Insights

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 the Previous Rebbe. The verse2 which states that Bnei Yisroel left Mitzrayim with an upraised hand (יד רמה) is translated to Aramaic by Onkelus as “b’reish g’lei” (בריש גלי). The letters of “b’reish” are the initial letters of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai’s name (RASHB”I). The Rebbe points out3 that these letters are also found in the name of the Previous Rebbe: Rabbi Yosef ben Sholom Dovber, solidifying the connection between them. Going out of Mitzrayim for Rashbi was going out of his exile in the cave where he hid from the Romans, just as the Previous Rebbe went out from his exile “with an upraised hand”. How many years was Rashbi in the cave? Correct: 12 years and a 13th year. Let’s examine the connection:

As described in the Gemara4, Rashbi (and his son Rebbi Elazar) sat in the cave where they had fled from the Romans for 12 years. Eliyahu Hanovi came and stood at the entrance to the cave and announced that the decree had been cancelled — Rashbi was free to leave. After 12 years in the cave, Rashbi reached very high levels of holiness. But he could not tolerate the sight of Yidden who chose to be involved in their physical life at the expense of eternal life. “Every place that they cast their eyes was immediately burnt.” A Bas Kol sent them back to the cave, where they remained for another year. After the 13th year a Bas Kol announced that they should go out from the cave. This time, “everywhere that Rebbi Elazar would strike, Rashbi would heal.” What is the connection of the 12 years and the 13th year?

As taught in Chassidus, there are 12 “diagonal boundaries” (י”ב גבולי אלכסון), which refers to the diagonal interconnections between the 7 sefiros (see diagram). As their name suggests they are boundaries which are the limiting dimension of “gevuros“. From this we see how 12 is connected to gevuros, just as Rashbi and his son came out of the cave after 12 years with an abundance of gevuros of kedusha, burning everything that wasn’t up to par. The number 13 is associated with the 13 Attributes of Mercy (Midos Harachamim, י”ג מידות הרחמים) — only after the 13th year in the cave was Rashbi (and later his son, as described in the gemara) able to have a merciful perspective even on those who were busy with the life of this world.

We see how the Previous Rebbe’s release from his exile in the dark Communist caves comes out, by hashgacha protis on the 12th and the 13th. But unlike Rashbi, the Previous Rebbe only came out once: on the 13th, implying that his release was completely on the level of the 13 Midos Harachamim, and lechatchila his redemption included not only those who love the Torah and its Mitzvos, but also “those who are only referred to by the name Yisroel” (ורק אשר בשם ישראל יכונה).

THE GEULOH CONNECTION

We can identify also in these days of the 12th and 13th a connection and a hint to the true and complete Geuloh. It’s well-known that a girl becomes bas mitzvah on her 12th birthday. A boy, however, only becomes bar mitzvah on his 13th birthday. Based on what we learned above about 12 and 13, how does this fit with the age of Mitzvos by a girl and a boy? We could suggest as follows:

A girl’s bas mitzvah at the age of 12 is connected to the words of chazal5: “man releases seed first and a female is born”. Which Chassidus6 explains to mean that when the awakening for Geuloh comes from Above (from the Mashpia to the mekabel), the result is a “female”, implying a weaker offspring, a weaker form of Geuloh which does not have sustaining power. This is the aspect of 12 — a limited form of Geuloh, analogous to the age 12 bas mitzvah of a girl.

A boy’s bar mitzvah at the age of 13 is connected with the verse7 “a woman releases seed first and a male is born”. This is when the awakening for Geuloh is an awakening from below, from the awakening of Yisroel down below. This is an awakening which gives birth to a “male” — a strong and enduring Geuloh, the Geuloh ho’Amitis v’hoShleimoh!

Thus, the Geuloh of the Previous Rebbe includes both dimensions — the assistance of an awakening from Above, together with the critical awakening from below. But the day the Previous Rebbe actually left his exile, the day of his Geuloh b’poal was davka the 13th, the dimension of rachamim unfettered by limitations (even limitations of Holiness), the dimension of complete Geuloh!

  1. Reshimas Hamaasar: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2295408/jewish/A-Prince-in-Prison.htm ↩︎
  2. Beshallach 14:8. ↩︎
  3. Likkutei Sichos 3:874. ↩︎
  4. Shabbos 33b. ↩︎
  5. Niddah 31a. ↩︎
  6. Likkutei Torah, Parashas Tazria. ↩︎
  7. Tazria 12:2. ↩︎

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 reached the point where they could see the Temple Mount they tore their garments (including Rebbi Akiva) as a sign of mourning. As they proceeded and approached the site of the Temple, they saw a fox run out of the Holy of Holies, upon which the three sages began crying, and Rebbi Akiva laughed. “Why are you laughing?!” they asked him. He responded: “Why are you crying?” They answered: “The place about which the verse states ‘a non-Kohen who approaches will die’ and now foxes are are going there and we shouldn’t cry?!” Rebbi Akiva responded: that is why I am laughing. The verse states (Yeshayahu 8:2) “two faithful witnesses will give testimony: Uriah haKohen and Zecharia [the prophet].” The prophecy of one is dependent on the other. Uriah prophesied (about the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash) that “Zion will be plowed like a field”. Zecharia prophesied (about the Geuloh) that “elderly men and women will yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim.” “Now that I see that Uriah’s prophecy was fulfilled, I’m certain that Zecharia’s will be fulfilled.” They said to him: “Akiva, you have comforted us. Akiva, you have comforted us.”

The Rebbe explains Rebbi Akiva’s view as follows: first of all, he could see the good that will come in the end (the Geuloh), and his opinion was that the future good triumphs over any “not pleasant” present. Thus, knowing that the destruction leads to Geuloh demands relating to the future Geuloh and not the present destruction. And more than that: the destruction itself is likened to a “plowed field”, which is not a negative step which one must endure in order to get to better things, but rather the plowing itself is part and parcel of the sowing and reaping. In other words, not only the future good triumphs over the unpleasant present, but the present itself is part of the future good! In the Rebbe’s words: Rebbi Akiva only saw the future good. And this is why the other sages were comforted by his words: because he showed them how the future good was actually already present in the “here and now” (despite how unpleasant it might appear).

Let us translate this as it might apply to Gimmel Tammuz:

All of our four sages agree that on the face of it Gimmel Tammuz is not a happy event. The Rebbe is not seen, the Rebbe is not heard, we don’t see the Rebbe by farbrengens or dollars or kos shel brocha. At the same time, it is appreciated by all that we are proceeding towards Moshiach, and whatever is lacking now is only temporary. The future is good, but the present is “not-so-pleasant”. Why do the sages cry? Because of what is lacking in the present, even if they know that the future will be good. Along comes Rebbi Akiva and not only does he not cry — he laughs! He makes a leibedik farbrengen on Gimmel Tammuz, without even mentioning the word “yohrzeit“!

What is Rebbi Akiva’s “secret”? He sees the future good that will come from this, and that is all he sees! Not only that, but he understands (based on learning the Rebbe’s sichos, especially Dvar Malchus) that “this one is dependent on the other” — that the revelations of the true and complete Geuloh, the revelation of Hashem’s essence, atzmus umahus, are in fact dependent on us doing the work under our own power without relying on the Rebbe visible presence to inspire us. This is the “plowing” that brings to the “sowing” and the “harvesting” — the future good is already here with us, hidden in the “not-so-pleasant present”. From Rebbi Akiva we learn that this knowledge is enough to transform crying to laughter, even while the future good is still hidden.

One more point:

The Rebbe in the sicha asks: why do we need be told the names of all three sages? The Rebbe answers that from their identities we learn that they were all of distinguished lineage: Rabban Gamliel was the Nosi Hador, a scion of the tribe of Yehuda; Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya (himself a future Nosi) was a Kohen, the tenth generation from Ezra Hasofer; Rebbi Yehoshua was a Levi, of those who sang and made music in the Beis Hamikdosh. Due to their outstanding yichus they were overwhelmed to see how low things had fallen after the churban. Rebbi Akiva, however, was the son of converts (“ben geirim“), and he himself was an ignoramus until the age of 40 when he first began learning the basics of Torah. Rebbi Akiva’s very existence was proof of the tremendous good that comes out of “the other side”, and he was thus able to see clearly the future good that will come out of a not-so-pleasant situation in the present. This is unlike the the other sages in our aggadeta, each of whom came from a superlative background, yet they could not see the future good hidden in the not-so-pleasant present until Rebbi Akiva explained it to them.

If we translate that to our present situation, we see that the Rebbe is apprising us of what to expect: those with the most illustrious “gezha” yichusin, those who held the visibly important positions in the Rebbe’s staff, may find it difficult to get past the “not-so-pleasant” change in the state of affairs. To the contrary, the baal tshuvahs, the “newcomers”, and their children may find it easier to grasp the Rebbe Akiva perspective: to see that Gimmal Tammuz is — as the Rebbe states in the sicha — the actual beginning of the Geuloh.

If there are those who, after over 30 years, still haven’t adopted Rebbi Akiva’s perspective, we are forced to say that those who do see Gimmel Tammuz as the beginning of the Geuloh must shoulder a lion’s share of the blame. How many years of wasted efforts were spent arguing with and ridiculing each other?  If we, the Rebbi Akivas, will properly explain these concepts (as a result of we ourselves following the “derech hayashara” of properly learning Inyonei Moshiach and Geuloh), then we are assured by this aggadeta that the others will come around to see things as Rebbi Akiva sees them. Not only that, but they themselves will tell us “Nichamtanu! Nichamtanu!” — you have consoled us!

This alone will surely bring the Geuloh faster!

View the sicha in Likkutei Sichos volume 19 (in Yiddish) here.

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 the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin would set sail for America, the Previous Rebbe said:

According to universal custom, preparations for an important guest begin well in advance.  Every corner in the house is cleaned two weeks in advance, the family talks about the upcoming visit, and the neighbors are duly updated. He’s arriving soon. It’s now close to the time when Mashiach will come. It’s time to prepare for his arrival….  

Many see in this a hint to the arrival to America of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.  The old-timers who were in New York at the time tell that from the moment the Rebbe arrived, “everything changed”.  In fact, the Rebbe even testified on himself that something changed when he arrived to the USA.  At a farbrengen (Chol haMoed Pesach, 5748), the Rebbe addressed his arousal to cry out “Ad Mosai” (“until when” must we remain in golus):

I never heard this from my father, and certainly not from my grandfather. Even from myself, I never heard such talk before I arrived here in the United States…

So even the Rebbe’s impatience for Geuloh started when the Rebbe came to America (on 28 Sivan)!

We could say that 28 Sivan is an aspect of Moshiach being revealed.  Revealed to the Chassidim in America, revealed to the Rebbe himself, revealed in the new activities of Lubavitch that began only after the Rebbe’s arrival.

Based on this, we can see how 28 Sivan is a preparation for Gimmel Tammuz: on 28 Sivan Moshiach is revealed, on Gimmel Tammuz Moshiach is concealed.  As Rashi brings from on Daniel 12:12:

“in the future our Moshiach will be concealed after he has been revealed and will return and be revealed [again]” (שעתיד משיחנו להתכסות אחר שנגלה וישוב ויתגלה)

In order to fulfill the second step of being concealed (with the great value of the Divine service of the period of concealment, as discussed, for example, in the Kuntres of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5751 which addresses the concealment of Erev Rosh Chodesh), there must be the preparation of Moshiach being revealed.  The aspect of revelation of 28 Sivan precedes and prepares for the aspect of concealment of Gimmel Tammuz (and it’s connected to Erev Rosh Chodesh, which is the day after 28 Sivan).  Of course Gimmel Tammuz is not an end in itself — it leads to the ultimate redemption of 12-13 Tammuz.  And as the Rebbe says many times: the Geuloh of 12-13 Tammuz showed in retrospect how Gimmel Tammuz itself was “the beginning of the Geuloh”.  May we bring it about now!

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 the declaration by Congress that year, making July 4th a legal public holiday.”

“The Nation’s birthday” is considered July 4th, the day in 1776 that the original 13 British colonies in America declared independence from the British Crown.  Unlike the famous story of the Pilgrims who came to America for freedom of worship, the Declaration of Independence presents a list of grievances against the British rulership of the colonies, completely political and economic in nature.  It speaks of liberty and freedom and happiness, without mentioning the matter of religion at all.  Nonetheless, the Rebbe chooses a quote from one of the “founders of this Nation”2 that does speak in religious terminology: “a day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to G-d Al-mighty”.3

Here it is interesting to note that this quote is not from any official declaration.  It was written by John Adams (later to serve as the 2nd President of the United States) in a personal letter to his wife.  The Rebbe seems to have chosen to quote it because of its open expression of devotion to G-d Al-mighty. 

FIRST THE FACTS

Let’s examine the next statement in the Rebbe’s letter: 

By Divine Providence also my arrival in the United States in 1941 coincided with the declaration by Congress that year, making July 4th a legal public holiday.

We need to understand what is meant by referring to 1941 as the year that July 4th became a legal public holiday.  Let’s look at the historical facts:

Public records show that in 1870 Congress already established the July 4th as a holiday for the District of Columbia.4  It became a paid holiday for Federal employees in 1938.5  All this occurred in earlier years – why does the Rebbe say it became a legal public holiday in 1941?  The answer might give us deeper insight into the way the Rebbe views things.

In early 1941 it was brought to the attention of the responsible authorities that the resolution of Congress in 1938 (which made July 4th a paid holiday for employees of the Federal government) did not mention municipal employees of the District of Columbia.  (Unlike every other city in the United States which is under state law, the District of Columbia (aka Washington, DC) is not part of any state and is thus subject directly to Federal law.)  Meaning that a postal worker in California or South Dakota (employees of the Federal government) would have a paid day off on July 4th, but a Washington, DC schoolteacher or clerk still had an unpaid holiday.  A corrective resolution (adding a few words to the 1938 resolution) was passed in May, 19416 to include employees of the District of Columbia.  How many people were affected by these resolutions?

Public records indicate that in 1940 there were 1 million Federal employees nationwide7, who received July 4th as a paid holiday in 1938.  The number of municipal employees in the District of Columbia at that time was 9,7858.  Less than 1% of the total people affected by the resolution.  And when looking at the entire American workforce of the time – approximately 45 million9 (who were under state laws and not affected by these resolutions) – the resolution of 1941 affected merely 0.022% of the entire workforce.  That’s less than ⅕ of 1%!  And this the Rebbe refers to as a “declaration by Congress making July 4th a legal public holiday”!

INSIGHTS INTO THE REBBE’S WORDS

Most probably, the Rebbe did not intend for President George Bush to delve into the deeper meaning of the Rebbe’s words.  But from Chassidim it is expected that every expression of the Rebbe, even in a protocol letter to a gentile leader, should be “turned over and turned over”.  As our sages tell us, even mundane things mentioned by Talmidei Chachomim need to be learned10, so let us now examine what the Rebbe might be trying to teach us.

To review the events: 

  1. In 1870 there was a resolution of Congress to make July 4th a holiday (without pay) in Washington, DC; 
  2. In 1938 a resolution to make it a paid holiday for a million Federal employees;
  3. In 1941 a resolution to include another 9,000 DC municipal employees in the paid holiday.

“PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS”

The resolution of 1870 doesn’t seem to interest the Rebbe at all.  The Rebbe considers July 4th to have been declared a legal public holiday by the fact that it became a paid holiday.  A case of “put your money where your mouth is”?  Or perhaps connected with the ruling of the Alter Rebbe regarding Birkas Cohanim11: according to Ashkenazi custom the Cohanim do not bless the congregation on Shabbos because they are troubled from losing a day’s income.  If Cohanim are troubled because they are missing the profits in the marketplace, so certainly, lehavdil, a gentile employee (and surely there were a few Jewish employees here, as well) could feel like it’s raining on his July 4th parade.12

RESOLUTION OF DECLARATION?

This may be connected with the Rebbe’s choice of expression: a “declaration by Congress”.  In fact, this was a “resolution” and not a “declaration”.  But, if we follow the Rebbe’s emphasis that “the action is the main thing” and that a person must be a “living example”, then we understand that only concrete action serves as a meaningful declaration.  Words without action, especially in the political arena, are generally dvorim bateilim.  Practical action is the true declaration.  Thus, the Rebbe terms this resolution of Congress (backed by a day’s pay) to be a “declaration”.

IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER

The resolution of 1941, as pointed out, resulted in a minor correction of less than 1% of workers who were left out of the 1938 resolution.  Yet the Rebbe refers to it not as a correction but as the act itself.  Perhaps along the lines of “everything follows the sealing”13 or “the end of the action was in the initial thought”14.

This also shows the Rebbe’s approach that even if 99% has been achieved – the task has not been accomplished.  There is no such thing as “almost finished”.  Such as a kli that is not subject to tuma’a until it is completed (gmar melacha).15

THE EDICT WAS GIVEN IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL16

The final element of interest is that the significance of the 1941 resolution is that it affected only Washington DC municipal employees.  The million Federal employees who received a paid holiday in 1938 didn’t qualify in the Rebbe’s eyes as declaring it a legal public holiday.  The fact that even after the resolution of 1941 there remained about 45 million workers nationwide most of whom did not yet receive this benefit from their state and local governments – not a concern.  But a few thousand municipal employees of the capital city of Washington, DC – this is what tilted the scale for the Rebbe.  From this we can perhaps see a hint to the significance of a nation’s capital in ruchniyus.  

For example: by a farbrengen in 575217 the Rebbe made mention of “the state of Russia had a revolution and collapse, with the change of the capital city”.  A few months later18 the Rebbe refers to the significance of the name “Shushan Purim”  – that it indicates \the refinement of “the capital city of the le’umas zeh”.  A paid holiday for employees of the capital of the USA seems to tilt the scales against all the other millions of American workers.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN 1941

On a deeper, and more speculative note, it seems that the Rebbe is hinting at something even more substantive.  According to what we have seen, 150 years of July 4th celebrations (whether solemn or otherwise) did not qualify to make July 4th a legal public holiday in the Rebbe’s eyes.  Nor did the Congressional resolutions of 1870 and 1938.  If we will read the Rebbe’s words with a slightly different teitch, perhaps we can understand what the Rebbe is really saying here:

By Divine Providence also my arrival in the United States in 1941 coincided with the declaration by Congress that year, making July 4th a legal public holiday.

It was not the “declaration by Congress that year” that made July 4th (celebrating the establishment of the USA as a nation) into a legal public holiday.  Read it again.  It was the fact that it coincided with “…my arrival in the United States in 1941…” – this is what gave the celebration of July 4th legal status!  (And also halachic status, since dina d’malchusa dina in monetary matters.)  Meaning that celebrating the establishment of this particular nation is given its kiyum and tokef only when, in 194119, it fulfilled its tachlis by opening its doors to Melech HaMoshiach!20

To strengthen that concept, we will bring something told in the name of R’ Yehuda Leib Hoffman (a highly-esteemed Chosid of the Rebbe Maharash and Rebbe Rashab who was considered a master of Kabbalah) which relates to the statement of the Alter Rebbe that the Western Hemisphere (America – chatzi kadur hatachton) did not experience Matan Torah:

R’ Leib foresaw that the Rebbeim would one day end up in the Western Hemisphere. He explained that matan Torah did not occur there since that hemisphere is related to the highest of spiritual levels that cannot be ordinarily related to. However, since Moshiach will reveal these lofty levels, one of the Rebbeim would surely end up there.21

From this it would seem that in addition to a freilechen and shturemdik farbrengen on 28 Sivan, it might be appropriate also to say lechayim on July 4th22.  Since we see that the founding of the United States was a preparatory step in enabling Melech Hamoshiach to come to fulfill his shlichus of making a dira b’tachtonim and bringing the true and complete Geuloh! 

Lechayim!

יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד!

  1.  Attached as appendix I. ↩︎
  2. See farbrengen of 19 Kislev, 5747 (1986) which came out on “Thanksgiving” – the Rebbe speaks in strongly positive terms about the Pilgrims (the Rebbe refers to them in English as “founding fathers”) who came to America to worship the Creator without government or church interference.  Generally, American history does not refer to the Pilgrims as the “founding fathers” but rather reserves that title for the political and ideological founders of the United States (such as John Adams, author of the words the Rebbe quotes), who were active 150 years after the Pilgrims came.  The Rebbe evidently does not want to distinguish between the religious goals of the Pilgrims and the national goals of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. ↩︎
  3. Also interesting to note that the letter is dated July 3rd, 1776, the day after he and most of the colonial delegates signed the Declaration of Independence.  The next day, the 4th of July, it was officially ratified.  In his letter Adams refers to celebrating the 2nd of July, as that was the day of the signing.  The Rebbe refrains from mentioning the continuation of Adam’s letter: “It ought to be solemized [sic] with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other.“ ↩︎
  4. Resolution of Congress (16 Stat 168 CH.167), approved June 28, 1870 (29th of Sivan, 5630).  Appendix 2. Click to view Statue 16 ↩︎
  5. Resolution of Congress (52 Stat. 1246), approved June 29, 1938 (30 Sivan, 5698). Appendix 3. Click to view Statute 52 ↩︎
  6. Appendix 4. ↩︎
  7. …wiki/United_States_federal_civil_service ↩︎
  8. Click to view 1940 census detail ↩︎
  9. Click to view 1940 labor detail ↩︎
  10. Sukkah 21b:  אמר רב אחא בר אדא אמר רב המנונא אמר רב מנין שאפי’ שיחת תלמידי חכמים צריכה לימוד שנאמר (תהלים א, ג) ועלהו לא יבול.  רש”י שם (ד”ה משיחתו) לשון שיחת חולין ↩︎
  11. Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Hilchos Birkas Cohanim 128:57: “The custom in all these lands is that the Priestly Blessing is conferred only on a Yom-Tov, because then people are in a joyful and festive mood — and “only one who is glad of heart shall bless.”  On other days, by contrast, even on Shabbos, [the kohanim] are preoccupied with their livelihood and their loss of working hours and they are not in a happy state of mind.” ↩︎
  12. See Hayom Yom for 28 Sivan that by helping a Jew in his parnosa (“even 70 Russian kopeks”) all the supernal chambers are opened before him. ↩︎
  13. הכל הולך אחר החתום, Brochos 12a ↩︎
  14. סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה from piyut kabbolos Shabbos “Lecho Dodi”, R’ Shlomo Alkabetz. ↩︎
  15. Hilchos Keilim, 8:1.  כָּל כְּלֵי מַתְּכוֹת – אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה עַד שֶׁתִּגָּמֵר מְלַאכְתָּן כֻּלָּהּ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה הַכְּלִי מְחֻסַּר מַעֲשֶׂה כְּלָל ↩︎
  16. Esther 3:15 וְהַדָּ֥ת נִתְּנָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֑ה. ↩︎
  17. Shabbos Vayigash, 7 Teives, 5752, footnote 85: “נעשית המהפכב והנפילה של מדינת רוסי’ת בשינוי עיר הבירה וכו’” ↩︎
  18. Ki Sisa, 5752, footnote 166. ↩︎
  19. As the Midrash says that Hashem made a condition when He created the sea, that it would split for Moshe Rabbeinu (Shemos Rabba, 21:6). ↩︎
  20. See Hayom Yom for 3 Elul, the date of the Rebbe’s letter: “a soul needs to refine and rectify a certain place, or also from the time of the creation of the world – the item needing refinement or rectification is waiting for that very neshoma to come and refine it or rectify it.  And also this neshoma since it was emanated and created it is waiting for the time of its descent to refine and rectify that which it has been assigned.” (!) ↩︎
  21. The Weekly Farbrengen #815, Merkaz Anash (from Reshimas Devorim (Chitrik)). In original (free translation): “HaRav HaTomim R’ Yisroel Levin heard from the Chosid R’ Leib Hoffman from Tsasnik: It’s known that the letters in the Torah are ‘ohr haKav’ which is drawn down after the tzimtzum, and the parchment is the unlimited Divine light which is before the tzimtzum. Being that the Torah was given in the upper half of the world, meaning that that the revelation that occurred in the upper half of the world is only a revelation of the “kav” which is after the tzimtzum. And in the lower half of the world [=western hemisphere], where the Torah was not given — this is like the parchment, which is the infinite Divine light from before the tzimtzum. Being that Moshiach will reveal the infinite Divine light from before the tzimtzum — it will be necessary for one of the Chabad Rebbeim to come to the United States, to America, because there the infinite Divine light from before the tzimtzum will be revealed.” ↩︎
  22. Note that July 4th, 1776 fell on the day of the fast of 17 Tammuz!  But see the sicha of Shlach, 5749 (ois 10) where the Rebbe states that 28 Sivan gives power to transform the entire month of Tammuz to be a chodesh hageuloh. ↩︎

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 →

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: Continue reading →

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 →

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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 →