DIVINE TRANSPORTATION FOR A DIVINE ITINERARY

With the advance on technology, we now have cars and trains. Will we be permitted to go to the Beis HaMikdash with cars or is it specifically important that we go by foot? The famous Posek, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein writes that it is permitted to travel by other transportation.

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

The Yom Tov of Pesach is approaching. In the times of the Beis HaMikdash at this time of year, everyone would be getting ready to go to Yerushalayim. This is based on the Pasuk in Shmos (23:17): “Three times during the year, all your males shall appear before the Master, the L-rd.”

There is an obvious question: With the advance on technology, we now have cars and trains. Will we be permitted to go to the Beis HaMikdash with cars or is it specifically important that we go by foot?

The famous Posek, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Kodshim siman 21) writes that it is permitted to travel by other transportation.

But in truth, the Midrash tells us of a more Heavenly transportation that will be used when Moshiach comes. The Navi (Isaiah 66:23) says: “It shall come to pass that at every new Moon and on every Shabbos all flesh – humankind – will come to bow before Me, says Hashem.”

The Midrash comments:

“How is it possible that all humankind will come to Jerusalem every Shabbos and every New Month? [How can Jerusalem contain so many pilgrims?] Rabbi Levi says that in the future the entire Land of Israel will be like Jerusalem; moreover, the entire world will be like the Land of Israel. And how can they come on the New Moon and on Shabbos from the ends of the world? The clouds will come and carry them, bringing them to Jerusalem, and they will pray there in the morning. And this is as the Prophet praises them: ‘Who are these? Like a cloud they fly, like doves to their cotes’ (Isaiah 60:8).”

One may ask, is this not contradictory to the words of the Torah? The Torah says that you need to go only three times!

The Sages (Shu”t D’var Yehoshua 1:9) already addressed this issue. They explain (also, see aforementioned seifer for other answers) that in reality, even in time of the first two Battei Mikdash the Jewish people should ideally have come to the Beis HaMikdash every Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. Since that was technically impossible, Hashem only commanded us to come three times a year. However, considering that in the era of Moshiach it will be possible – as we will have “clouds” to travel on – we will visit every Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh.

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EMUNA, MATZA, 
AND YUD ALEF NISSAN

There is a yechidus of the Rebbe Rayatz, which is printed in the maamarim of 5709, about which it is said that this sicha was delivered on Sunday, 11 Nissan 5709. In this yechidus, the Rebbe Rayatz says that there is an “inner-core, essential vort (aphorism): Shmura Matza is referred to by two names that express its innermost essence – food of faith and food of healing.” The Rebbe Rayatz explains that this aphorism was transmitted from generation to generation by the Rebbeim, beginning from the teacher of the Baal Shem Tov, Achiya HaShiloni, and he concludes, “and it is transmitted personally and with elucidation from Rebbe to Rebbe!”

It is obviously not a coincidence that this “vort” was revealed on the last 11 Nissan of the lifetime of the Frierdike Rebbe. With this the Frierdike Rebbe was making clear that the Rebbe, the future leader of the seventh generation whose birthday is 11 Nissan, will be charged with the mission of instilling healing and faith in Klal Yisroel: healing, after the trauma of the Holocaust, and faith in the Geula, as Chazal tell us that “in the merit of their faith the Jews left Egypt and in the merit of their faith the Jews will be redeemed from exile.” It is also not a coincidence that the first Mivtza, campaign, of the Rebbe is to encourage and distribute Shmura Matza to all Jews to use on Pesach!

In general, it has always been the job of each Jewish leader to instill faith in the Jewish people. As the Rebbe elaborates in the famous Maamer “V’Ata Tetzaveh 5741,” all Jewish leaders are called faithful shepherds, because they instill faith in their flock. This is especially true of the leader of the “seventh generation,” whose obligation “it is this that is demanded of each and every one of us of the seventh generation – and ‘all those that are seventh are cherished.’ Although the fact that we are in the seventh generation is not the result of our own choosing and our own service, and indeed in certain ways it is perhaps contrary to our will, nevertheless ‘all those who are seventh are cherished.’ We are now very near the approaching footsteps of Moshiach; indeed, we are at the conclusion of this period, and our spiritual task is to complete the process of drawing down the Sh’china – moreover, the essence of the Sh’china – within specifically our lowly world.” (Basi L’Gani 5711)

Yet, there is a tremendous misconception of what Emuna, faith, is. While most people associate Emuna with lack of work and understanding (i.e. “Blind Faith”), in Chassidus it is taught that faith needs to be worked on and nurtured.

The Alter Rebbe explains (Tanya, chapter 42): “The essential thing, however, is the [mental] training to habituate one’s mind and thought continuously, that it ever remain fixed in his heart and mind, that everything one sees with one’s eyes— the heavens and earth and all that is therein— constitutes the outer garments of the King, the Holy One, blessed be He. In this way he will constantly be aware of their inwardness and vitality. This is also implicit in the word emuna (faith), which is a term indicating ‘training,’ to which a man habituates himself, like a craftsman who trains his hands, and so forth.”

The Rebbe wants us to strengthen our Emuna in Moshiach and to begin living with Moshiach. This does not happen by just saying and announcing that “I believe in Moshiach,” rather we must train ourselves to believe and nurture that belief. This comes through learning the concepts of Moshiach and Geula from true Torah sources. In the words of the Rebbe (Balak 5751):

“Despite the uproar associated with this matter in recent times within this year, the year of ‘I shall show him wonders,’ and after witnessing the wonders which testify that this is ‘The year that the King Moshiach will be revealed,’ we see how difficult it is to inculcate the awareness and the feeling that we are literally standing on the threshold of the Messianic Era, to the point that one begins to thrive on matters of Moshiach and Redemption…

“The solution to this dilemma is Torah study concerning Moshiach and Redemption. For Torah, which is G-d’s wisdom and thus transcends the natural order of the universe, has the capacity to alter the nature of man. Even when one’s emotions are still outside the parameters of Redemption, G-d forbid, (because he has not yet emerged from his internal exile), he can nevertheless learn the Torah’s teachings concerning Redemption, and thereby become a person who is elevated to the state of Redemption. One then begins to thrive on matters of Redemption, borne of the knowledge, awareness and feeling that ‘Behold he is coming.’”

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com.