TWO ZERO TWO ZERO

The story took place in the summer of 2019 in Bat Yam, Israel. One of the regulars at the Chabad synagogue related that his father would often go out on Friday to put tefillin on the passers-by before Shabbos. One time, an elderly man who had agreed to put on tefilin, pointing to the Moshiach flag in the lapel, exclaimed - “You must be a Chabadnik!  In that case I’m going to tell you something that I haven’t told anyone here, until now. I was one of the accompanying officers at the famous meeting the Rebbe had with the “distinguished ones” (a group of soldiers wounded in the Yom Kippur War). This took place at 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn  in 1976.

We received a big welcome and afterwards the officers were honored to speak with the Rebbe privately. The Rebbe was very friendly and answered our questions.

When my turn came, I asked about something which was worrying me. “What will be with the State of Israel?” The tense situation in the wake of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the shattered economy, weighed heavily on my mind.

The Rebbe looked at me and said the following words: 

  שתים אפס שתים אפס זה נגמר שתים

“TWO ZERO TWO ZERO, THIS ENDS”

The Rebbe on the Seven Noahide Laws

Resurrection

    The leap from Yemos HaMoshiach to the period of Techiyas HaMeisim (Resurrection of the Dead) is far greater than the leap from our period of history to Yemos HaMoshiach. Becausein Yemos HaMoshiach new bodies will be brought into the world through the birth process,  but in Techiyas HaMeisim they will be built anew just like Adam HaRishon's body was at the beginning of Parashas Bereishis:

... It is like a craftsman who extracts silver from its source in the ground; in the beginning he puts it into an oven until all the impurities of the ground are removed, and the silver remains. But not perfect silver, until he puts it into the over again Likewise, The Holy One, Blessed is He, puts the body into the ground until it completely rots and all of the zuhama is removed, and only a small amount of decomposed matter remains. From this He re-builds the body... (Zohar, Vayaira 115b-116a)

At the beginning, He will build the body from the small amount of decomposed matter, which will be clean and pure from zuhama. However, it will still be quite physical and not in its true perfected state. (Sha'arei Leshem, p. 490)

The purpose of Resurrection is clear: it is to rebuild the body free of any impurities, so that it can return to its ideal state of 'Kesones Ohr' (aleph-vav-raish), when it is more soul-like than body-like. How long this process takes is the same for every person, however, just when the process begins will vary from person to person:

The time of resurrection will vary, for, one who is rectified earlier from his zuhama will die and resurrect earlier, since the point of death then will only be to decay the physicality of the body and renew it as a new entity. As a result, the period of death to resurrection for the entire 'generation' will be long, though, tzaddikim who have died previously will resurrect immediately at the beginning of the period, which will be after forty years of the ingathering of the exiles (Sha'arei Leshem, p. 489)

It says in the Midrash:

There will be many resurrections, and the period of time will continue, according to Rabbi Yehudah, from forty years after Kibbutz Goliyos when the first resurrection will occur through  the last resurrection, a period of 210 (year 2030) years. 

Rabbi Yitzchak: 214 years -5786. (Midrash Ne'elam, Toldos 140a)

    Explains the Leshem: there will be many resurrections over a large period of time, with the first resurrection occurring after forty years of ingathering of exiles, that is, 210 years in advance of Year 6000. The last resurrection will occur towards the end of the 210 years:

    They will not all die at the same time, for, the world will not be destroyed in advance of Techiyas HaMeisim. Rather, some will die early, and some later, just as it is now. It will continue this way for a long time-the entire forty-year period of Kibbutz Golios until the first resurrection, as well as the entire 210 years or 214 years after the first resurrection until the last resurrection, as we mentioned previously. Anyone who is not yet rectified by the time resurrection begins as is fitting for eternal life, will die at the end. (Sha'arei Leshem, 490)

 
Hence, during the period of 210 years, some people will have already resurrected, whereas others will still await death, decomposition, and, resurrection. However, whereas on this side of history we fear death and long to live, on THAT side of history we will long to finally die and be recreated anew:

    All those who still live the life of This World will say 'Holy!' before the righteous who have already arisen during the resurrection. The world will exist on two levels: that of angels and that of man. (Sha'arei Leshem, p. 490)

    In such a spiritually holy environment, it will be impossible to ignore one's own physicality, and, the sooner one dies, the sooner one will be able to join the ranks of the angels.
Many questions arise as a result of the concept of resurrection, since it represents the 'final form' of the person (though it can become increasingly spiritual as time progresses and creation becomes more elevated). However, when we consider the concept of 'gilgulim, that is, reincarnation, then the question arises, which body returns in Techiyas HaMeisim?
 

    After all, reincarnation implies that a single soul can live many lives. And, furthermore, in the course of living many lives, he may have had many wives, and she, many husbands-one per lifetime. For whom do we resurrect?

 
    The answer is not  simple and is beyond the scope of this discussion to fully provide it, even if that were possible. However, some details are available, beginning with the Zohar (Chaye Sarah 126a), where it says that the resurrection will literally occur ... in the body that suffered with the soul in This World and did not derive any pleasure from the entire Torah and his good deeds ... after it is purified from all its zuhama and physicality, as a result of death and decomposition in the ground, as it is explained. (Sha'arei Leshem, p. 489)

    Thus, according to the Leshem, the body that was used the most to learn Torah and to perform mitzvos, with the least amount of worldly benefit for doing so, is the one destined to be resurrected. Considering that Torah and mitzvos themselves are meant to act as a process of refinement, that would make sense.

    And, the less worldly benefit derived for learning Torah and doing mitzvos would mean that the person did both for altruistic reasons, adding to the purification process of the body. For, nothing purifies the body more than serving G-d for HIS sake, and not for our own sake; it is considered as if the person sacrificed himself on the altar as a sacrifice to G-d and ascended Heavenward.

    However, as we will see from the Arizal, it is not so simple which body returns in Techiyas HaMeisim, or, for that matter, how many.

Chabad and Israel

ДВИЖЕНИЕ ХАБАД-ЛЮБАВИЧ НЕ ПРАЗДНУЕТ ДЕНЬ НЕЗАВИСИМОСТИ ИЗРАИЛЯ, НЕ ЗАЖИГАЮТ ПРАЗДНИЧНЫЕ СВЕЧИ В ЭТОТ ДЕНЬ, НЕ ЧИТАЮТ СЛАВОСЛОВИЯ, КАК ЭТО ДЕЛАЮТ РЕЛИГИОЗНЫЕ СИОНИСТЫ. ТЫСЯЧИ ЦЕНТРОВ ХАБАДА ВО ВСЕМ МИРЕ НЕ ВЫВЕШИВАЮТ ФЛАГ ГОСУДАРСТВА ИЗРАИЛЬ, НЕ ПОЮТ ГИМН "ГАТИКВА", НЕ УЧАСТВУЮТ В ДЕНЬ ПАМЯТИ ПАВШИХ ВОИНОВ. ЛЮБАВИЧСКИЙ РЕБЕ НИ РАЗУ НЕ ПОСЕТИЛ ГОСУДАРСТВО ИЗРАИЛЬ.

ТЕМ НЕ МЕНЕЕ, ХАБАД АКТИВНО ПОДДЕРЖИВАЕТ СОЛДАТ АРМИИ ОБОРОНЫ, СЛУЖАТ В АРМИИ, ТРЕБУЮТ САМОЙ ЖЕСТКОЙ ПОЛИТИКИ ОТНОСИТЕЛЬНО ТЕРРОРА И "НИ САНТИМЕТРА ЗЕМЛИ ВРАГАМ!", ЗА ОСВОЕНИЕ ЗЕМЕЛЬ, ПОДАРЕННЫХ Б-ГОМ В ХОДЕ ШЕСТИДНЕВНОЙ ВОЙНЫ, КОТОРАЯ КООРДИНИРОВАЛАСЬ РЕБЕ ШНЕЕРСОНОМ ИЗ БРУКЛИНА.

В ТО ЖЕ САМОЕ ВРЕМЯ СИОНИСТСКИЕ ЛИДЕРЫ, МИНИСТРЫ И ГЕНЕРАЛЫ НЕОДНОКРАТНО ПРИХОДИЛИ К РЕБЕ ШНЕЕРСОНУ ЗА СОВЕТОМ И БЛАГОСЛОВЕНИЕМ. ПРЕЗИДЕНТ ЗАЛМАН ШАЗАР, ГЕНЕРАЛ ИЦХАК РАБИН, МЕНАХЕМ БЕГИН, АРИК ШАРОН И МНОГИЕ МИНИСТРЫ, ГЛАВНЫЕ И ПРОСИОНИСТСКИЕ РАВВИНЫ АМЕРИКИ И ДРУГИХ СТРАН. ОНИ ПРИХОДИЛИ К НЕМУ, НЕ ОЖИДАЯ, ЧТО ОН ОТВЕТИТ ИМ СВОИМ ВИЗИТОМ.

Из ответов самого Ребе Шнеерсона во время аудиенции издателя книг и литературы ХаБаДа -- Шульзингера в 50-х годах -- почему в календаре Любавичской ешивы нет "Дня независимости Израиля", Ребе подробно объяснил, что в этот день ничего не произошло, а наступление Мессианской Эры было отсрочено на 20 или 40 лет (он точно не помнил).

В другом откровенном письме Ребе пишет, что вопрос должен быть не почему не празднуют День независимости, а почему не отмечают траур в этот день! "Арабские шейхи объявили, что их устроит если еврейские поселенцы в Палестине объявят свою независимость в какой-то ассоциации, например, с Британской империей. Провозглашение государства Рабочей партией Бен-Гуриона служило интересам сионистов, которые хотели иметь государство и быть "как все народы". Но еврейство управляется изнутри духовными водителями, которые определяют по Торе поведение народа. Только светский сионизм не может принять аномалию вечного и нерушимого еврейского народа, но без политического государства, единой территории и единого обиходного языка.

Провозглашение государства в Тель-Авиве немедленно вызвало нападение арабских армий на новое образование, в результате погибли тысячи еврейских защитников. Война была справедливой и оборонительной, но нужны ли были эти жертвы?

В результате провозглашения государства многие палестинские евреи оказались "за бортом". Они для вида приняли ислам, чтобы их не убили враги. А ведь они жили раньше как евреи в подмандатной Палестине.

Но вот, "независимое" еврейское государство оказалось не таким уж и независимым: отношения с террористами Газы решаются в Каире, а не в Иерусалиме, планы примирения с палестинской автономией вынашиваются в Осло, в Вашингтоне, в Европе, но не в суверенном Израиле. Демократически избранное политическое руководство государства дрожит перед любым капризом в Белом доме.

Когда государство -- "без царя в голове", оно само себя ликвидирует изнутри. Мигранты из Африки, Эфиопии, не евреи из бывшего СССР приезжают в Государство, получают гражданство и принимают участие в политической, экономической и юридической нормах государства. Вместе с израильскими арабами и другими национальностями они вскоре могут стать большинством в стране.

Гимн Нетуре Карта: בשלטון הכופרים אין אנו מאמינים ובחוקותיהם אין אנו מתחשבים ("В государство атеистов мы не верим и с их законами не считаемся"). Это отрицание де юре.

Но Ребе воевал и воюет за исправление законов. а закон государства есть закон.

Нету такого закона, что надо читать Галель в Йом Гаацмаут. Покойный поневежский рош-ешива р. Каганеман говорил: "Ну я же не святее Бен-Гуриона. Он не читает Галель, и я не читаю. Он Таханун не говорит, ну и я тоже".

То была позиция многих в Агудат Исраэль: Государство Израиль -- это не Начало Избавления, но конец галута.

Как видите, позиция ХаБаДа строже.

Сатомарский лидер Тейтельбойм считал, что создание государства до Мошиаха -- есть грех, поднятие руки против Всевышнего.

В одном из писем Ребе я нашел, не в порядке полемики с ним, что создание еврейского государства до Мошиаха не является грехом, но это государство должно себя вести по Торе. Так Маймонид пишет, что Хануку мы празднуем, потому что победили Хасмонеи и установилось ЕВРЕЙСКОЕ ЦАРСТВО НА ДВЕСТИ С ЛИШНИМ ЛЕТ.

А ведь они были коэнами, и не потомками Давида.

В Симхат-Тору 1973 в своей речи о государстве Ребе приводил пример из Талмуда. В городе Нээрдаа еврейская мафия захватила власть, и Мудрецы велели им подчиняться в вопросах обороны города.

Государство Израиль не галахическое, но в вопросах обороны оно имеет право решать.

Правда, Ребе намекал генералам, что они могут стукнуть кулаком по столу и не слушать политиков. Ну, мнение генералов из чисто профессиональных позиций -- решающее, как и мнение врача против главврача...

A California Story

An incredible account of open Divine Providence.

LION KING PASSOVER

My out of this world experience with the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

This encounter took place in 1986 between a friend of mine and the Rebbe.

“I was getting married that day, I went to the Rebbe's door for his Siddur, as instructed, I knocked. Rabbi Groner  [The Rebbe’s secretary] opened the door and said  "Wait here.”  He left the door ajar about 4 inches.  I heard papers rustling. I was afraid to look in. I heard more papers rustling, I said to myself, maybe it's the Rebbe, but I immediately banished the thought, saying there is no way the Rebbe is here, right by the door, he's probably deep in his office. Again, papers rustling, I said,” have to look."

I leaned in, I couldn't believe what was in my eyes. I was terrified and basically had no idea of what i was seeing.

The Rebbe was in a short sleeve white shirt, wearing his glasses. He was standing in front of a small desk, on it were about 30 stacks of letters, piled at least 3 - 4 feet high, maybe each stack had 60 envelopes high. Nothing was falling, all non-moving, not a millimeter.

The Rebbe was pulling out and pushing in letters with tremendous speed and precision.”

Another similar story.

“In my first yechidus — private audience — with the Rebbe, in 1973 (I was 25), I was ushered in to his office. He looked up and asked, “you’re Gottlieb?” and I answered in the affirmative. There was a stack of maybe 20 or 30 letters in their envelopes on his desk. The procedure was to write in advance, in order to expedite the meeting. He deftly pulled a letter from the middle (not the top) of the stack and put it down in front of him. Without opening the envelope he answered every one of my ten questions in perfect order, except one. In its place he answered a question I hadn’t asked: “...with regard to the question of whether to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin, it would be a good idea.” My actual question had been about learning and my inclination to learn in a faster shiur. Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin had never occurred to me,  I’d only been regularly putting on Rashi’s for about a year and this was before the advent of the custom of all bar mitzvah boys taking on Rabbeinu Tam’s immediately. 

In the 4+ decades since then I’ve come upon numerous insights into the profound connection between my original question and his seemingly irrelevant (or rather, oblique) response.

Answering letters was one of the Rebbe's main occupations, the others being praying at the Kever of his father in law, the previous Rebbe, studying and writing Torah novellae, and farbrenging for his Chassidim.  

There were stacks and stacks of letters, but the Rebbe always knew exactly what he was looking for, zeroed in on the letter, removed it and responded to it without upsetting the entire stack.  It was like the letter was speaking to him even before he saw it physically, he knew what to answer and when.  Definitely a Ruach Hakodesh (Holy spirit) thing.

I never observed the process myself, so I cannot give you a first hand account.  But there are several accounts that corroborate the first story,  the Rebbe seemed to know exactly what letter to answer, zero in on it , and pull it out of the stack without upsetting it. What he did with it afterward I don't know, but probably it went into another stack that Rabbi Groner and Rabbi Klein would know that they are the "answered letter."  And then they would communicate the Rebbe's answer to the person who wrote the letter.”