It’s Up to Us
to turn the Dream of Moshiach into a Reality
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week’s parsha, Tazriah begins with the pasukim: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying. Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male…” The Rebbe explained based upon the explanation of the Ohr HaChayim HaKadosh that the woman this verse refers to all the souls of the Jewish people. Conception refers to how each soul fulfills the purpose and mission that we have once in a physical body. Our mission is to make this world into a dwelling place for Hashem through learning the Torah doing mitzvos and acts of goodness and kindness. Giving birth to a male refers to the coming of Moshiach and the complete and everlasting redemption of the world, which is what is accomplished through our service.
The connection between this week’s parsha and the 28th of Nisan the day that the Rebbe announced that he has placed the responsibility upon us to bring Moshiach is clear. Therefore, THE question that each and every one us is asking, or should be asking beginning today is; what am I doing today to bring Moshiach??
As we know the Rebbe visited Gan Yisroel in upstate New York three times. The camp was open to everyone so there were many children that attended from non-Lubavitch homes. On visiting day a child from a non-Lubavitch home told his father with great enthusiasm and excitement all about the Rebbe’s visit to camp. The father asked him what the Rebbe spoke about. He answered that the Rebbe spoke about Moshiach. The father replied that he didn’t understand. He also spoke with him at home about Moshiach therefore he already knew about Moshiach. So why was it that now, he so uniquely enthusiastic having heard about this from the Rebbe. The son answered him; yes I had already heard about it before, but the Rebbe is really serious and he really means it!
The Rebbe once described Moshiach’s arrival. The day Moshiach will arrive will be a regular day, the shoe maker will be busy repairing shoes, the tailor will be making suits, the baker will be working by his oven, and then Moshiach will arrive. Just like that, in the middle of a day, this is how Moshiach will arrive. In the later years the Rebbe would say that Moshiach will arrive before we daven Mincha, or Maariv. For the Rebbe Moshiach wasn’t an abstract dream or an idea, it was a reality.
To some Moshiach’s coming is like a nice dream or an inspiration, similar to the dream that Martin Luther King spoke about in Selma, Alabama lehavdil. If we think of Moshiach like this than we live a life apart where we carry on with whatever we want and Moshiach remains a distant dream or inspirational idea. When we think of Moshiach in practical terms then life is different. We don’t have a minute to spare because every moment is precious and makes a big difference. Then we only speak good words to and about our friends. We will consider everyone our true friend and partner in bringing Moshiach. We will be activists doing what we can to fulfill the mission of bringing Moshiach now in practical terms. As Chassidim we feel that at every moment the Rebbe’s is here (whatever our what have you done, what have you accomplished to bring Moshiach today? I gave it over to you. At any moment we will need to make that accounting..
So how do we live with Moshiach? Once a bachor asked Reb Nissan if it’s even possible to think that a person could be a benoni in today’s world. Reb Nissan answered that yes, it is possible. He then asked him if he was able to stop indulging in the pleasures of this world for an entire hour. The bachor answered that he didn’t think he could be above worldly concerns for an entire hour. Reb Nissan pressed him; how about a half an hour? He said; no. For 15 minutes? Again no. Finally the bachor agreed that he could stand above the pleasures of this world and remained focused on Elokus-G-dliness for one entire minute. Ok then, replied Reb Nissan, then do it for one minute, and then another, and then another… Another time Reb Nissan told me the answer HaRav Yechezkel Fegin gave to bachurim who asked him for a practical measuring stick, a standard or ideal by which they could strive for or hold themselves to in avodah. He told them to set aside one day. For that entire day they should do their very best in avodah without compromise. From then on he said, you have a focal point, a level to hold yourself to by which to measure your progress.
We too can do the same as HaRav Yechezkel Fegin suggests with regard to living with Moshiach today. The Rebbe wanted that everyone should learn Inyanei Geula uMoshiach. The learning of Inyanei Geula uMoshiach gives us a picture of what to strive for to the utmost, each one according to their individual level and situation. We can take the time to envision what a day of doing all we can to bring Moshiach could be like and then go on to live a day that way. Then we have an ideal to strive for, remembering to be careful that the Rebbe is watching, and that Moshiach is waiting to finally greet us at any moment.
A Good Shabbos