“In these times – the days of Moshiach – in which we now find ourselves, we only need to open the eyes. Then we will see that the true and complete Redemption already exists, in the simple sense. All the Jewish people, ‘with our youth and our aged, etc., with our sons and our daughters,’ are prepared, in every single, last detail, ‘to approach and sit at the table,’ the table prepared with every delicacy and delight, beginning with those of the Redemption, Leviasan, Shor HaBar and Yayin HaMeshumar.
Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,
Today, Friday, is the 19th of Kislev “Rosh HaShana L’Chassidus.” I would like to start off by saying “L’chaim!” and wishing each and every one of you לשנה טובה בלימוד החסידות ובדרכי החסידות תבתיבו ותחתימו –May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year in the learning of Chassidus and in the ways of Chassidus!
We all know that the revelation of Chassidus in the last few hundred years is very much connected with the coming of Moshiach. Chassidus really started to be revealed around the year 5500 (right before the birth of the Alter Rebbe in the year 5505). As each thousand years of history represents one of the days of creation, the year 5500 is the start of “Friday afternoon.” At that point, one must get ready for Shabbos and start tasting the delicacies of Shabbos. That is why Chassidus was revealed then, so we could begin tasting the G-dly revelations of the Torah of Moshiach and begin living with Moshiach.
In the winter sichos of 5752, the Rebbe added some very interesting connections between 19 Kislev and Moshiach. Here are a few of the ideas:
1) The essence of the times of Moshiach is the complete revelation of G-dliness in this physical world, as the Navi (Yeshaya 40:5) says:”וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד ה’ וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִּי ה’ דִּבֵּר – And the glory of the L-rd shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the L-rd spoke.” The numerical value of the name of Hashem is 26. The value of the “Hidden Parts” of Hashem name (י-וד, ה-א, ו-או, ה-א) is 19! This hints to us that on the 19th of Kislev the process of the revelation of the inner dimension of Hashem to the world began. (See VaYishlach 5752, footnote 64)
2) The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 12:5) writes: “In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition, for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be freely available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d. Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as Yeshaya (11:9) states: ‘The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the ocean bed.’” From this statement of the Rambam we see clearly that in the times of Moshiach everyone will be learning Chassidus.
It is also interesting to note (see footnote 106 of the above-mentioned sicha) that it was only in the year תרס”ב that the name “Rosh HaShana of Chassidus” was revealed to the world. That year was the birth of the Rebbe, the Nasi of the seventh generation, whose job it is to bring the Geula.
I will finish with words of the Rebbe (Kuntres 19 Kislev 5752): “In these times – the days of Moshiach – in which we now find ourselves, we only need to open the eyes. Then we will see that the true and complete Redemption already exists, in the simple sense. All the Jewish people, ‘with our youth and our aged, etc., with our sons and our daughters,’ are prepared, in every single, last detail, ‘to approach and sit at the table,’ the table prepared with every delicacy and delight, beginning with those of the Redemption, Leviasan, Shor HaBar and Yayin HaMeshumar. Also, [the Jewish people are ready for] the most important thing, ‘to know G-d’ – ‘the world will be filled with knowledge of the L-rd as the waters cover the ocean bed.’”
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