From: murray@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (murray kahl)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Sichos, part 1 of 2
Date: 14 Sep 92 14:57:39 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

From: Sichos In English
Subj: Exile to Redemption
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MiGolah LiGeulah: From Exile to Redemption - 18 -
Compiled by Rabbi Alter Eliyahu Friedman
Translated by Uri Kaploun
 
Part Three: ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE REDEMPTION
Chapter 2: Our Generation -- the Generation of the Redemption
 
A Dwarf on the Shoulders of a Giant1
Early Jewish ethical writers liked to use the analogy of the
dwarf who could see further than the giant -- because he was
standing on his shoulders.
Our peseer generations [who]were likethe sons of angelNevertheless, since 
the spiritual labors of our generation follow
the accomplishments of the previous generations, it is this
generation's labors which will be rewarded by the future
Redemption.
At the same time, it should be clear that the dwarf's vantage
point was not earned by his own efforts: it was the giant who
perched him there. There is thus no point is asking whether it is
reasonable that the dwarf should be up there (since, after all,3
"the generation is unworthy"), because the A-mighty so ordained.
From a talk of the Rebbe Shlita on the Last Day of Pesach, 5742
[1982]
 
"The Jewish People Will Ultimately Repent"4
Regarding the coming of the Redemption, our Sages taught,5 "This
matter depends only on repentance." The Rambam likewise writes
that "The Torah has promised that the Jewish people will
ultimately repent at the end of their exile, and will immediately
be redeemed." For three reasons, however, the fulfillment of this
condition will not block the coming of the future Redemption.
(a) There is no Jew who has not had a thought of repentance at
least a few times in the course of his life. And one such thought
of repentance6 transforms even an utter rasha into a perfect
tzaddik. This principle is reflected in the Halachah:7 "If a man
betroths a woman `on condition that I be a tzaddik,' then she is
betrothed, for he may have had a thought of repentance in his
heart."
(b) Those of our contemporaries who are not yet observing the
Torah and its commandments, are only8 tinokos shenishbu, "captive
infants" who are victims of duress -- and9 "The Torah exonerates
a victim of duress." Indeed, a single mitzvah performed by
someone in this situation is immeasurably precious in the eyes of
G-d. And it is precisely in this generation that tens of
thousands of "captive infants" have returned, and are returning,
to the path of the Torah.
(c) The Redemption will come even before the Jewish people
repent. For it is written,10 "And He will redeem Israel from all
its sins," and the commentators explain,11 "Even sin will not
obstruct the Redemption, for He will redeem Israel from sin."
This is also seen in the order of the relevant verses cited in
the prayers of Nefilas Apayim.12 First comes the request,13 "G-d,
redeem Israel from all its afflictions!" -- and only then comes
the above-quoted promise,10 "And He will redeem Israel from all
its sins." G-d will first redeem His people from this distressful
exile; only thereafter will He redeem them from their sins.
The same Divine attitude to the imperfections of the generation
that is due to be redeemed, has been perceived by some of the
classical commentators on the verse,14          
   "Who is a G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity, and
forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He
does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in mercy."
The author of Metzudas David comments: "As to `the remnant of His
heritage,' those who will survive the suffering of the15
`birthpangs of Mashiach,' " -- [The Rebbe Shlita inserts:] This
refers to the16 "firebrand plucked from the conflagration" of
this generation -- "G-d will not focus His attention on their
transgressions and dispense due retribution, but will `forgive
[lit., bypass] their transgressions,' continuing on as if He did
not notice them."
The Radak (R. David Kimche) likewise comments on the same verse:
"As to those of our people who will remain when the Redeemer
comes,... even though their unworthy deeds could make them liable
to the punishment of not being released from exile, G-d will not
direct His attention forever to their deeds, `for He delights in
mercy.' ...His mercy will prevail over their transgressions when
the time for the Redemption arrives."
From a talk of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Parshas Vayechi, 5751
[1991]
 
The Lowest Edges of the Tabernacle
Concluding its description of the Sanctuary which our forefathers
assembled in the wilderness, the Torah speaks of17 "the stakes of
the Mishkan and the stakes of the enclosure, and their tying
ropes." Rashi explains there that the function of the stakes or
tent-pegs was "to tie the lower hems of the hangings and fix them
in the ground, so that they would not flap loosely in the wind."
This hints at a lesson: Only when something is completed down to
its most external details can one be sure that it will endure,
and "not flap loosely in the wind."
A similar lesson is to be found in the verse that speaks of the
promises that G-d made to Yitzchak,18 "because Avraham obeyed My
voice." The word here translated "because"  which, when
differently vocalized, means "heel".19 The message here is that
when a man's divine service permeates the entire stature of his
personality, including the lowliest and earthiest levels
represented by the heel, he can then rest assured that this
divine service will firmly withstand the threat of any wind.
This is encouraging indeed for our generation, the generation
that can hear20 "the approaching footsteps of Mashiach."
For it is true that we are merely a "heel"-generation relative to
the generations of our illustrious forbears, and the question of
the Gemara still stands: "Is the generation worthy?!" Neverthe-
less, it is specifically our divine service at the final stages
of the beirurim21 -- hinted at by the stakes that tied down the
lowest edges of the hangings of the Mishkan -- that consummates
the labors needed to bring about the Redemption.
It will be noted, too, that the lower edges of the hangings had
to be tied and fixed in the ground. If we keep in mind the
function of the Mishkan,22 this detail reminds us of the task of
our generation -- to draw the Divine Presence all the way down to
the earthiness of this material world.
Likkutei Sichos, Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel, 5749 [1989]
 
The First Red Heifer and the Tenth
The ashes of the first Red Heifer, the one prepared by Moshe
Rabbeinu, have been preserved23 "in safekeeping" until the time
of the tenth one, which will be prepared by the King Mashiach.24
This Heifer thus lasts forever: the following [eight] Heifers
were sanctified by means of its remnants, and some of these
remnants have been preserved for the sanctification of the future
Red Heifer.25
What does this signify in terms of the spiritual tasks of our
generation?
The labors of all the generations -- the spiritual "ashes of the
Red Heifer" -- are preserved "in safekeeping" forever. This means
that they are preserved for our generation, too. In fact, the
spiritual labors of Moshe Rabbeinu's contemporaries have been
laid away especially for our times. For Moshe Rabbeinu was
humbled by the prospect of the generation of the "footsteps of
Mashiach," a generation of Jews who would resist the trials and
the terrors of that epoch, undaunted.26
Moreover, the purifying "ashes" of the spiritual labors of all
the generations, especially of ours, are being laid away until
the coming of Mashiach. From these accumulated "ashes" will the
Red Heifer of Mashiach be sanctified, for the future Redemption27
"depends on our actions and our divine service" throughout all
the generations.
At the same time, the spiritual labors of all those years can be
regarded as perfect only if they show signs of being undertaken
for the express purpose of being safely preserved for the days of
Mashiach.
See part 2 of 2
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