12 1) Tanya, perek 36. 2) Chapters 11, 12. 3) Chapter 12, halacha 1. 4) Sanhedrin 97. 5) Sicha Shemini, 5742. 6) Likutei Sichos 15:417 and 27:191; (printed in Dvar Malchus 2 Iyar, 5751, ois 9). 7) 19-20 Kislev, 5752. 8) Igros Kodesh of Rebbe Rashab, p.308, le er #150. 9) Boneh Yerushalayim, 59a. 10) IK of Rebbe Rashab, bo on p. 310. 11) Shemos, 5752. 12) Maamarim of the Mi eler Rebbe, Vayikra B, Lag B Omer, p. 695. 13) Igros Kodesh 2:68. 14) Igros Kodesh 18:527. 15) Le ers of the Rebbe, v.2, p. 72. 16) Sicha, Acharon Shel Pesach, 5711. 17) Avodah Zora 5a-b. 18) Sicha Shemos, 5749. 19) Sanhedrin 99a. 20) Sichos of Pinchas 5745, Va era 5752, Vayigash 5750, Michtov Kloli RCh Nissan 5750, and more. 21) Sicha Tzav, 5750. REFERENCES 22) The Rebbe also sa sfies the other opinion in the gemara that Yemos Hamoshiach is 70 years by reference to the 70 years since the Rebbe Rayatz became Nosi. 23) Sicha 8 Shevat, Bo, 5749. 24) Sicha Tazria 5749, ois 5. 25) Sicha Vayigash 5751, ois 8. 26) Sicha Toldos 5750, ois 10-11. 27) Sicha Balak 5751, ois 8. 28) Sicha Naso, 5751, ois 13. 29) Sicha Tetzaveh, 5752. 30) Sicha 28 Nissan, 5751. 31) Sicha V Eschanan, 5751, ch. 7. 32) Sho im 5750, ois 10, note 94. 33) IK 13:354. 34) Daniel 7:13. 35) Sicha, 4 Tishrei, 5743. 36) Sicha Re eh, 5743. 37) Numerous sichos and maamarim. 38) Halleluka Shiru Lashem Shir Chadash, Matos-Massei 5716 (this sec on edited by the Rebbe see Sefer Hamaamorim 5716). 39) Sicha, Balak, 5751, ois 10. 40) Zohar III, Naso 125a. לזכות נשיא דורנו, מה"מ שיתגלה לעיני בשר ממש! לזכות אריאל זלמן, רפאל שלום, ישעי' יוסף, שיחיו, מש בק לע"נ הרב יעקב יצחק בן הרב משה מנחם, ז"ל נפטר ח"י תמוז, ה'תשס"א To contact the author, please email YNathan358@gmail.com. This and all previous issues available online at MoshiachInDepth.wordpress.com בעזה"י Next Issue: Shavuos Inyonei Y H D M T E G B G Volume II, #2 Lag B Omer 5771 W M G e all eagerly await the coming of Moshiach, the Geulah, and the Messianic Era (Yemos Hamoshiach) the end of golus and the beginning of the true and complete Geulah. The Rebbe spoke in exci ng terms about this being the last genera on of golus and the first genera on of Geulah, telling us that we are in the last moments of golus, that Moshiach is already ac ve in the world. And yet, the world seems to con nue in the natural way in all respects. In the sicha of 19-20 Kislev, 5752, the Rebbe referred to our mes as Yemos Moshiach, saying that these days are in fact the days of Moshiach, the Messianic Era. MoshiachInDepth.wordpress.com תהא שנת עצמות אראנו Despite that, the Rebbe con- nued to speak of the need to bring Moshiach and the true and complete Geulah in actuality. The Geulah is here, yet it is not here. Moshiach is here, yet we need to bring Moshiach. It seems to be a contradic on, but in fact it is not. By examining this subject, we hope to bring a deeper and more accurate understanding of these concepts as they are explained by the Rebbe. It is our hope that by taking a closer look at the Rebbe s words we will be able to grasp in a clear way how we can indeed be in the days of Moshiach and yet we s ll have the task to actually bring Moshiach. By R Yaakov Nathan To contact the author, please email YNathan358@gmail.com ב"ה # 8
2 Y H D M T E G B G I. The World Was Created For Yemos Hamoshiach It is known that Yemos Hamoshiach and par cularly when the dead will be resurrected are the ul mate purpose and perfec on of the created beings of this world, that for this it was created in the first place (and receiving reward is mainly in the 7th millennium, as is stated in Likutei Torah of the Arizal). 1 When we learn in Tanya that Yemos Hamoshiach the Days of Moshiach, the Messianic Era as the ul mate purpose and perfec on...for which [this world] was created in the first place, we recognize that we have an obliga on to clarify for ourselves what exactly goes on in those days. What is the rela onship of Yemos Hamoshiach to the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah. The same thing with different names, or different ma ers en rely? As we examine this subject a li le closer, we will probably be surprised to find that we hold some misconcep ons about these terms. The Rebbe o en emphasizes that there is only one halachic source which rules about Moshiach the Rambam in his Mishnah Torah, the final sec on containing the Laws of Kings and Melech Hamoshiach 2. As the Rebbe points out, none of the commentators on the Rambam challenge any of the rulings there, which means that they are universally accepted and therefore they are halacha lema aseh (laws with prac cal applica on). In those laws, the Rambam describes the events of the period following the rise to power of a king from the House of David, who is Moshiach. These laws are defining for us Yemos Hamoshiach the days of Moshiach. The Rambam states that in this period of me, one should not expect to witness anything miraculous, such as the prophecy of wolf and lamb dwelling together in a literal fashion, but rather olam k minhago noheg the world will conduct itself in its natural manner. 3 This is based on the statement of our sages that there is no difference between this world and the days of Moshiach other than [the end of] servitude to the [gen le] kingdoms. 4 The Rebbe points out, however, that the Rambam himself writes in his Igeres Teimon that it is possible that there will be miracles and wonders at this me, and that the prophecies may indeed be fulfilled literally. Says the Rebbe Igeres Teimon is true...it is a certainty that the Rambam holds that in the me of Moshiach Tzidkeinu there will be signs and indica ons wonders. 5 It seems strange that the Rambam would contradict his own halachic ruling. The Rebbe resolves this seeming contradic on by explaining that in fact Yemos Hamoshiach are divided into two tekufos, two dis nct periods: a) the beginning of Yemos Hamoshiach, when there is no difference from this world besides servitude to the na ons alone ; and b) a period following this when the natural conduct of the Based on this, we can understand how it could be that the Rebbe is asser ng that the miracles and wonders of the Geulah are being manifest, yet for us it seems that the world s ll con nues in a natural way, olam k minhago noheg. The reason is simple we are s ll on the level of the ignorant am ha aretz. In order to elevate ourselves to the level of Talmidei Chachomim we must fulfill the Rebbe s advice that the way to break out of the olam k minhago noheg perspec ve is:...through learning Torah in the subjects of Moshiach and Geulah, because it is in the power of the Torah to change the nature of the person, that even when he is s ll, G-d-forbid, outside the concept of the Geulah as regards his feelings (since he did not yet go out from his personal golus), then via learning Torah in the subjects of Geulah he is elevated to a standing of Geulah 39 Through this we can also fulfill the requirement to serve a true Talmid Chochom, because we are fulfilling the instruc ons of the Rebbe himself. And it goes without saying that המרבה...הרי הוא משובח כל anyone who does much [in terms of fulfilling the will of the Rebbe], he is praiseworthy, as we see from the words of the Zohar which the Rebbe iden fies as the source for this ma er: Just as the Holy One divided them [assigning to different levels] at Har Sinai, so he will divide them in the final Geulah it says I will carry you on the wings of eagles, which are the clouds of glory..and the Children of Israel go out with a raised hand, this is how Talmidei Chachomim go out [of golus], with all this glory. And like it says about the am ha aretz...that he gathered at the foot of the mountain, this is how it will be in the final going out [of golus] under the Talmidei Chachomim...this is what He will say to them in the exodus of the final Geulah: if you will accept upon yourselves Talmidei Chachomim going out of golus, like a person who rides a horse and a servant who serves him, well and good, and if not 40 IX. Summary IX. SUMMARY We have a empted in these pages to get a grasp of the Rebbe s defini on of Yemos Hamoshiach Moshiach can be present in the world long before the coming of Moshiach, and those who have not reached the level of Talmidei Chachomim will even experience the beginning of the second, miraculous tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach in a way where the world seems to con nue in its natural way an internal golus. The actual coming of Moshiach is about the revela ons of Moshiach down in this world Hashem opening our eyes in a way of all flesh will see, when we can point with a finger and say this is Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and we will realize that he already came. May it take place immediately, mamash, without any delay! יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד! 11
10...the revealed things will be revealed and known to every Jewish man...without forge ulness and there will be no need to labor in them, but for the Erev Rav who will not merit to taste from the Tree of Life which is Pnimiyus Hatorah v Mitzvos, they will need to labor in [the revealed Torah] to weaken the power of the side of impurity which clings to them...and they will need to know the details of the revealed Torah regarding forbidden things and impurity more than Israel... The Rebbe explains this by elabora ng on the concept of the two tekufos of Yemos Hamoshiach, that it also applies to each individual: In the future Geulah there will be, generally, two stages, both in me and in the individual. For the ignorant (or, as it states in Igeres Hakodesh, the Erev Rav) and at the beginning of the me of the Geulah it will indeed be this way for all Israel it will be in the way of there is no difference between this world and the Days of Moshiach except for servitude to the na ons alone...but the Talmidei Chachomim (and as stated in Igeres Hakodesh for Israel that are not from the Erev Rav) and ul mately it will be so generally, it will be I will remove the spirit of impurity from the earth. 38 In other words, individuals on different levels will be having different experiences. The ma er is further explained by the Rebbe: In the sefer Avodas Hakodesh he writes that there is no dispute as to how the Geulah will be, because it will be one way for Talmidei Chachomim and another way for the ignorant. As brought in Igeres Hakodesh siman 26, there is nothing between golus and Yemos Hamoshiach besides servitude to the na ons. But for the Talmidei Chachomim there will be more lo y things than this. 5 What qualifies one as an ignorant am ha aretz, for whom the Yemos Hamoshiach will (ini ally) be experienced in a mundane fashion? Says the Rebbe: Jews have no me to learn due to the pressures of golus, so they are ignorant. Even a Rosh Yeshiva who doesn t serve Talmidei Chachomim is [in the category of] ignorant am ha aretz (Sotah 22a). Since the term Talmid Chochom is used in Chassidus to describe great Tzaddikim like Rashbi, it seems that the vast majority of Jews are in the category of ignorant am ha aretz at the onset of Yemos Hamoshiach, experiencing no change in the natural conduct of the world. However, the Rebbe reassures us that those on this level will also experience a progression from one level to the next:...even those who at the beginning of Yemos Hamoshiach will be on the level of the ignorant, in the end they will arrive to the level of they merited and they will also be on the level of Talmidei Chachomim, and they will also merit to signs and wonders of the second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach. 5 world will be nullified and instead the conduct of the world will be in a way of wonders. As the Rebbe writes: the Rambam himself holds that there are two ma ers in two different tekufos: there is a me in the Days of Moshiach which is connected with the coming of Moshiach, and there is another addi- onal me, which is added a er the period of the beginning of the Days of Moshiach...when the conduct of the world will change. 6 A simple ques on arises: are the days of Moshiach the period that begins a er Moshiach comes, or is the period that leads up to the coming of Moshiach? The ques on is made stronger by the fact that the Rebbe said 7 that we are found now in Yemos Hamoshiach, yet in subsequent sichos the Rebbe speaks of ac ons which bring closer the coming of Moshiach. II. Moshiach Comes Before the Coming of Moshiach II. MOSHIACH COMES PRIOR TO THE COMING OF MOSHIACH When speaking about the me that Moshiach comes, one can be making a reference to two very dis nct instances. For we must recall that Moshiach must, according to the Rambam, accomplish a series of tasks, beginning with compelling all of Israel to live according to Torah, figh ng the wars of Hashem, building the Beis Hamikdash, and gathering the exiles. It is self-understood that the first thing is that Moshiach must come ( a King arises from the House of Dovid ) and only then we can begin to speak about Yemos Hamoshiach. Then, only a er the Moshiach has accomplished all of these things, do we actually experience the revela ons of Moshiach, which is in fact referred to as the coming of Moshiach. This ma er is explained in the famous le er of the Rebbe Rashab 8 in which it is explained how all the sources (both nigleh and nistar, from the Rambam to the Zohar) follow the same sequence first Moshiach comes, then he builds the Beis Hamikdash, then he gathers in the exiles but in the maamor in Siddur 9 the Alter Rebbe writes that the ingathering of the exiles will be before the coming of Moshiach. Explains the Rebbe Rashab: This means that the revela ons of Moshiach down below will be a er the ingathering of the exiles...that a er they will be gathered by him then he can be a king over them...and then will be the revela ons of Moshiach. 10 In other words, there is a coming of Moshiach at the beginning of Yemos Hamoshiach and there is a coming of Moshiach at the culmina on of Yemos Hamoshiach. This enables us to understand how the Rebbe could refer to in our days Yemos Hamoshiach in which we find ourselves now 7 and one month later devote the be er part of an en re sicha 11 to the concept of bringing Yemos Hamoshiach. Having drawn this dis nc on, we will now proceed to examine Yemos Hamoshiach in more detail. 3
4 III. THE Yemos FIRST TEKUFA Hamoshiach OF YEMOS HAMOSHIACH: Part 1: The THE End END OF of GOLUS Golus As men oned, the Rebbe clarifies many of the seemingly contradictory statements about Yemos Hamoshiach by explaining that Yemos Hamoshiach consists of two dis- nct tekufos, a tekufa where the world conducts itself naturally followed by a tekufa of wonders, when the world will operate in a manner that transcends its nature as we know it. We see from this that Yemos Hamoshiach is a period of change and transi on from the natural to the wondrous, from golus to Geulah. The Mi eler Rebbe describes Yemos Hamoshiach as like an intermediary aspect between Matan Torah and the World to Come. 12 The Rebbe writes:...this world (olam hazeh) is the me of war between the yesh and the spiritual, the good and the evil...in Yemos Hamoshiach...the bnei Yisroel will complete the war and refine the good from the bad and separate the bad from the good and will be redeemed from golus...during Yemos Hamoshiach itself they will ascend via their Avodah on the ladder of perfec on... 13 This also helps clarify that while the final coming of Moshiach (men oned by the Rebbe Rashab) is indeed the true and complete Geulah, this is not so by the ini al coming of Moshiach and the ensuing Yemos Hamoshiach, both of which take place while the Jews are s ll in a state of golus. In other words, when Moshiach comes ( a King arises from the house of Dovid ) we are s ll in golus. Rambam is wri ng about the sequence of events which will be before the revela on of Moshiach, which means before the beginning of the Geulah. 14 The proof of this, as explained by the Rebbe, is that one of Moshiach s tasks is to compel all Jews to keep the Torah, something which is only necessary when there is a state of golus and Torah observance is lacking. The Rebbe explains why all of the tasks that Moshiach must accomplish, which includes figh ng the wars of Hashem and being victorious, are s ll not a sure sign of the Geulah, because all of this can s ll happen in a state of golus. 15 It should be noted that the Rebbe iden fies these two tekufos as underlying the halachic ruling of the Rambam and explains how it could be that the Rambam would seem to contradict his ruling in the Mishnah Torah by what he writes in Igeres Teimon as follows: the Rambam could not know which way Moshiach and the Geulah will come, whether Israel will merit the miraculous Geulah, or if it will be in a way of they did not merit and thus the Geulah in a way of olam k minhago noheig. In his halachic ruling, the Rambam rules according to the minimal accomplishment that lacking any other merits the Geulah will come in a natural way. Regardless of how the Geulah might begin, everyone, including the Rambam, agree that it will eventually reach miraculous propor ons. Addi onally, the Rebbe only ever speaks of the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah in miraculous terms going with clouds of Heaven in the way of suddenly he will come. Although the Rebbe learns out a natural tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, we do not find that the Rebbe speaks of it in VII. The Geulah In the Blink of an Eye VII. THE GEULAH IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE Unlike leaving golus, which is accomplished gradually, the Rebbe emphasizes that the Geulah occurs in an instantaneous and miraculous fashion, wherein entering the land, conquering and inheri ng the land is immediate. 31 Explains the Rebbe: The beginning of the Geulah will be via Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and immediately the middle and the comple on of the Geulah...it will be the beginning of the Geulah and its comple on immediately without the delay of a blink of the eye. 32 The concept of a gradually unfolding process, according to the Rebbe, does not apply to the Geulah, which is characterized by a sudden transi on to a new reality. Explains the Rebbe: Those who say that the Geulah of Yisroel will come in a natural way and slowly...they are hiding from the reality that in the blink of an eye the army of Hashem will go out from Egypt...and be carried on wings of eagles...in this way will come the transforma on of the en re Crea on 33 This immediate and instantaneous opening of the eyes is expressed by the Rebbe s favored phrase 34 with clouds of heaven, which the Rebbe describes as a flight faster than the flight of an airplane, because we are flying with clouds of Heaven, with the Holy One s airplane 35 As if to emphasize to what degree the Geulah will be something beyond nature, the Rebbe notes: It has been spoken about...how Moshiach Tzidkeinu can come on Shabbos. Since we are speaking about the true and complete Geulah it is understood, that it is not in a way where on the day of Shabbos we are found in Brooklyn, and a er Shabbos goes out we get onto an airplane, and we travel several hours un l we arrive in our Holy Land for this is not true and complete ma er of immediately, but rather in a single moment one suddenly realizes מען זיך ) ( כאפט that we are found in Yerushalayim the Holy City, on the Har Habayis and in the third Beis Hamikdash, together with Moshiach Tzidkeinu. 36 As the Rebbe explains in many places, the Geulah klolis of the en re Jewish people is composed of the Geulah pro s, the personal Geulah, of every single Jew; the complete revela on of Moshiach comes from revealing the spark of Moshiach within every individual Jew. 37 Based on the explana on of the two tekufos in Yemos Hamoshiach, the Rebbe reveals that this concept also applies to us individually. VIII. Two Tekufos For Each Person VIII. TWO TEKUFOS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS In Igeres Hakodesh (siman 26), the Alter Rebbe writes about Yemos Hamoshiach (before the Resurrec on of the Dead) that there will be significantly different levels: 9
8 Moshiach is revealed*...the Persian king provokes an Arab king Moshiach announces to Israel the me of your redemp on has arrived. Later in the year, the Rebbe made it clear that the events of the Yalkut Shimoni had indeed been fulfilled: we have already seen in actuality wonders which tes fy that this is the year in which the King Moshiach is revealed. 27...the wonders which have already been seen in actuality and in a revealed way in the eyes of the en re world in this year, that in them the words of the Yalkut Shimoni were fulfilled: the year in which the King Moshiach is revealed the me of your redemp on has arrived. 28 So the year 5751 was the year in which the King Moshiach was revealed, yet this revela on s ll needed to be drawn down into the consciousness of Israel. The Rebbe s ll needed to stress the need to pay a en on to the manifesta on of this miraculous new era:...especially in these days Yemos Hamoshiach in which we are found now, and we only need to open our eyes, and then we see that the true and complete Geulah is already found in actuality. 7 The true and complete Geulah is not in actuality during the first tekufa, which is the end of the Avodah of golus (although Israel surely could have merited the Geulah at any moment, even before entering the first tekufa). Recall what was quoted above from the Rebbe Rashab, that the Geulah, the coming of Moshiach is the revela on down here of Kesser, Chochma, Bina (which are above the world, which was created from Chesed). Again, it becomes clear that the Rebbe is trying to convey the remarkable idea that the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach the me of the world conducts itself in a natural manner, the end of golus is giving way to the second tekufa, the transi on to Geulah. Having said this, we must be exac ng with the Rebbe s words. The Rebbe said numerous mes in the years 5751-52 that everything is ready for the Geulah, all the Avodah has been completed, the Geulah is found in actuality, and similar expressions. But in those very same sichos the Rebbe spoke passionately about the need for us to bring in actuality and in a revealed way the true and complete Geulah. 29 While the Geulah is here, it is not yet revealed to us because we are s ll in golus, which is mainly a personal golus in the service of Hashem. 30 Thus the Rebbe demands of us to be stubborn in order to bring in actuality the true and complete Geulah immediately, for when we will succeed, we will see the results instantly, for unlike the progressive developments of Yemos Hamoshiach, the Geulah occurs in an instant. (Note: Un l these ma ers are visible to us, they cannot impact halacha, since a judge rules according to what his eyes see.) *) Note that the language of this Yalkut Shimoni seems to be grammatically incorrect: [the] year in which the King Moshiach is revealed is feminine, and it should be referred to with the שנה year. The word נגלה בה. It should in fact read שנה שמלך המשיח נגלה בו feminine in her (meaning in the year ). However, it is referred to in the masculine in him נגלה בו. Perhaps it is possible to say that the level of Melech Hamoshiach (the level of the second tekufa, higher than the level of ben Dovid which is associated with the first tekufa) is revealed in him in the individual who himself is the redeemer. prac cal terms. The first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach can be summarized as follows: Moshiach comes, the world con nues to operate in a natural way, and Jews are s ll in a state of golus (although not in a state of servitude to the na ons *). During this me, Moshiach is in fact transforming the Jewish people and the world to be ready for the second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, which is the beginning of the true and complete Geulah culmina ng in the resurrec on of the Dead. In Yemos Hamoshiach they will be completely refined...un l they will be ready for the World to Come. 12 IV. Yemos Hamoshiach Part 2: Transition to Geulah IV. THE SECOND TEKUFA: TRANSITION TO GEULAH The second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach fits the Rebbe s expressions of redemp on much more than the first. During the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, the Jewish people leave the state of golus (individually as well as collec vely, as will be explained further on, G-d willing). It is only during the second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach that we actually begin the transi on to Geulah, as the world is transformed to a place of wonders. (As we will see, the Rebbe is quite clear that the experience of the Geulah occurs in a single instance, so the concept that there is a gradual transi on is only valid while Jews are s ll in a state of golus.) All of the miraculous prophecies and statements of our sages are connected with the second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, from the wolf will dwell with the lamb to barren trees giving fruit through to the most radical departure from the natural way of the world Techiyas Hameisim, the resurrec on of the dead. The difference between the first and second tekufos of Yemos Hamoshiach corresponds to the difference between whether we merit the Geulah by our own efforts, or if the End will come in its me, the concept of B Itah Achishena, which we hope to be able to explain in the next edi on of this publica on, ה.אי The Rebbe explains that this is the reason why the Rambam men ons Yemos Hamoshiach as a me when the world does not depart from the natural order: Regarding wonders Rambam does not rule in a clear way about the first tekufa (about which he writes about the signs of iden fying who is Moshiach) because there won t necessarily be any wonders it depends if they are in a way of they merit with clouds of Heaven because it is possible that the Geulah will be in a way of they do not merit, the world conducts itself in a natural manner. Only a er this will come the second tekufa of signs and wonders. *) Perhaps we can be exacting with the words of Shmuel in the gemara, that there is no difference between this world and Yemos Hamoshiach except for servitude to the nations exclusively that in the time of this world a Jew is in a state of servitude to the nations exclusively, implying that everything he does is in a state of servitude to the nations (meaning for the sake of self-interest or worldly pleasure even serving Hashem is done for reward or to avoid punishment, etc.). However, in the first period of Yemos Hamoshiach, while in various ways a Jew may find himself in a state of servitude to the nations (acting out of self-interest, worldly pleasure, fear of ridicule, etc.), nonetheless he is not exclusively in servitude to them because at this stage of Yemos Hamoshiach it is already possible to serve Hashem, at least occasionally, out of the pure motivation of the G-dly soul. 5
6...We are forced to say that even if the beginning of the Geulah is in a way of they didn t merit, then certainly in the end they will reach the level of they merited, because no one will be pushed away and certainly in the end the second tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach will come a change in the conduct of the world in a away of signs and wonders niflaos. 5 Since ours is the last genera on of golus and the first genera on of Geulah (as the Rebbe said countless mes), it is self-understood that we will experience Yemos Hamoshiach. Therefore, the Rebbe spoke in many sichos, increasingly more so every year, which indicate where we are holding in the scheme of the Geulah. We will now take a closer look at this ma er. V. Yemos Hamoshiach Are 40 Years V. YEMOS HAMOSHIACH ARE 40 YEARS As men oned above, the Rebbe stated explicitly these days...in which we are found now are Yemos Hamoshiach (full quote appears in sec on VI). A er absorbing the significance of that statement, we must ask ourselves: which tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach does the Rebbe imply? Seemingly, if this the first me the Rebbe is announcing that we are in Yemos Hamoshiach, then one would assume that the Rebbe is informing us that Yemos Hamoshiach are beginning. The truth is, that as far back as the first year of the Rebbe s Nesius, the Rebbe was already saying expressions such as the truth is that Moshiach is already here 16. Furthermore, the Rebbe spoke many mes about the significance of the passing of 40 years since Yud Shevat, 5710, beginning with the Rebbe s sichos in Shevat 5749 the beginning of the 40th year following the Histalkus of the Frierdicker Rebbe. In those sichos, and many others in the following years, the Rebbe repeatedly men- oned the teaching of chazal 17 that a er 40 years pass, a student is able to completely comprehend what his Rebbe taught him, something which is drawn down to all members of the genera on through the Nosi. 18 Also emphasized by the Rebbe is that the forty years corresponds to the forty years the bnei Yisroel wandered in the desert before entering Eretz Yisroel, and it was a er 40 years that Moshe Rabbeinu informed them that they now had eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to know (referring to seeing, hearing, and knowing G-dliness). A number of mes the Rebbe makes reference to the statement in the Gemara 19 that Yemos Hamoshiach is forty years and connects it to the forty years since Yud Shevat 5710. 20 For example:...we are standing prepared for the coming of Moshiach, and how much moreso a er forty years in this genera on (forty a er the histalkus of my father-in-law the Rebbe)...the tekufa of forty years is connected with the me of the Geulah as it says in the Zohar the me of the redemp on of Israel is in the for eth year, and similarly in the gemora it states Yemos Hamoshiach are forty years... par cularly since the comple on of forty years is the year 5750, a year of miracles, a me fi ng and appropriate for miracles... 21 When one takes the me to review the sichos of these years, it becomes clear that the Rebbe is implying that the forty years from 5710 were the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, the 40 years 22 of Yemos Hamoshiach men oned in the gemora, the tekufa where Moshiach fights the wars of Hashem, compels Israel to go in the way of the Torah and all the while olam k minhago noheig the world con nues in a natural manner.* Based on this, we will not be surprised to find that the Rebbe begins speaking in 5749 (the beginning of the 40th year) about entering a new tekufa, one of miracles and wonders, and in fact the Rebbe says there that it is a new tekufa...a chiddush in the en re reality and all the powers of a Jew. 23 In Nissan of that year, 24 the Rebbe explains that for a Jew miracles become natural and that in fact one can rely on such miracles. The year 5750 is named shnas nissim, year of miracles; 5751 is named shnas nifla os areinu, I will show you wonders (wonders being higher than miracles, as the Rebbe explains in numerous sichos); 5752 is named shnas nifla os bakol, wonders in everything. This emphasis on miracles and wonders is relevant only in the second tekufa, when the world begins to depart from the natural order. VI. The Rebbe s Proofs: Collapse of USSR and Gulf War VI. THE REBBE BRINGS PROOFS: COLLAPSE OF USSR AND THE GULF WAR Not only did the Rebbe say that those years would be a me of signs and wonders (the defini on of the second tekufa), but that in fact these miracles were already taking place:...we have seen with our own eyes in the miracles and wonders of the latest tekufa, including and especially as regards that na on [the Soviet Union] 25 In fact, as regards the collapse of the Soviet Union (and other revolu ons occurring without bloodshed) the Rebbe notes that although it seems as if olam k minhago noheig, as if the world is conduc ng itself in a natural fashion, in reality these events are a great miracle which is only in the power of the Holy One, blessed be He, the Omnipotent. With those words the Rebbe explicitly negates the inference that we are speaking of the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach. Whether we no ce that this is the case is another ma er, as the Rebbe said there: it is the greatest wonder that they are not paying a en on to this. 26 Following the collapse of the Soviet Union came another global event: the Gulf War. Over the course of a year the Rebbe connected the unfolding events of the conflict in the Persian Gulf to the words of the Yalkut Shimoni In the year in which the King *) We could ask: if the Rebbe wants us to know that the forty years following Yud Shevat 5710 were actually the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach, why was this not spoken of prior to this time? Why is it only alluded to after the tekufa is ending? Perhaps part of the answer is connected with the Rebbe s unwavering assertion that the Coming of Moshiach and the Geulah is miraculous with clouds of Heaven. In this view, the first tekufa of Yemos Hamoshiach is not considered at all part of the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah, for it is only the end of golus. Furthermore, since in the early years of the Rebbe s nesius there was a need to undermine the mistaken notion that it was the beginning of the Geulah, it would have only been a point of confusion if the Rebbe would also be saying that we were in Yemos Hamoshiach. But מחשבותי מחשבותיכם, לא and all this is only b derech efshar. 7