Noach 5752: Geuloh is Dependent Only on Moshiach Himself
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Noach 5752: Geuloh is Dependent Only on Moshiach Himself

The chosid R’ Zushya Willemovsky, “The Partisan”, was told by the Rebbe in a private audience in the 1960s that there remained 20 or 21 things that needed to be accomplished in order for Moshiach to come.  From this we learn the significance of the sichos of Dvar Malchus in general, and parshas Noach in particular — that everything has been accomplished and nothing is preventing the Geuloh.

In this sicha, the Rebbe speaks about the importance of periodically making a proper spiritual accounting (cheshbon tzedek) to search out a recognize the areas in ourselves which need improvement, even things that are very slight imperfections (such as causing someone to feel bad because we didn’t return their greeting(!)).  This should be done with joy, with recognition that it is easier than ever to rectify these matters because the Jewish people, who are like one body, “are found in a state of an individual who is healthy in all of his limbs and organs, both spiritually and physically, and thus anything that is lacking is likened to a weakness or a minor illness in one limb which can be healed quickly and easily”.

Furthermore, when a person takes stock of himself and recognizes that he has flaws and failings which need to be rectified, “this is not a contradiction, G-d forbid, to the testimony of the Leader of the Generation that the work has already been completed and we are standing ready to receive Moshiach Tzidkeinu.”  Yes, we need to search these things out, and upon identifying them to rectify them, but these things do not delay Moshiach’s coming.

Dependent Only on Moshiach Himself

“With absolute certainty all the ‘end times’ have passed, and [the Jewish people] have already done tshuva, and now the matter is not dependent upon anything other than Moshiach Tzidkeinu himself!“  (Italics in the original.)  Towards the end of the sicha the Rebbe repeats: “…when we do a proper accounting at  the end of the first week of the year 5752, “it will be a year with wonders in it”, we come to the conclusion that the matter is not dependent upon anything other than Moshiach Tzidkeinu himself (as stated above)…”

It might seem that the implication of these words is that we have done all that we can do, now all that remains would be to wait for Moshiach to decide when to reveal himself.  However, this sicha was preceded a half a year earlier by the famous sicha of Chof-Ches Nissan, 5751, where the Rebbe told the Chassidim that he had done everything he could do, all that remains is to give it over to us to bring Moshiach.  (Several days later a woman passed by the Rebbe for dollars, crying that we were counting on the Rebbe to bring Moshiach, to which the Rebbe answers “it must be done by Klal Yisroel, you included, and this person included, and that person included…”)

This means that we need a different way to understand the expression “the matter is not dependent upon anything other than Moshiach Tzidkeinu himself” — since the Rebbe clearly has put in the hands of the Jewish people to “do all that you can” to bring Moshiach in actuality.  Meaning that it is clearly not the Rebbe’s intention that we stand around demanding of Moshiach: “reveal yourself!”  If that’s the case, that it’s not enough to wait patiently (or, even impatiently) — then what is implied by the matter being dependent upon Moshiach himself?

We can better understand this expression in light of the words of the Rebbe in the sicha of Chayeh Sara (three weeks after this parshas Noach) in which the Rebbe describes the chiddush, the change in the shlichus which becomes the new gateway for the rest of the efforts of shlichus, namely: “to accept Moshiach Tzidkeinu in the true and complete Geuloh.”  (Italics in original.)

ACCEPTING HIM AS KING

 This sheds light on the expression in our sicha, “that the matter is not dependent upon anything other than Moshiach Tzidkeinu himself ” — it is not that we are waiting for Moshiach to do something, since we already know that we are the ones who have to do (“do all that you can“).  Rather, the statement comes to tell us what it is that we need to do, that our efforts to bring Moshiach pertain to Moshiach himself: to accept this individual as Moshiach, to make him (personally — my, and collectively — our) King.  What the King commands, his subjects fulfill without question (and without checking first with the nefesh habehamis to see if it’s comfortable).  As understood from the midrash that is brought in Chassidus about the the nation who requested a certain individual to be their king.  He responded simply: accept upon yourself to fulfill my decrees, then I’ll accept to be your king.

Everything else has been done, the road has been paved to Moshiach.  Now, all that remains is the acceptance of his Kingship by the people.   Real acceptance, by each one of us, like a subject to a king (an inner change which goes beyond the slogans).  This is what will “flick the switch” to the true and complete Geuloh!

Noach “Saw a New World”
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Noach “Saw a New World”

The opening verse in Parshas Noach says that “נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו” “Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generations”.  The Midrash on this posuk (Midrash Rabba Noach, 30:8) says in the name of R’ Levi: “Whoever it is said about them ‘he was’ saw a new world.”  The Midrash then enumerates five individuals, the first being Noach, citing that when he and his family exited the ark, they saw a new world.

In what sense did Noach see a new world?  Obviously, it was the same Earth, although following the waters of the flood surely the surface of the Earth looked different than it did previously.  And of course, the evildoers who populated the Earth previously were no longer around.  But can we really say that this is what it means to see a “new world”?

The Rebbe, in the sicha of Noach 5752, clues us in to what is being implied here according to pnimiyus haTorah:

In the creation of the world, the Torah refers to Hashem using two names: YKVK and Elokim.  YKVK is G-dliness that is above the world.  Elokim is the name which indicates concealment, allowing independent-feeling worlds to come into existence.  In the words of Tehillim: “The Sun and a shield [these are the names] YKVK [and] Elokim”.  The name YKVK is the emanation of worlds, the infinite “light” of the worlds, and Elokim is the “shield” or “filter” that conceals the light in order that finite worlds can come into existence.

“That in the reality of the world as it is created via the name Elokim is revealed the name YKVK, until it is recognizable in a revealed way that “YKVK is Elokim” (הוי’ הוא האלקים), that in truth the contraction and concealment (Elokim)  are really the name YKVK. הצמצום וההסתר (אלקים) הוא לאמיתתו שם הוי-ה

(Sicha Parshas Noach, 5752)

Meaning that the world is still the same world that was created via the name Elokim, only that it becomes revealed that really even this name Elokim is just a reduction of the light of YKVK, but not something independent or separate.

So the “new world” that Noach saw was not a new form of creation, but a new perception: he could now perceive how the world of Elokim is really a world of YKVK.  It was recognizable and revealed to him.  He saw the same world but in an entirely new way, thus he saw a “new world”.

We can use this to understand many things the Rebbe is trying to tell us in these Dvar Malchus sichos, giving us the tools to “open our eyes”, including the subject of last week’s sicha regarding “servitude to the nations”.  Over there the Rebbe explains how there is servitude to the nations in the time of Golus, but that this servitude does not extend to our neshomas, nor to our bodies as regards matters of Torah and mitzvos.  And even those things where we must follow the law of the land because “dina d’malchusa dina” (the law of the land is the law) is not because we are in servitude to the nations of the world, but because this is how Hashem wants it to be in the time of Golus.

In those short paragraphs, the Rebbe has opened our eyes to a “new world”: a world where there is no servitude to the nations, which is the definition of (the first period of) the Days of Moshiach!  In other words, if one is in a personal Golus and in fact believes that the Jewish people is in servitude to the nations, then in fact he is in such a state, r”l.  But when one internalizes what the Rebbe says there, he discovers that not only our neshomas and our bodies (as regards performing Torah and Mitzvos) are not in servitude to the nations, even those areas where we do go according to their decisions (monetary matters and the like) — this is not due to any form of “servitude” but rather it is Hashem’s will!  So by following civil monetary law, we are in fact fulfilling Hashem’s will no less than in other halachic matters!  Externally, it is the same Golus, but the Rebbe has given us the tools to “see through” the darkness of Golus and realize that the concealment of the name Elokim (Golus) is really coming from YKVK — a new world!

This is one example of many to be found in Chassidus in general, the Rebbe’s teachings in particular, and the Dvar Malchus sichos most especially.  By making these changes in our perception and understanding of the world, we place ourselves in a state of Geulah even while the world “continues in its natural way”.  This is the beginning of Yemos Hamoshiach, each one coming to the realization based on his own efforts to internalize these concepts.

Bereishis 5752: Servitude to the Nations is Finished
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Bereishis 5752: Servitude to the Nations is Finished

The Rambam, in his “Laws of Kings and Their Wars and Melech HaMoshiach”, declares that the coming of Moshiach and the process of redemption are not dependent upon the miraculous: “Do not expect that in the Days of Moshiach the pattern of conduct of the world will change, but rather the word will conduct itself in a normal manner…”  “Our sages have taught that there is no difference between this world and the world to come other than servitude to the nations.” (Chapter 12)  This means to say that even in the Messianic Era (the first stage), the world continues to go in a natural way, however the Jewish people are no longer in a state of “servitude” to the nations as they were during golus.

In this sicha, the Rebbe explains how the Jewish nation was chosen by Hashem and thus the entire Creation Continue reading →

Hoshana Raba: the Title “Admur”
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Hoshana Raba: the Title “Admur”

One of the lesser known Sichos of Dvar Malchus (recorded on tape, but not printed), this is a Sicha that has a unique — and maybe even earthshaking — expression by the Rebbe that demands our attention.

To appreciate the way the Rebbe frames it, we need first to understand the following:

According to the siddur arranged by the Alter Rebbe, there is a unique passage that is recited only on Yom Tov, upon opening the aron kodesh before removing the sifrei Torah. It begins with (unless it falls on Shabbos) the recitation of the 13 Attributes of Mercy (”which never return empty”). This is followed by a personal request in which we ask Hashem to fulfill for us (mentioning our own names in the request!) the words of the prophet Yeshaya (11:2):

“Master of the World fulfill the desires of our hearts for the good…that the verse should be fulfilled in us which states ‘a spirit of Hashem shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of advice and might, a spirit of knowledge and fear of Hashem…‘”

Now to the sicha:

For a number of years on Sukkos the Rebbe customarily would speak about the day’s ushpizin, the tzaddikim who arrive as guests to every sukkah each day. The night of Hoshana Raba is Dovid haMelech, as per the Zohar, and the Rebbe Rashab (as the Frierdicker Rebbe revealed). The Rebbe mentions how a son inherits his father, and especially in the case of the Rebbe Rashab who had only one son: the Frierdicker Rebbe (implying that he inherits everything, and of course the subject here is the spiritual inheritance).

The Rebbe then connects this to the fact that the Frierdicker Rebbe in his personal journals (”reshimos“) gives the title “Admur” (meaning “our master our teacher and our Rebbe”) to each of the sons of the Tzemach Tzedek. (This despite the fact that only one son, the Rebbe Maharash, was the Lubavitcher Rebbe — his brothers established alternative courts in different places.). Then the Rebbe fires the blockbuster:

“This gives the power to each one of us, amidst Klal Yisroel, and more than this the expansiveness (“rachvus”) and the broad reach (”hispashtus”) of the title Admur.“

Each one of us an Admur?? Isn’t there only one?? Well, from the sons of the Tzemach Tzedek the Rebbe proves that the spiritual level of Admur is not limited to one individual at a time.

(So it is with the title of Admur, but not so with “Rebbe”. For there can only be one head, as the Rebbe explains elsewhere).

The Rebbe straight away asks: when does this apply? When there is the preparation of Yom Tov, when we ask Hashem to bestow upon ourselves personally the lofty spiritual levels mentioned by the prophet Yeshaya, above.

The Rebbe calls the recitation of this text a tremendous wonder (“der pele hachi gadol”). Why? Because we delay taking out the Torah to recite this request for things that were said by the prophet Yeshaya about Moshiach. We are asking Hashem to bestow upon us these spiritual levels that are bestowed to Moshiach!

The background to the idea is not new, the Rebbe mentions it many times in a more round-about way. For one example in Dvar Malchus, see Va’eira, ch. 11:

Continue reading →
13) Kuntres Rosh Hashono, 5752
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13) Kuntres Rosh Hashono, 5752

Released a few days in advance of Rosh Hashono, the discourse begins with the verse from the prophet Yeshaya: “On that day a great shofar will be sounded, and the ones who are lost in the land of Ashur and the ones who are pushed away in the land of Mitzrayim, will come and prostrate themselves to Hashem on the Holy Mountain in Yerushalayim.”

The Rebbe asks a few questions on this verse: What is special about a “great shofar”? Why does it say that the shofar “will be sounded” without specifying who will be sounding it — it seems as though it will be sounded on its own?

The shofar here is explained in spiritual terms: the cry of the innermost point in the heart which is above intellect. This cry draws down the corresponding level from Above, meaning the Supernal Will which transcends the level of Chochma (usually translated as “wisdom”).

There is a different verse that describes the shofar as being sounded by Hashem, but that verse refers only to a “shofar” and not a “great shofar”.  But the “great shofar” of the future is sounded from a level higher than any of Hashem’s names!

At Matan Torah there was also the sound of a shofar, but not a “great shofar” — because the shofar of the future will be even greater than at Matan Torah.  The reason (given in the name of the Mitteler Rebbe) is that at the time of Matan Torah the entire Jewish people were in a state of closeness with G-dliness קירוב לאלקות and therefore a “regular” shofar was sufficient to awaken their hearts.  But the shofar of the future, of the true and complete Geuloh, has to reach the “lost” and the “pushed away”, who are far from G-dliness, and therefore in order to reach them requires the “great shofar”. This also explains why it seems that it will be sounded “by itself” — because in order to awaken those who are so far from any interest or recognition of G-dliness will require a cry from Above, by itself, without any awakening from below at all. Now, on every Rosh Hashono, we sound a regular shofar, meaning that through our effort we awaken and draw down from Above.  But the great shofar of the future is drawn down by itself without any effort from below.

However, there is a question: we find that the great shofar of the future is likened to our own sounding of the shofar (by our own effort) on Rosh Hashono — they couldn’t be more different! The Rebbe explains Continue reading →

Kuntres Beis Rabbeinu Sh’b’Bavel: The Place of the Beis Hamikdosh in Golus
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Kuntres Beis Rabbeinu Sh’b’Bavel: The Place of the Beis Hamikdosh in Golus

In honor of the laying of the cornerstone of the expansion of 770 Eastern Parkway on 17 Elul, 5751, we present this vital explanation of the significance of the building.

“I will be for them a small sanctuary (mikdash me’at) in the lands where they will come.” (Yechezkiel 11:16)

Our sages explain this posuk to mean that even outside of Eretz Yisroel, in the place and time of golus, there is a “small mikdash” which is a scaled-down example of the “great mikdash” in Yerushalayim.  Rebbi Yitzchok in the gemora (Megillah 29a) said that this refers to the shuls and study halls in Bavel (Babylon), and Rebbi Eliezer said that this is “Beis Rabbeinu sh’b’Bavel” — “the house of our Rebbe in Bavel”.

The Rebbe, as might be expected, holds that these two sages do not have an argument, that each one surely agrees with the opinion of the other; the only difference is what they consider to be the main and most important fulfillment of the prophecy of “mikdash me’at“.  Rebbi Eliezer holds that it is the study hall (place of learning) and shul (place of Tefilla) of “Rabbeinu”.  Every shul possesses this quality in a small measure, but the primary and most complete manifestation of it is in the shul and study hall of the Rav whose Torah decisions are followed by the people of the city.  And, in a fuller sense, there is one place which is the main “mikdash me’at” in the time of golus: the shul and study hall of the leader of the generation.

Our sages state that “Everywhere that Yisroel were exiled, the Shechina was exiled with them.”  The sages in our gemora asked where in Bavel is the Shechina to be found?  Abaye answered: in the shul of Hutzal and the shul of Shaf v’Yosiv in Nehardea — sometimes here and sometimes there.  These were two unique shuls in Bavel, the first being close to the study hall of the revered Ezra the Sofer, the second being built from stones that were brought from the Beis Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim and “the Shechina was always found there” (Rashi).   It called “Shaf v’Yosiv” (meaning “uprooted and [re]settled”) to indicate that “the Mikdash travelled and settled there”.  It was literally the Beis Hamidkash of that generation, as “the revelation of the Shechina that was in the Beis Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim (and nowhere else) traveled and settled in this special place in Bavel, in place of the Mikdash in Yerushalayim.“

Of course, the Shechina dwells in every shul where Jews gather for Tefillah, and every study hall where they learn Torah, but nowhere is the Shechina more revealed than in the Beis Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim, or (in the time of golus) in these special buildings.   Similarly we find that “in the future the shuls and study halls of Bavel will be established in Eretz Yisroel” — this is true of every shul and study hall, all of which will be connected to the Third Beis Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim.  And when these places are relocated to Eretz Yisroel, the revelation of the Shechina will also return to Eretz Yisroel, and there will no longer be a revelation of the Shechina outside the land of Israel where the “mikdash me’at” stood.  The Rebbe adds (quoting the Maharsha): Continue reading →

Parshas Nitzovim, 5751: The Intrinsic Connection
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Parshas Nitzovim, 5751: The Intrinsic Connection

The Rebbe brings out from a year where Rosh Hashana falls out on Monday and Tuesday an emphasis on the special value of the avodah of Yidden.  The world as it was first created was perfect, but it was a limited level of perfection.  Only through the avoidah of Yidden — an infinite neshoma enclothed in a limited physical body — can the world transcend itself and achieve a higher level of perfection.  This is the idea, discussed in other sichos, of 10 and 11: the number 10 represents original perfection, and the number 11 transcends that original perfection.

The Rebbe also returns to the concept mentioned in last weeks sicha: that a Jew’s connection to Hashem is intrinsic and not dependent on his performance of Torah and Mitzvos.  Torah and Mitzvos simply serve to reveal his intrinsic connection.  The Rebbe says that by emphasizing a Jew’s essential connection to Hashem this serves to in turn bring out a greater commitment to Torah and Mitzvos — because in truth a Jew really only does Torah and Mitzvos because this is an expression of his true nature.  In other words, we remove all aspects of fear of punishment and we find that he will do mitzvos even more enthusiastically!

And, as the Alter Rebbe said, that Moshiach’s arrival would be publicized in the newspapers, the Rebbe states:

May the Redemption come immediately, indeed, may it be that it has already come. For the newspapers have already written about Moshiach’s coming — may they continue to write more and may these articles be in the past tense for Moshiach’s coming will already be a reality.

Moshiach in the Newspapers (Photo: Marc Asnin)

Moshiach in the Newspapers 15 March, 1992 (Photo: Marc Asnin)

[Ki] Savo 5751: Hashem’s Will is Really Yours
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[Ki] Savo 5751: Hashem’s Will is Really Yours

The midrash says that there are two “firsts”, Yisroel and the Torah, and we don’t know which came first.  Until we see that in the Torah it states “command bnei Yisroel”, “say to Bnei Yisroel” , now we know that Yisroel came first.  This is the concept of Bikkurim.

The Torah commands us that upon entering and settling Eretz Yisroel, we are to offer Bikkurim, the “first fruits” of the 7 species of which Eretz Yisroel is praised.  These first fruits, the initial blossoming of the seven species, are brought to the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim, placed in a basket, presented to the Cohen and given to Hashem.

It turns out, then, that these first fruits achieve the highest purpose that is attainable — to be offered to Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash.  The purpose of having fruits in the world, of the world itself, is represented by Continue reading →

Ki Seitze: Adding “the” Mitzvah
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Ki Seitze: Adding “the” Mitzvah

The ruling of the Rambam is well-known: every individual should consider that the fate of the entire world is in his hands. By performing a single mitzvah, one person can tilt the scales of judgement and bring salvation to himself and the world.

In the Sicha of Ki Seitze 5751, the Rebbe describes how the reward for Mitzvos is, metaphorically, locked in a chest. This chest is in the possession of all Jews.*

Screenshot_2018-08-22-15-46-09-1-2

“Not only that, but he has the ability and the permission to open the chest (and to reveal the reward) any time he wants — by adding “one mitzvah” more, that through this [mitzvah] ‘he will tilt the scales…'”

Those who learn the Sichos are already familiar with this Rambam (the Rebbe showed an enthusiasm for this Rambam over the years). But, in general, the Rebbe adds a new dimension in his use of sources, and especially regarding the Sichos of Nun-Alef/Nun-Beis we should be on the lookout for new dimensions of understanding.

We offer the following insight: Continue reading →

Ki Seitze Insight: Mouths Filled with Laughter — the Future is Now!

Near the end of the sicha (ois 15) the Rebbe makes an astonishing statement that demands our attention.  The verse in Tehillim (126:2) states “then our mouths will be filled with laughter” (אז ימלא שחוק פינו), upon which the gemara (Brochos 31a) comments:

Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: One is forbidden to fill his mouth with mirth in this world, [= as long as we are in exile (in the name of the Ge’onim)], as it is stated: “then will our mouths fill with laughter and our lips with song”. When will that joyous era arrive? When “they will say among nations, the Lord has done great things with these”.

The emphasis is that “then” is referring to the time of the future Geuloh (and thus it is explained throughout Torah, including Toras HaChassidus of all of the Rebbeim, including the Rebbe).  The time to “fill our mouths with laughter” is at the time of the Geuloh.  Now comes the amazing chiddush of the Rebbe:

“Then (in the time to come, l’asid lavo) we will fill our mouths with laughter.”, which, in our generation, the Nossi of the generation, my father-in-law the Rebbe, whose second name is Yitzchok, from the root meaning laughter and joy, and he is the 8th Nossi from the Baal Shem Tov (8 being the gematria of “then” in our posuk אז), the inyan of “we will fill our mouths with laughter” is done (not in the future tense, “then”, but rather) in the present tense.

A verse that is universally explained to be referring to the time of the Geuloh, some time in the future, is now explained by the Rebbe to be something that is occurring (or can occur) now!  To better understand what Continue reading →