DON’T DESPAIR OF THE GEULA
May 4, 2017Pesach Sheini teaches us to never despair; if there are areas of deficiency, we are always empowered with the capacity to rectify them.
Translated by Boruch Merkur
LEARN ABOUT GEULA
The Divine service during the time of exile of revealing the Alufo Shel Olam, the Master of the Universe, within gola, within the state of exile, brings about the redemption. In fact, it is our generation, the last generation in exile, that will be the first generation of redemption.
With G-d’s help we shall see in current events how the world itself assists and brings about the redemption.
Practically, the avoda of bringing the Alufo Shel Olam into the gola amounts to, as discussed above, every Jew adding in “our deeds and service” in general, which brings about the geula. In particular this directive includes, as discussed in the last farbrengen, Torah study on the topic of redemption, learning from the Written Torah (regarding which [Rambam writes], “all the [holy] books are full with this matter”) as well as from the Oral Torah – Mishna, Gemara, Midrashim, and so on.
PESACH SHEINI: NO DESPAIRING
To be more precise about how to approach the avoda of bringing the Alufo Shel Olam into the gola, we must take the lesson of Pesach Sheini to heart that “there is never cause to despair.” Rather, an accounting must be made as to whether we have properly corrected and perfected the avoda done in the past, or whether further efforts are required. Pesach Sheini teaches us to never despair; if there are areas of deficiency, we are always empowered with the capacity to rectify them.
The main thing is that everything in exile that appears to be slipping out of our grasp should be revealed to be attainable, rectifiable, and those things that have in fact been lost should be recovered and corrected. Moreover, may the positive sense of “lost” (which is greater than the concept of revelation) be realized. Namely, the revelation of the keitz (the date of the end of the exile), regarding which it is said, “the heart does not find expression in the mouth.” The same applies to Moshiach Tzidkeinu himself, who is said to come “b’hesech ha’daas – unexpectedly” (as a surprising discovery), as it is written, “I have found Dovid, My servant” (in Mizmor 89 of T’hillim). This concept is apparent in the Mizmor Tzaddik, the 90th chapter of T’hillim, where it is written, “May the pleasantness of G-d our L-rd be upon us, and may the work of our hands be directed upon us, and the deeds of our hands may You direct,” in the Third Beis HaMikdash, with the true and complete redemption, the redemption of all Jews, “with our youth, our elders…our sons and our daughters.”
(From the address of Shabbos Parshas Acharei-K’doshim, 13 Iyar 5751; Seifer HaSichos 5751 pg. 518-519)
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