"We spoke about the true and complete redemption. There are some, however, who question the whole matter. Why, they wonder, does this Jew incessantly speak publicly at every farbrengen about one subject — the coming of our righteous Moshiach. He repeats the previous Rebbe’s call “Immediately to the redemption!” and emphasizes that this is not just words, but means the actual coming of Mashiach, immediately — today, Shabbos Parshas Pinchas, 5744! Likewise, he instructs that the song, “May the Beis HaMikdash be speedily rebuilt in our days” be sung every time, emphasizing that “speedily rebuilt in our days” means today, not tomorrow. Every Jew believes, of course, that Moshiach can come at any moment, as written: “I will wait for him every day that he may come.”
Yet, these people wonder, why is it necessary to speak about it incessantly, to emphasize constantly that Moshiach can come at this very moment? It is very difficult for a person to treat this as being realistic!
It would be understandable if mention of Moshiach’s coming were to be made but occasionally, for in the end analysis it is one of the basic tenets of our faith. But why talk of it and get excited about it at every farbrengen, as if the purpose was to ram the idea into the listeners’ heads forcibly?!
Further, this Jew who speaks of Moshiach’s actual coming, has at the same time a Siddur on the table so that he shouldn’t make a mistake in the text of the “Concluding Blessing” — in which text it talks of the redemption in the future tense. And he similarly uses the Siddur to say “Tzidkoscho Tzedek” at Minchah — which is a prayer associated with exile! Surely this is a paradox.
They therefore conclude that this whole idea of Moshiach’s coming is like a dream. A good dream, a nice dream — but not realistic. Why then, they ask, is it necessary to talk about dreams?!
Such thoughts as these people have do not stem from a lack of faith, G-d forbid, for every Jew believes that Moshiach can come at any moment. But the knowledge that we are still in exile, and that the exodus from exile is possible only with G-d’s desire, has caused the exile to so permeate a person’s senses that his faith in the redemption is but external and superficial, and talk of the redemption appears to him to be as a dream.
The truth is the exact opposite. The Alter Rebbe (Torah Or, parshas Vayeishev, p 28c) explains that exile is the dream, for the true place of a Jew, his true being, is the redemption, whereas exile is a foreign matter. Thus exile is a dream and the redemption is reality. Why then do people wonder that we repeat the Alter Rebbe’s words that exile is a dream, and redemption is the true reality?
The Alter Rebbe explains further that in a dream two opposites can co-exist. In exile, too, a person can synthesize two opposites: He can be busy in business the whole day, and simultaneously arouse his love to G-d in prayer, and cleave to G-d.
The Alter Rebbe is explaining the good aspect of the dream of exile. Although one may be steeped in worldly matters, he can nevertheless totally change in one moment,and shaking free from the illusions of the world, arrive at the true reality: love of and cleaving to G-d.
A Jew can do this for in a dream, two opposites can co-exist.
Our case is similar: Because exile is a dream, in which opposites can co-exist, the situation can change in a moment: Jews can leave the dream of exile and enter reality — the redemption.
Every single Jew holds the key to the redemption, as the Alter Rebbe writes: “It is stated in Tikkunim that if even one tzaddik [and “Your people are all tzaddikim”] in a generation returns in complete repentance, Mashiach would come immediately.” And Rambam rules, “When a person does a mitzvah, he tilts himself and the whole world to the meritorious side, and brings redemption and salvation for himself and for them.” And, as noted above, this can be achieved in a moment. In the well-known phrase: “I shall wait for him every day that he may come.”
Rambam, it is true, says that there is a set order for Moshiach’s coming: “He shall force all Israel to go [in the way of Torah] ... and shall wage G-d’s wars ... etc.” But this order applies only when the redemption will occur in a regular manner. When, however, Jews merit it, and especially since “all the fixed dates [for Moshiach’s coming] have passed,” then the redemption comes immediately, transcending all limits and order.
Moreover, the previous Rebbe has already announced “Immediately to redemption!” and informed us that the situation is one of “Behold, he [Moshiach] is standing behind our wall, he looks in at the windows, he peers through the lattice.” Moshiach is waiting, looking — and Mashiach’s looking certainly has an effect. Thus every Jew can certainly bring the redemption speedily in our days — not tomorrow or later, but today, Shabbos parshas Pinchas, 5744; and on this Shabbos itself, before Minchah. Simply put, at this moment we open our eyes and see that our righteous Mashiach is together with us in this synagogue, flesh and blood, soul in a body!
May it be G-d’s will that our talking and importuning so much about the coming of our righteous Moshiach will so disturb and vex (“noodge”) G-d that He will have no choice (so to speak) but to bring the redemption. This is particularly so since G-d Himself mightily wants the redemption, for since the Divine Presence was exiled together with the Jews, the redemption of the Jews means also G-d’s redemption!
The main thing is that the “dream” I have about Moshiach’s coming — which is really your dream too — be translated into reality immediately, today, before the Minchah prayer. And may the “dream of all dreams” also be realized, that today we go “with the clouds of glory” to our holy land, and pray this Shabbos’s Minchah prayer in Yerushalayim, in the third Beis HaMikdash.
Sicha Parshas Pichas, Tammuz 14, 5744.
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