Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,
Firstly, I would like to start off by wishing each and every one of you, “L’chaim! May we be mekabel the Nesius and Moshiach b’simcha and b’p’nimius!” This year (5775) is the 65th anniversary of the leadership of the Rebbe. The number 65 is the numerical value of the word “Hallel,” giving thanks. It is of the utmost importance that we realize the tremendous privilege that we have by living in the Dor HaShvii, the Rebbe’s generation, and offer the proper thanks to Hashem.
In our previous articles, we spoke at length about the qualities of a Jewish king, Malchus Beis Dovid and Melech HaMoshiach. We quoted the Rambam (T’shuva, 9:2): “[These changes will come about] because the king who will arise from David’s descendants will be a greater master of knowledge than Shlomo HaMelech and a great prophet, close to the level of Moshe, our teacher. Therefore, he will teach the entire nation and instruct them in the path of G-d.”
At this point it is imperative that we discuss the role that we, the people and nation, have in the process. Let us start with some quotes from different Sichos of the Rebbe:
1) “The appointment of David, the King Moshiach, has already occurred, as it says, ‘I have found David My servant, with My holy oil I have anointed him.’ It requires only an acceptance of his kingship by the people and a complete revelation of the attachment between the king and the people, with the true and perfect Redemption.” (Mishpatim 5751)
2) “What is needed is the following: It is known that ‘in every generation an individual descended from Yehuda is born who is qualified to be the Moshiach for Israel,’ and that ‘one who qualifies because of his righteousness to be the Redeemer, then when the time arrives G-d will be revealed to him and send him, etc.’ And according to the announcement of my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation, the singular shliach of our generation, the singular Moshiach of our generation, that everything has already concluded, it’s understood that there has begun to be fulfilled the ‘send now the one You will send,’ the shlichus of my sainted father-in-law. And therefore it’s obvious that the only thing that now remains in the work of shlichus is to greet our righteous Moshiach in actual reality, in order that he should be able to fulfill his shlichus in actuality and bring all the Jews out of exile!” (Chaya Sara 5752)
From the above it is clear that in order for Moshiach to fulfill his shlichus, there must be an acceptance by the people. Why is it like that? Because King Moshiach is not a dictator who comes from the outside to take over the world. His reign needs to be instated by the will of the people, as it says, “And his kingship will be accepted by their will.” The empowerment of the Jewish king is by the people.
I will share with you two points:
Recently, my son learned that which is brought down in commentaries that Adam HaRishon was supposed to live 1000 years. Yet we find that he only lived for 930 years. Where did the last 70 years go? It went to Dovid HaMelech who was supposed to be a still-born. My son asked: “Seemingly, the world needs Dovid HaMelech, for Moshiach comes from him, so he would have had to live anyways. Why did it need to be that he got his life from Adam HaRishon?”
I explained (without really investigating the matter) that it is an important message for the king and the people. For the king, who has such immense power over the people, it is important that he knows that his life was not his own, but rather from Adam HaRishon, the father of all people. This will make the king act and rule with more respect and sensitivity. It is also important for the nation to know that the life of the king comes from them! If we love our king and want him to continue to have strength, that life comes from the people. This is the way Hashem made it, beginning from the very first king, Dovid HaMelech!
The second relevant idea is from Parshas VaEira. We learn that Hashem commands Moshe Rabbeinu to go to Pharaoh to instruct him to send the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim. To this Moshe responds (6:12), “Behold, the children of Israel did not hearken to me. How then will Pharaoh hearken to me, seeing that I am of closed lips?”
Seemingly Moshe Rabbeinu is lamenting the situation of B’nei Yisroel. But it should still make us wonder: what is the inner connection between the two points made in the Pasuk? Why does Moshe Rabbeinu not want to go to Pharaoh just because he is not accepted by B’nei Yisroel?
Based on the above Sichos it is clearly understood. The power that Moshe has to take the Jewish people out of Egypt comes from the people’s acceptance of his leadership. If the B’nei Yisroel are not ready to accept Moshe Rabbeinu, he feels that he does not have the power to do his shlichus to take the Yidden out of Galus. It is just as we quoted earlier. The Rebbe stated, “And therefore it’s obvious that the only thing that now remains in the work of shlichus is to greet our righteous Moshiach in actual reality, in order that he should be able to fulfill his shlichus in actuality and bring all the Jews out of exile!”
So what does that mean practically? This we will IY”H explain in our next article.
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.