asked the Rebbe for permission to express
views opposing the publicity were told “no” in no uncertain
terms.
If
somebody still remained in doubt, there was the great Yud Shvat of
5753. With the Rebbe’s explicit sanction, the International
Campaign to Bring Moshiach broadcast the proceedings in which the
Rebbe encouraged the singing of “Yechi” with
unprecedented worldwide publicity.
These
aren’t secrets. Anybody can open up the yomanei ha’Tmimim of
the time and read the answers people received from the Rebbe, and
see for himself how much the Rebbe encouraged the matter publicity
and how he did not negate it even once.
Rabbi
Greenberg: In general, we should remember that the Rebbe once
said that in reading answers, it’s important to examine the
context of the question. So the fact that there were opposing
answers is not enough at all, for each answer was given for a
specific situation. On the other hand, the Rebbe’s approval and
encouragement of the singing of “Yechi” was a public
display that couldn’t possibly be interpreted in more than one
way.
Likewise,
as was mentioned earlier, the Rebbe’s encouraging answers were
also in connection with worldwide publicity. I have an English
book which has chapters devoted to Moshiach’s identity. This
book was published by N’shei Chabad of Crown Heights, and when
it was produced it was brought to Rabbi Mordechai Altein, a member
of the Vaad Rabbanei Lubavitch HaKlali, who said it should be
shown to the Rebbe. This was after 27 Adar, and the Rebbe’s
answer approving its publishing was transmitted by Rabbi Leibel
Groner. This was a book geared for a broad audience, which speaks
explicitly about the Rebbe being Moshiach, and the Rebbe accepted
it.
Rabbi
Majesky: The Rebbe once wrote that the shpitz Chabad
ignore what he says explicitly, and relate instead to hints they
read into all sorts of motions and expressions. Here too, instead
of people looking at the Rebbe’s public conduct, they prefer to
focus on “commentaries” on various personal answers.
*
In other words, opposition to publicity has no basis in what the
Rebbe said.
Rabbi
Majesky: Obviously every shaliach is responsible for
his place and he decides how things should be done. The point is
not for someone to force anyone else, just like you cannot compel
anyone into making a Lag B’Omer parade a certain way. However,
general opposition to those who are involved in publicity in their
area is unfounded on what the Rebbe said. In fact, it is the exact
opposite of what the Rebbe said.
*
Even after the Rebbe gave his consent and encouraged publicizing
Moshiach’s identity, in the final analysis we were not given a
clear directive about this, and it is only a “personal mivtza.”
Why then is it so important to publicize Moshiach’s identity,
and not to simply stick to the main point which the Rebbe himself
stressed: publicizing the prophecy that Moshiach is coming?
Rabbi
Wilchansky: First of all, we must emphasize that publicizing
Moshiach’s identity is not a separate mivtza, but an
inseparable part of the mivtza of disseminating the besuras
ha’Geula. In the sicha at the Kinus HaShluchim in
5752, the fundamental sicha for the shlichus of kabbalas
pnei Moshiach, the Rebbe stressed that kabbalas pnei
Moshiach means explaining the idea of Moshiach as it is
explained in Torah. This includes everything about Moshiach,
including Moshiach’s identity, which is stressed in the
teachings on Geula.
Saying
that publicizing Moshiach’s identity is a personal mivtza
is a big mistake originating from the point we mentioned earlier
– ignorance of the Rebbe’s teachings on the topic. The Rebbe
publicized sichos revealing the existence of the Moshiach
of the generation and discussed how the students of the Amoraim
related to their teachers as the Moshiach of the generation. Above
all else, the Rebbe published a pamphlet dealing with Beis
Rabbeinu she’b’Bavel – the beis midrash of
Moshiach, built as a preparation for the future Mikdash. Is
all this to be understood as a personal mivtza?
The
fact is that since the Rebbe encouraged this so strongly and
encouraged the singing of “Yechi” before the entire
world, it is, therefore, in no way a personal mivtza. The
minute the Rebbe supported it, it went out of the province of an
idea of some individual Chassid, and became the Rebbe’s own inyan.
Would anyone think that since somebody received the Rebbe’s
approval for opening a Chabad mosad, that this was a
“private mosad” because the idea originated with an
individual?
Rabbi
Greenberg: Anyone who is mekarev a Jew to Torah and mitzvos
will obviously not begin by learning the entire Torah with him and
require that the person become fully observant in one day. First
he’ll have him do a few easy mitzvos and then he’ll
guide him further. However, his goal is always clear to him —
that this Jew needs to be a G-d fearing individual who fulfills
all the mitzvos punctiliously.
Here
too, publicizing Moshiach’s identity is connected with the idea
of a Jew accepting the Rebbe’s malchus, which is
fundamental to the entire topic of Geula. After all, it
would be impossible for someone to hear that Moshiach is already
here and will redeem us momentarily, and he is already “a king
of the house of David,” and yet ignore his existence!
*
But why is it important to know who Moshiach is, when the main
point is knowing that Moshiach is coming and doing whatever is
possible to bring him?
Rabbi
Majesky: The Rebbe explained this on a number of occasions. In the
sicha of Mishpatim 5751, the Rebbe says that “the
appointment of Dovid Malka Meshicha already happened and now the
only thing that remains [to be done] is the acceptance of his malchus
by the people.” This means that there is the idea of
accepting the malchus, and this is not only for Chassidim.
This idea of kabbalas ha’malchus was repeated in the sicha
of Noach 5752 in connection to “and they sought Hashem their G-d
and Dovid their king,” which is the source for asking for and
accepting Malchus Beis Dovid.
It
is interesting to note that Rashi on that verse cites the Midrash
enumerating three things that Bnei Yisroel must
demand in order to bring the Geula: Malchus Shamayim
(the Kingship of Heaven), the building of the Mikdash, and Malchus
Dovid (the Kingship of Dovid). In other words,
requesting the Kingdom of Dovid affects the bringing of the Geula.
I
once heard Chassidim say that these three things are mirrored in
the three things the Rebbe emphasized: the request for Malchus
Shamayim with the cry of “ad masai,” which relates
to the general idea of Galus, which conceals G-dliness; the
building of the Beis HaMikdash with the song “SheYibaneh
Beis HaMikdash” in tefillos and farbrengens;
and encouraging “Yechi,” which is connected to the Malchus
Beis Dovid.
Each
of these three has its time. There was a time that the Rebbe
stressed the building of the Beis HaMikdash, a time
that the Rebbe emphasized the idea of “ad masai,” and
since Simchas Torah 5753, the Rebbe stressed the idea of “Yechi
Adoneinu.”
In
general, in a large portion of the sichos that the Rebbe
said in 5752, especially the sicha at the Kinus
HaShluchim, the Rebbe stressed that the avoda that is
needed now is kabbalas pnei Moshiach. That means that there
is someone specific whom we have to greet.
Rabbi
Wilschansky: In addition to what was mentioned before, knowing
who is Moshiach is part of the inyanei Geula in the Torah.
Knowing that Moshiach is already in the world changes the entire
topic of Geula into something immediate and tangible. The
Rebbe said, in the sicha of Mishpatim 5752, that the
meeting of heads of state to dismantle weapons symbolizes the
beginning of Moshiach’s activities and influence on the nations
of the world. The lesson to be learned is that the knowledge that
Moshiach is here strengthens a person’s faith in his coming and
turns the concept into something real and tangible. He feels that
there is something here which is about to develop and expand in
the near future.
However,
all these explanations are only from our limited perspective; the
primary enthusiasm, however, must stem from the fact that the
Rebbe encouraged it so much. This in itself shows us how important
it is.
We
see a strong emphasis on the Rebbe being Moshiach. “Melech
HaMoshiach” is added to the title of “Kvod K’dushas
Rebbe shlita,” etc. Why is it so important to emphasize
this? We always lived with the Rebbe knowing that he is the Rebbe,
the Nasi and Melech HaMoshiach, yet we did not feel
the need to stress it all the time. What has changed?
Rabbi
Wilschansky: We learn this from the Rebbe’s conduct.
Immediately after the sicha of 28 Nissan, in the sicha
of Tazria-Metzora in which the Rebbe told us to study inyanei
Moshiach and Geula, the Rebbe spent time discussing the
behavior of the students of the Amoraim who considered
their teacher Moshiach. The Rebbe is medayek (exacting) in
Rashi’s wording that they too (the teachers) also
extrapolated this from their own names. The Rebbe adds, “And we
Chassidim follow after them.” The Rebbe connects the name of the
Rebbe Rayatz and Moshiach. I heard that the Rebbe spent a lot of
time on this topic and edited and corrected it and then edited and
corrected it again.
Afterwards
too, many sichos on the besuras ha’Geula are full
of this topic of Moshiach’s identity. For example: the famous sicha
of Shoftim 5751 about publicizing the prophecy. The Rebbe explains
throughout the sicha about the return of prophecy to
Moshiach himself; and the sicha of Mishpatim 5752 in which
the Rebbe speaks about the beginning of Moshiach’s impact on the
nations. This is in addition to the Rebbe’s constant connecting
of the title “Moshiach of the generation” to the title of “Nasi
HaDor.” But even greater than that is when the Rebbe writes
that the word “miyad” alludes to the names of the Rebbe
Rashab, the Rebbe Rayatz, and the Rebbe himself. Regarding the
other Rebbeim, the Rebbe only mentions their names: Dov Ber
and Yosef Yitzchok. But when it comes to his own
name, the Rebbe writes: “Moshiach” and then adds
“Menachem” in parentheses.
Rabbi
Majesky: One could ask why we use the expression “Adoneinu
Moreinu v’Rabbeinu” when the main point is that
he is the Rebbe and then, of course, he is our master, our
teacher, and Rebbe. So why do we have to spell it out, as we see
that in the beginning of every letter that a Chassid writes the
Rebbe, he writes, “K’vod k’dushas Admur shlita.
The answer is that this term was originated by the Rebbeim, our
leaders, when they referred to their fathers, the Rebbeim, as the
Rebbe said about the previous Rebbe, “K’vod k’dushas my
father-in-law, Admur.” We follow what they did. The same
goes for the title “Adoneinu Moreinu v’Rabbeinu Melech
HaMoshiach,” which follows along the lines of what the Rebbe
taught us.
Another
point. This is not just because of some source, but it is more of
a regesh Chassidi (Chasidic sensitivity). Since in recent
years we accepted – with the Rebbe’s encouragement – his malchus
as Melech HaMoshiach, this is how we relate to him
all the time. Perhaps it is also because the Rebbe as Moshiach is
something that hasn’t been fully absorbed that we see a need to
emphasize it again and again. Along the lines of what the Rebbe
said in the sicha of Purim 5747 (section 24) —
that we must speak a lot about Moshiach in order to negate the
enticements of the yetzer, which seeks to weaken our effort
in bringing Moshiach – we too must increasingly publicize the
fact that the Rebbe is Moshiach in order to do away with any
doubts.
Rabbi
Greenberg: The members of the Vaad L’Hafotzas Sichos
said that in the wake of the hisorerus in the winter of
5753 when the Rebbe began encouraging the singing of “Yechi,”
they asked for the Rebbe’s sanction in adding the title Melech
HaMoshiach to the Rebbe’s name. Here is their question
and the answer they received:
The
secretary informed the Rebbe about the new book and read the first
lines of the introduction in which the title Melech HaMoshiach
is used, and asked the Rebbe: “It says ‘the Rebbe Melech
HaMoshiach’ – does the Rebbe mind?” The Rebbe shook his head
no. The secretary asked again, saying that this was the first time
that MH”M is being used in print in an official Kehos
publication. Was the Rebbe opposed to it? The Rebbe shook his head
no. The secretary asked in conclusion: So it is possible to
continue to write it? The Rebbe nodded in the affirmative.
Since
the Rebbe gave his consent to add Melech HaMoshiach to his name,
it is significant and has a purpose. This goal was not present
years before; it was something new when the Rebbe gave his
approval.
(To
be continued.)
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