From: murray@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (murray kahl)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Sichos, part 2 of 2
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:00:49 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

Sichos, part 2 of 2
 
If so, let no man be discouraged by the darkness of these last
days of exile. Quite the contrary. Our generation's endeavors
will bring the tasks of the period of exile to their culmination.
And it is these endeavors that have secured the survival of the
purifying "ashes" of all our predecessors, including the "ashes
of the Red Heifer which Moshe Rabbeinu prepared" -- i.e., the
divine service of his contemporaries -- and the purifying "ashes"
of the spiritual work of all the intervening generations.
Sefer HaSichos 5749 [1989], Vol. I, p. 349
 
Chapter 3: Signs of the Redemption
 
The Signs in Tractate Sotah
The signs which our Sages gave for the approach of the Redemption
were the subject of Part I, ch. 5 (above), entitled "With the
Advent of the Footsteps of Mashiach." According to all these
signs, our era is close to the End of Days, for never before in
history have all these signs been realized as in our days.
 
Quiet Revolutions (i)
Radical revolutions for the good have been taking place lately
across the globe -- in Russia, China, India and elsewhere. They
are directly affecting the greater part of the world, for they
involve governments which rule the bulk of humanity. And thanks
to the mercies of heaven they are taking place quietly, without
wars or bloodshed -- quite an unprecedented phenomenon.
These revolutions are among the signs of the imminent Redemption,
for, as our Sages teach,28 "If you see regimes challenging one
another, watch out for the footsteps of Mashiach." The meaning of
this turbulence is -- revolutions, except that now this is taking
place quietly. We can clearly see how the world is becoming
refined, and becoming increasingly fit for the Days of Mashiach.
From talks of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Parshas Toldos and
Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei, 5750 [1990]
 
Quiet Revolutions (ii)
Regimes in major and powerful countries are changing for the
good, in the direction of justice and equity. This phenomenon is
an advance echo and a sampling of the state of perfection and
completeness which will characterize the Days of Mashiach, as
well as a preparation for it.29 This is one of the wonders taking
place around the world, which foreshadow and afford a sampling of
the wonders of the imminent Redemption.
From a talk of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Bereishis, 5751 [1990]
 
Quiet Revolutions (iii)
In a certain big country, the laws relating to belief in G-d have
been upturned. Perhaps this is in the nature of a direct
preparation for the fulfillment of the prophetic promise,30 "I
will make the peoples pure of speech so that they will
all...serve Him with one purpose."
From a talk of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Parshas Terumah, 5751
[1991]
 
The Collapse of the Iron Curtain
The departure of hundreds of thousands of Jews from Russia to
freedom, and their consequent encounter with the observance of
mitzvos, foreshadows the fulfillment of the prophetic promise of
the Ingathering of the Exiles:31 "A great multitude shall return
here." It affords a sampling of that promise, and serves as a
preparation for it, in the spirit of the teaching that on the
afternoon of the eve of Shabbos one should taste something of the
delicacies that have been prepared for Shabbos.32
From talks of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Parshas Bereishis and
Shabbos Parshas Bo, 5751 [1990-91]
 
The Gulf War
The Yalkut Shimoni33 predicts: "In the year that the King
Mashiach will be revealed, the kings of all the nations of the
world will challenge one another. The King of Paras will
challenge an Arab king, and the Arab king will go to Aram (or,
according to another reading: `to Edom') to consult with them,
..and all the nations of the world will panic and will be
stricken with consternation.... G-d will tell the Jews: `My
children, have no fear. Whatever I have done, I have done only
for your sake....' When the King Mashiach comes, he will stand on
the roof of the Beis HaMikdash and proclaim to Israel, `Humble
ones: The time for your redemption has arrived!' "
It is clear, then, that the Gulf War is a sign of the imminent
Redemption, for one of these signs is34 "kingdoms challenging one
another," especially when (as above) "the King of Paras will
challenge an Arab king," as was the case in this war.
 
The Nations of the World are Helping
Russia has not only allowed Jews to leave her borders: she is
even helping them reach Eretz Yisrael. This is a kind of
preparation for the future Redemption, when the nations of the
world will help the Jewish people get out of their exile and
proceed to the Holy Land. As it is written,35 "And they shall
bring all your brethren from among all the nations...to My holy
mountain, Jerusalem."
 
The Nations of the World Opt for Benevolence
One observes lately that various nations are undertaking
benevolent activities, thereby making it ever clearer that36
"there is a Master to this castle." Their awareness of this
serves as a preparation for the era of the future Redemption, of
which it is written,37 will be
G-d's."
In these very days we can see how various nations are preparing
and clearing the path to the Redemption, by means of charity and
education (which are based on the realization that "there is a
Master to this castle").
As a current instance of charity: The United States saved
refugees from a distant location by means of consignments of
food, clothing and medical supplies (even though this did not
directly benefit her own citizens).
In the realm of education: The President of the United States has
issued a detailed declaration on this subject (in keeping with
the announcement at the beginning of his Presidency that he hoped
to be remembered as "the Education President").
The last three passages are from talks of the Rebbe Shlita on 22
Elul, 5750 [1990], and Shabbos Parshas Bereishis and Acharei-
Kedoshim, 5751 [1990-91]
 
Not Yet the Beginning
The above-listed events are a preparation and a foretaste of the
state of affairs which will prevail at the time of the future
Redemption, but not38 "the beginning of the Redemption," and not
even the beginning of "the beginning of the Redemption" -- for
even the beginning of the beginning will be brought about by the
King Mashiach.39
From a talk of the Rebbe Shlita on Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, 5751
[1991]
 
 
1.   Foreword to Shibolei HaLeket.
2.   Shabbos 112b.
3.   Cf. Yevamos 39b.
         
           (translated in the text above).
5.   Sanhedrin 97b.
6.   In the original, hirhur teshuvah.
7.   Kiddushin 49b.
8.   Cf. Shabbos 68b: "           an infant taken
into captivity among the heathen nations."
  (Bava Kama 28b).
10.  Tehillim 130:8.
11.  Metzudas David, loc. cit.
12.  Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 62.
13.  Tehillim 25:22.
14.  Michah 7:18.
15.  In the original,            (cf. Sanhedrin 98b).
16.  The original, ah 3:2), is quoted here
by the Rebbe Shlita with reference to the Holocaust.
17.  Shmos 35:18.
18.  Bereishis 26:5.
19.  Eikev v "because"; akeiv v "heel".
20.  See above, Part I, ch. 4.
21.  I.e., the divine service of sifting and refining the
materiality of this world, and elevating the divine sparks
concealed within it. See above, Part I, ch. 2.
22.  Shmos 25:9.
23.  Bamidbar 19:9.
24.  Rambam, Hilchos Parah Adumah 3:4.
25.  Bamidbar Rabbah, sec. 19, and see the commentary there
entitled Peirush Maharzu.
26.  See the passage entitled "Moshe Rabbeinu Contemplates Our
Generation," in Part I, ch. 4, above.
27.  Cf. Tanya, beginning of ch. 37.
28.  Bereishis Rabbah 42:4.
29.  In the original, the key words (here translated "an advance
echo,...a sampling..., and a preparation") are          ,
respectively.
30.  Zechariah 3:9.
31.  Yirmeyahu 31:7.
32.  See the passage entitled "Those Who Savor It Will Merit
Eternal Life," in Part I, ch. 5, above.
33.  Vol. II, sec. 499, interpreting Yeshayahu 60:1.
34.  Bereishis Rabbah 42:4; see the first of the passages at the
beginning of the present chapter entitled "Quiet Revolutions."
35.  Yeshayahu 66:20.
36.  Cf. Bereishis Rabbah 39:1.
37.  Ovadiah 1:21.
38.  In the original AKK_HASSIDUS      K_HASSIDUS