Preparing for Yud Shevat is Preparing for the Geula!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
As we prepare for Yud Shevat I am reminded of a story about the Tzemach Tzedek. Even after a year and a half year after the passing of the Mittler Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek had not officially (meaning publicly) accepted the the Nesius. Some Chassidim, maybe wondering if there would be a continuation went to the Holy Ruzhiner Rebbe for Shavuos.
Over Shavuos the Ruzhiner spoke about the question that Moshe Rabbenu asked when Hashem sent him to redeem the Jewish people from slavery in Mitzrayim. Moshe Rabbenu asked Hashem, when they will ask what is his name, what should he answer? Hashem said “Ekyei asher Ekyei, I will be what I will be”. The Holy Ruzhiner asked; what kind of name is “I will be”? He answered that Ekyei equals 21. 21 times 21 (2 times Ekyei) equals 441, which equals emes, truth. Hashem was telling Moshe Rabbenu that his name, his signature is emes and that He would take the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim. He then said that the word emes is an acronym for Toras Menachem (meaning the Tzemach Tzedek) Emes. The Lubavitcher Chassidim that were there then realized that they needed to go back to Lubavitch.
When they got back to Lubavitch they heard that the Tzemach Tzedek had accepted Nesius over Shavuos. Later they found out that the Rebbe had also repeated the same Torah about Hashem’s name Ekyei and the number 441 the equivalent of emes. He then continued saying that the word emes is also an acronym, and then just smiled but didn’t say what the acronym stood for. When Chassidim heard what happened in Ruzhin, and how the Ruzhiner filled in the acronym, they realized why the Tzemach Tzedek smiled. So what is the connection between Toras Menachem Emes and the name Ekyei?
I didn’t see anyone ask this question but maybe the following is an answer. Hashem said to Moshe Rabbenu to tell us that He will be with us and He will bring the geula. This is the whole purpose of Chassidus to bring the geula through Yefitzu Maynosecha Chutza, spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus outward to the entire world. The Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek in particular in his Chassidus unifies all aspects of the Torah, both the revealed and the hidden, the Mishna, Gemara, the Medrash, Halacha and Kabbala and reveals their essential oneness without any division. The Emes revealed in his Chassidus prepares the world and us for Moshiach. So too by the Rebbe in his Sichos and Maamarim the Rebbe went even further in bringing all aspects of the Torah together in a way that one explains the other. Whether it’s by explaining a Rashi and then bringing out the hidden meaning according to Chassidus (Yaiynah shel Torah) or by bringing an example from a Gemara or Halacha as an illustration in Chassidus. This is why the acronym Toras Menachem Emes is hinted to in the name Ekyei the name of the geula. Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai had this greatness, greatness in both the revealed and hidden aspects of the Torah. By revealing the hidden aspect of the Torah not only the revealed part he began preparing the world for the geula, a revelation of Hashem’s emes from A to Z in everything. This is what is stated in the Zohar; “With this Sefer, the Jewish people will be redeemed from galus with mercy”.
As we prepare for Yud Shevat we have Toras Menachem Emes, the Rebbe’s Sichos and Maamarim with which we will go forward to the geula. Another acronym I heard for emes is Toras Menachem Ohr (with an aleph). With the Rebbe’s Torah, we will see the light of truth the light of the geula immediately in our times with the revelation of Moshiach Now!
A Good Shabbos