Insights

The Main Prophecy of “Immediately to Geuloh”
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The Main Prophecy of “Immediately to Geuloh”

You may have learned the sicha of Parshas Shoftim many times, but you probably never noticed the real meaning of what the Rebbe calls “the main prophecy” of this generation: “Immediately to Geuloh”. Let’s read the original:

There is an instruction to publicize to all the people of the generation that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose and appointed an individual with free choice, who in and of himself is immeasurably higher than all the people of his generation, who will be … the Novi of the generation … who will give advice regarding the Divine service of the entire Jewish people and all the people of this generation, in all matters of Torah and Mitzvos, and as regards the general conduct of daily life … up until — the main prophecy — the prophecy of “immediately to Geuloh” and immediately “behold this one (Moshiach) comes”.

(Dvar Malchus, parshas Shoftim, section 11)

There is much to understand in this short excerpt from the sicha, but we wish to examine one small (or maybe not so small) point. We will focus on the words “the main prophecy — the prophecy of “immediately to Geuloh…”

The first thing to know is that in 5701 (1941) the Frierdicker Rebbe came out with the call of “L’alter L’teshuva L’alter L’Geuloh” — “immediately to repentance, immediately to Redemption.” First there is the Jew’s act of repentance, then comes the Redemption. The Rebbe repeated this message over the years, even after the “immediately” may have seemed to have expired due the length of years since it was said.

The first chiddush here is obvious and well known: that the “main prophecy” is not that of the Frierdicker Rebbe. Teshuva is not mentioned, only “immediately to Geuloh”. This is easily clarified by the Rebbe’s words in the month of Marcheshvan, two months after this sicha, when the Rebbe states that the Jewish people have already done Teshuva. Indeed a significant chiddush!

Since “L’alter L’teshuva” literally means “immediately to [do] teshuva”, it is self-understood that the amount of time this will take is dependent on the Yidden themselves — how long until they do teshuva? Thus, it is clear that this is both a promise/prophecy as well as a call to action (note that it was initially published in 5701 in a “Kol Koreh”, translated as a “call to action”). The prophecy is that when Teshuva will be done, then immediately begins the process of Geuloh. The call to action is: you must do teshuva! No one would mistakenly think that the Frierdicker Rebbe was giving a prophecy that in a few moments a spirit of repentance will come from Above and arouse everyone to Teshuva “immediately” and then “immediately” there will be Geuloh. Quite obviously, the Teshuva is dependent on our action.

And this is the model for the “main prophecy” of the Novi of our generation, the Rebbe MH”M, in saying “L’alter L’Geuloh”, “immediately to Geuloh”. If the words of this nevuah were “immediately Geuloh”, then we could take it to be a forecast of the immediate future, a “heads-up” that the Geuloh is going to fall from the heavens any moment. After all, one of the tasks of a Novi is to tell the people what is going to be.

But a Novi is not just a G-dly future-teller. He tells what is going to happen in order to arouse the Jewish people to action. The prophecies of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash that Yirmiyahu said, for example, were not just glimpses into future events — they were for the purpose of warning and awakening the Jewish nation to do Teshuva and prevent his prophecies from materializing. As the Rebbe brings from the Yalkut Shimoni (Yirmiyahu remez 264; see maamar “Gadol Yihiyeh Kvod Habayis Hazeh…” note 26): Hear the words of Torah so you won’t need need to hear the words of the prophets. Hear the words of the prophets so you won’t need to hear words of rebuke…hear it while alive so you won’t need to hear it dead…” Prophecy is a call to action.

So, too, in this “main prophecy” of the Novi of our generation, which doesn’t mention repentance. What is the call to action here? As noted, the words are “immediately to Geuloh” (and not “immediately the Geuloh”) — just as there is a path of individual and collective avoidah of repentance, there is also a path and avoidah of Geuloh! This explains why the Rebbe “wraps” this main prophecy in his description that the Novi gives advice and guidance regarding the Divine service of the entire Jewish people in all matters of Torah and Mitzvos, and the general conduct of daily life…up until the main prophecy (and main avoidah) of proceeding to Geuloh.

The Dvar Malchus sichos are filled with instructions. Instructions to us how to behave in a Geulohdike manner, how to think in a Geulohdike manner, how to respond to events in a Geulohdike manner. The Rebbe is giving us a Shulchan Aruch of the avoidah of Geuloh, of bringing Geuloh and internalizing Geuloh. Not “L’alter Geuloh” but rather “L’alter L‘Geuloh” — not “immediately Geuloh” but rather “immediately to Geuloh” by following the instructions of the Novi. By understanding this properly it accomplishes two things:

First, it removes any questions about an expiration date, chas v’sholom. This is a call to action, and depending on our actions we determine the amount of time of this word “immediately”.

Secondly, it gives us the proper recallibration: once there was avoidas habirurim, once there was avoidas haTeshuva, now there is avoidas HaGeuloh. Just as there were no shortcuts and no free-lunches in the earlier avoidos, nor any time limit other than our own diligence in performing the avoidah — same thing now with avoidas HaGeuloh. Geuloh is “standing on the doorstep”, waiting for us to shlep it into our lives in accordance with the instructions and guidance and prophecies of the Novi of our generation, the Rebbe, Melech haMoshiach, whose main prophecy is calling us to action!

יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד!

Re’eh: It’s All Good, Including the Curses!
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Re’eh: It’s All Good, Including the Curses!

Our parsha begins with the verse “Behold (re’eh), I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.”  The Rebbe, very noticeably, does not include that last word (“curse”) when discussing the verse in our Sicha.  The point will become clear as we examine how the Rebbe illustrates this with a story from the gemora.

In tractate Moed Koton the gemora tells how Rebbi Shimon, the famous Rashbi, instructed his son Elazar to approach two sages they encountered and to request their blessings.  Elazar obeyed his father and asked them for their blessings.  The two sages were happy to oblige, but their blessings don’t sound like blessings at all!  Among their choice words: “You should sow but not reap… confusion should reign at your table…” — These are blessings?!

Elazar returned to his father and complained that not only didn’t these sages give him blessings, but their words left him disturbed!  Rashbi asked him Continue reading →

Golus — Even While the Light of Geuloh is Shining?
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Golus — Even While the Light of Geuloh is Shining?

The human eye can perceive light.  But only when it has a wavelength between approximately 380 nanometers (seen as violet) and 750 nanometers (seen as red). But these light rays are only a small fraction of the very broad spectrum of rays that exist, from 0.0001 nanometers in wavelength to a full meter.  This covers Gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, microwaves, and radio waves — none of which the human eye can perceive.

But this is not a science lesson — what does it have to do with Geuloh?

We will see that it is a basis for understanding how the Rebbe can say that the Geuloh is here, all the end times have passed, and yet we remain in golus.  On the face of it, there is no logical basis to say that Continue reading →

12-13 Tammuz: the Rashbi Connection, the Geuloh Connection
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12-13 Tammuz: the Rashbi Connection, the Geuloh Connection

After his arrest by Communist authorities for the “crime” of being involved in spreading Yiddishkeit, the Previous Rebbe was imprisoned under terrible conditions for 18 days in 5687 (1927).1 He was sent to exile in the city of Kostrama on Gimmel Tammuz of that year. Nine days later, on the 12th of Tammuz, he was informed that he would be released from his exile, but due to the official offices being closed the certificate of release did not come until the next day, the 13th of Tammuz. Thus, his release is celebrated as a two-day yom tov: 12-13 Tammuz.

Those are the external causes as they enclothed themselves in this world. But we know from Chassidus that the real reason for events is deeper, sourced in a more spiritual dimension. The “hasgacha protis” that the release of the Previous Rebbe from this ordeal is eternally celebrated on the 12th and 13th of Tammuz should grab our attention. What is this fact coming to tell us?

THE RASHBI CONNECTION

We know that there exists a “Rashbi connection” with Continue reading →

Rebbi Akiva’s Opinion on Gimmel Tammuz
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Rebbi Akiva’s Opinion on Gimmel Tammuz

Everything in the life of the Rebbe’s chassidim is guided by the Rebbe’s teachings. But when something occurs for which we don’t have explicit instructions — such as Gimmel Tammuz — we must look in the Rebbe’s Torah for guidance.

Many will say that the Rebbe in fact does give explicit instructions for Gimmel Tammuz. For example the most recent sicha of 5751 where the Rebbe informs us that in 5687, despite the confusion as to what was going on, the transfer of the Rebbe Rayatz to exile in Kostrama was “the beginning of the Geuloh” (as would be determined later with his ultimate release on 12-13 Tammuz, 5687). Nonetheless, not every chosid can accept that what the Rebbe said regarding the “beginning of the Geuloh” of the Rebbe Rayatz can so easily be applied to the far more confusing event of Gimmel Tammuz, 5754. Yet, even this split as to how to respond to the situation after Gimmel Tammuz 5754 is explained in the Rebbe’s teachings, as we hope to show.

In Likkutei Sichos volume 19 is printed a famous sicha explaining an aggadeta at the end of Mesechta Makos. The aggadeta describes two incidents involving Rebbi Akiva while he was travelling with three other sages (Rabban Gamliel, Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, and Rebbi Yehoshua). What concerns us here is the second incident:

The four were going up to Yerushalayim (after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash). When they Continue reading →

28 Sivan a Preparation for Gimmel Tammuz?

We find that the Rebbe teaches a firm principle: the flow of the year is a continuum.  This means to say that each holiday or commemoration day is a preparation for the one that follows it on the calendar.  For example: Pesach (coming out of Egypt) is a preparation for Matan Torah on Shavuos; the day of Yud Kislev (the redemption of the Mitteler Rebbe) is a  preparation for Yud-Tes Kislev (the day of redemption 29 years earlier of his father, the Alter Rebbe).  The year that things happened in history is of much less significance than the order that they happen on the calendar.

From this we understand that since 28 Sivan precedes Gimmel Tammuz by 5 days — according to the Rebbe’s principle it serves as a preparation for Gimmel Tammuz.  In what do we see this?  On 28 Sivan we celebrate the Rebbe coming to America, being miraculously saved from the “valley of tears” of war-torn Europe.  Gimmel Tammuz is marks the end of the era (until now, at least) when we could see and hear the Rebbe in the usual ways.  What sort of preparation is this one for that one?

The day of 28 Sivan is noted in the “Shalsheles Hayachas” printed (at the Rebbe’s behest) at the beginning of the sefer Hayom Yom.  It begins with the Maharal of Prague, indicating the 7 generations to the Alter Rebbe.  Then it lists by year the major events and accomplishments of each of the Rebbeim of Chabad, concluding with the Rebbe.  For the Rebbe it states (after the year he was born and married) that in “5701 — Sivan — came to the city of New York”.  Not “arrived” (as a refugee) but “came” (purposefully).  A few comments about the Rebbe’s coming to New York:

Firstly, in the farbrengen of Shavuos 5701, about 10 days before Continue reading →

The Hidden Connection: 28 Sivan and July 4th
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The Hidden Connection: 28 Sivan and July 4th

The year 5751 marked the 50th anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival to the United States (together with the Rebbetzin).  That year, the Rebbe received well-wishes from then-President of the United States, George Bush, in honor of the anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival.  We have the Rebbe’s response to President Bush, dated the 3rd of Elul, 5751 (13 August, 1991)1.  After the formal pleasantries, the Rebbe writes something that perhaps conceals more than it reveals.  The Rebbe writes:

“By Divine Providence your kind letter was dated on the morrow of the anniversary of the Nation’s birthday.  It is well to remember that the founders of this Nation considered Independence Day as ‘a day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to G-d Al-mighty.’  By Divine Providence also my arrival in the United States in 1941 coincided with Continue reading →

The Decree is Nullified? But…
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The Decree is Nullified? But…

What does it mean that a decree has been nullified?

In various sichos*, including the Dvar Malchus sicha of Tetzaveh, the Rebbe uses the expression that Haman’s decree was nullified (ביטול גזירת המן).  This expression is actually quite surprising: where in the Megillas Esther do we see that the King’s order containing Haman’s evil decree was rescinded?  The Megillah actually tells us the opposite: Haman’s decree was sealed with the King’s ring, and “a writ that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be rescinded.”**  What actually happened was that the a follow-up decree was issued: the right of the Jews “to assemble and to protect themselves, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish the entire host of every people and province that oppress them.” (Esther 8:11).  The original decree of Haman remained in full force (“cannot be rescinded”), and still the Rebbe calls this the nullification of Haman’s decree?

If we examine this, we will see how it is very relevant to the Geuloh and the sichos of Dvar Malchus.

The question is: how can Haman’s decree be considered to have been nullified?  There are two aspects to the answer.

Firstly, Continue reading →

The Fall of Iran and the Rise of Moshiach
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The Fall of Iran and the Rise of Moshiach

War with Iran is approaching round two – could this be the final groan of golus, the cracking of the shell, the spilling forth of the light of Geuloh that the world is longing for? After all, Iran is simply the preferred modern name of ancient Persia – the very same nation. And we have the testimony of the sages of the Gemara that before Moshiach comes Persia will fall at the hands of Rome![1]

Evidently, we are describing an event of global proportions. But the chess-board of world politics is merely the playing out of an internal spiritual drama of the Jewish people, as Chassidus explains the verse “He gave the world over to their hearts”[2] (גם את העולם נתן בלבם). How should we understand this drama – especially since it is described as being intertwined with the coming of Moshiach?

By attempting to analyze both aspects – both the worldly external events and the inner service of Hashem – based on the words of our sages and the teachings of Chassidus, we will, with Hashem’s help, find them even more significant than we might have thought.

The Fall of Paras: the External Dimension

We will start by mentioning words spoken by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in order to establish the significance of this matter in our generation. The Rebbe told Ron Nachman, mayor of the Israeli city of Ariel, to explain to the Americans that “it is imperative that there be a strong Israel in order to check the spread of the influence of Syria, Iran, and so forth, for they are against the US no less than they are against Israel and maybe moreso.”[3] Clearly, the Rebbe was not discussing with him a sugya in the gemara or esoteric ideas of Chassidus – this is practical advice which even the gentile government in the United States is expected to understand.

Additionally, former Israeli Ambassador Yehuda Avner was interviewed a number of years ago and shared that the Rebbe in the mid-1970s told him (years before the Iranian revolution) that “the emergence of an Islamic Iran carries with it the seeds of jihadism that will spread across the Middle East, threaten Europe, and ultimately the whole of Western Civilization.”[4] We understand clearly that the military threat from Iran is a pressing contemporary issue which in the Rebbe’s view is of the gravest consequence.[5]

Today, it is unfolding before our eyes.

We will now look at the relevant sources in Torah, with hope to gain some small insight into the gravity with which the Rebbe views the developments in Iran (Persia).

The gemara, Yoma 10a, states as follows:

Rebbi said that in the future Rome will fall at the hands of Persia…. Rav said that Persia will fall at the hands of Rome. Rav Kahana and Rav Asi said to Rav: Can the builders [Persia, who permitted the rebuilding of the Holy Temple] fall before the destroyers [Rome, who destroyed the Temple][6]?! He said to them: Yes, it’s a decree of the King.[7]

The commentary of Tosefos[8] clarifies that Persia is the nation destined to fall and adds a critical element: “We were told that in the future Persia will fall at the hands of Rome, that is, in immediate proximity to the coming of Moshiach.” Meaning, it’s not just one of many future events, but an event immediately preceding (-סמוך ל) the coming of Moshiach!

Rome, as we know, is Edom.[9] Edom is commonly understood to mean the Western world in general, and Rome is the center of its financial and military power. Just as Rome was the mightiest and wealthiest world power of its time, so, too, the United States today.

One could, however, ask a question on the relevance of this gemara to our times: Following the first Persian Gulf War, the Rebbe referenced the midrash Yalkut Shimoni that refers to a war in the year Moshiach is revealed and stated that it had been fulfilled that year – what need do we have for Persia to fall at the hand of Rome?! We can answer that the Yalkut Shimoni itself states the difference between “the year Moshiach is revealed” and “the hour Moshiach comes”. The Rebbe stated[10] that the first part – Moshiach was revealed – took place in 5751, and since then we are standing on the cusp of “the hour Moshiach comes”. And further, the Rebbe declares numerous times in these sichos that “kolu kol hakitzin” — “all the end times have passed”!  The task of refining the fallen sparks of holiness (avoidas habirurim) has been completed!  Consequently the Rebbe expresses his astonishment that “Moshiach still hasn’t come!”

In light of this, we can bring an amazing statement from the sefer Yaaros Dvash:[11]

The gemara states that [Moshiach] ben Dovid doesn’t come until the Persians will fall at the hands of the Romans. And the commentators note that it doesn’t state “before [Moshiach] ben Dovid comes” the Persians will fall at the hands of the Romans, but [rather the exclusionary language of “doesn’t come until”] to teach that even if the end-time will arrive, nevertheless it will be delayed until the Persians will fall at the hand of the Romans…[12]

He is describing a time when the final ketz has arrived (as the Rebbe has stated) and there is a perplexing delay in Moshiach’s coming – exactly our situation as per the Rebbe’s description. And the reason, according to Yaaros Dvash, is the matter of the fall of Persia (Iran) at the hands of the Romans (the most powerful of the Western nations).

However, one could protest that the Rebbe responded to the situation (that all the end times have passed and still Moshiach hasn’t come) with astonishment – not an explanation from the Yaaros Dvash! What connection do we find here to the Rebbe’s astonishment and disbelief?!

With a deeper look at the “fall of Persia”, and how it relates to the Rebbe’s declaration that avoidas habirurim has been completed, and especially the gemara’s expression that the fall of Persia is “a decree of the King” – we may find an answer….

Read the rest in the complete PDF:

 

The Fall of Iran and Rise of Moshiach

 

Footnotes:

  1. Yoma 10a. The sages also quote an opposite opinion: Rome will fall at the hands of Persia, but that opinion is considered to have been rejected.
  2. Koheles 3:11, and see Sicha Bo, 5751 (ch. 9) and Bamidbar, 5750 (ch. 7).
  3. Free translation from video at the distribution of dollars on 28 Tishrei, 5752 (6 October 1991).
  4. Interviewed by JEM for the video presentation “Faithful and Fortified”.
  5.  Let us note that “an Islamic Iran” is a combination of Paras (the nation) and Yishmael (the religion of Yishmael). The Mitteler Rebbe (Shaarei Teshuva, ch. 23, p. 91a) writes that “the main aspect of the Geuloh is dependent upon the fall of the Sar (spiritual source) of Yishmael davka, as stated in the Zohar”. The Maharal writes (Netzach Yisrael, ch. 21) that “malchus Yishmael and malchus Paras are all one malchus.” Furthermore, the expression used is that the Sar of Yishmael must “fall”, which matches the gemara that Paras “falls” at the hands of Rome, and Bereishis 25:18 regarding Yishmael: “before all his brothers he will fall.”
  6. The Persian kings who ruled at the end of the Babylonian exile gave permission for the rebuilding of the Second Beis Hamikdosh (see Rosh Hashana 3b/4a). Four centuries later, the Roman general Titus destroyed it. In another sense, the spiritual power of Persia (explained below) allows for the construction of the Mikdosh, whereas the power of Rome destroys it.
  7. Rebbi Yehuda Hanosi was the redactor of the Mishnah. Rav was his student. We must ask why his student rules differently, and specifically why does Rebbi rule that Rome must fall whereas Rav rules that it is Paras that must fall. We might suggest as follows: the gemara in numerous places describes the friendly relationship between Rebbi and the Roman ruler Antoninus. The Yerushalmi (Megillah 1:11) debates whether or not Antoninus actually converted to Judaism (and even if not, “he will be at the head of those who will come to convert in the time to come”). So we see that Rebbi not only lived under Roman rule, but his avoidah included transforming the aspect of Rome from an oppositional force to a friendly force which eventually rejoins the Jewish people (“rejoins” because the ancestor of Rome was Esav, who was a Jew). Rav not only lived in Bavel most of his life, but more importantly he was from the generation that followed the avoidah of Rebbi. His task was to continue to the next stage: the fall of the aspect of Paras as will be explained.
  8. Tractate Avodah Zora 2b, משכא מלכותייהו. Based on the statement that Moshiach comes only after Rome rules the entire world for 9 months. Maharsha on Yoma 10a also accepts this as the final ruling.
  9. Rashi on Bereishis 36:43: “Aluf Magdiel, Aluf Iram, these are the chieftains of Edom…” Rashi: “Magdiel this is Rome”. Pirkei d’Rebbi Eliezer ch. 38. Also Radak on Ovadia 1:1 – “What the prophets said regarding the destruction of Edom at the end of days they said about Rome. Radak on Yeshaya 34:1 – “..the kingdom of Rome they are all Edomim who adhere to the xtian religion, Ibn Ezra on Yeshaya 61:1, and the Ramban “Sefer Hageuloh”.
  10. Dvar Malchus, Parshas Naso 5751.
  11. Yaaros Dvash chelek 2, 162b, drush 7 Adar.
  12.  Also based on the statement that Rome rules the world for 9 months.

Lech Lecho: The 3 Nations and Geuloh
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Lech Lecho: The 3 Nations and Geuloh

We present this worked-over translation of a maamer of the Tzemach Tzedek to give a deeper understanding of the land of the 3 nations mentioned in Dvar Malchus and the connection to Geuloh.

The Borders of the Land of Israel in the Future

We are promised in the Torah that in the time to come the Jewish people will receive the land of Israel consisting not only of the land of the 7 nations of Canaan but also the land of the three nations of Edom, Moav, and Amon (the Keni, Kenizi and Kadmoni).

This being so, we are confronted with a question: The prophecy of Yechezkiel describes the borders of the land of Israel as they will be in the time to come, but in his prophecy they are clearly defined as being the same borders as were conquered by Yehoshua ‐‐ the land of only 7 nations. His prophecy is about the time to come: why doesn’t he mention the lands of the other 3 nations?

This is also connected to the additional three refuge cities (arei miklat) which we are instructed to establish in those lands. These refuge cities are, in turn, associated with the rectification of Hevel.  Kayin was able to kill Hevel because Hevel was already condemned to death (“chayav misa“) for having “gazed at the shechina” while offering his sacrifice.

Chazal (Sanhedrin, 98a) explain Continue reading →