“Rebbi says: Which is a straightforward path that a man (adam) should choose for himself? — That which is honorable (tiferes) to himself and brings him honor from others.”

“רַבִּי אוֹמֵר אֵיזוֹ הִיא דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיָבוֹר לוֹ הָאָדָם כָּל שֶׁהִיא תִּפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ וְתִפְאֶרֶת לוֹ מִן הָאָדָם”

This Mishnah can be explained in light of what was earlier discussed regarding the revelation and coming of Moshiach:

… וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר הַבֵּאוּר בְּזֶה – בְּהֶמְשֵׁךְ לְהָאָמוּר לְעֵיל בְּנוֹגֵעַ לְהִתְגַּלוּת וּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ:

Rebbi’s statement, “Which is a straightforward path man should choose,” addresses the person by calling him אדם, one of four terms in Hebrew to describe a human being.

The name אדם refers to a person, who in the Alter Rebbe’s words “is on a high level … and is complete in everything. His deeds are perfected, and he has corrected all his matters.”

“הָאָדָם” – קָאֵי עַל “אָדָם הַזֶּה (שֶׁ”הוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה . . שְׁלֵימוּ דְּכוֹלָא”) כְּשֶׁמוּכְשָׁרִין מַעֲשָׂיו וְתִקֵּן כָּל הַדְּבָרִים

“Only a residue remains that hasn’t yet been cleansed from the edge of his garments.” This residue is caused because of the exile − as was the case with Rebbi, who while being completely pious, nonetheless suffered from afflictions.

. . רַק פְּסֹלֶת שֶׁבְּסוֹף לְבוּשָׁיו עֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְבָּרֵר כו’” מִצַּד עִנְיָן הַגָּלוּת – כְּמוֹ רַבִּי.

— While a person may do everything within his capability to reach perfection, still, as long as he’s in the confines of the spiritual darkness of galus — a condition Hashem alone can heal — he is imperfect. However, this imperfection has no bearing on his inner self, and even on his outer self,  it affects only his “garments” — something surrounding him, but not an integral part of his true self.

The Rebbe goes on to apply this level, collectively at least, to all Jews at this time:

In our generation, the last generation of the exile, which the Gemara calls ikvesa d’Meshicha — “the footsteps of Moshiach”, when we have concluded and completed all aspects of the Divine service that were required during the time of exile to bring about the Redemption − it can be said that all Jews are on this level!

וּבְדוֹרֵנוּ זֶה – דּוֹר הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל הַגָּלוּת, עִקְבְתָא דִּמְשִׁיחָא, שֶׁכְּבָר נִסְתַּיְמוּ וְנִשְׁלְמוּ כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהָיוּ צְרִיכִים לְהֵעָשׂוֹת בְּמֶשֶׁךְ זְמַן הַגָּלוּת – יֵשׁ-לוֹמַר שֶׁכָּל בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם בְּדַּרְגָּא זוֹ.

Now, because we all are on such an elevated level, the question is: since we’ve already completed everything needed during the exile, what is the “straightforward path” —  the easiest and fastest from among all the paths the Torah offers — that the adam, the Jewish people collectively, should choose to bring about the revelation and coming of Moshiach?

וְהַשְּׁאֵלָה הִיא: כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּבָר נִסְתֵּיְמוּ “מַעֲשֵׂינוּ וֲעַבוֹדָתֵינוּ כָּל זְמַן מֶשֶׁךְ הַגָּלוּת” – מַהִי הַ”דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה” (הַקַּלָּה וְהַמְּהִירָה בְּיוֹתֵר מִבֵּין כָּל דַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה) שֶׁיָבוֹר לוֹ הָאָדָם (כְּלָלוּת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל) שֶׁגָּמַר עִנְיְנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה כְּדֵי לִפְעֹל הִתְגַּלּוּת וּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ?

The answer, like the question, is in the Mishna: “That which brings tiferes, honor, to the doer and honor to him from others.”

Torah is associated with tiferes — honor and glory. True beauty comes from combining two different entities, and Torah has the Divine power to fuse the two thrusts of ratzo and shov — it elevates the person and bonds him to Hashem and at the same time draws the spirit of Hashem into the material world and reveals its true hidden identity.

If so, an increase in Torah study is the most effective way to bring about the revelation of Moshiach. By Divine Providence, the sefira of that week (the third week of the Omer) was Tiferes, and of that Shabbos was Malchus of Tiferes. Based on this, the Rebbe emphasized a particular area of Torah-study, which is especially conducive to hastening the coming of Moshiach:

…To practically apply this idea of “a straightforward path” to revealing and bringing Moshiach through “Malchus sheb’Tiferes,”

… וּבֵאוּר הַ”דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה” לְהִתְגַּלוּת וּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ עַל-יְדֵי “מַלְכוּת שֶׁבְּתִפְאֶרֶת” – בְּנוֹגֵעַ לְמַעֲשֶׁה בְּפֹעַל:

let’s first offer a preface: Moshiach is immediately about to come, but he hasn’t yet actually come. Therefore, a final effort (symbolized by cleansing “the edge of his clothes”) by every Jew is required to bring Moshiach

וּבְהַקְדָּמָה – שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ עוֹמֵד לָבוֹא תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, אֲבָל עֲדַיִן לֹא בָּא בְּפֹעַל, שֶׁלָּכֵן דְּרוּשָׁה הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הָאַחֲרוֹנָה (“סוֹף לְבוּשָׁיו”) שֶׁל כָּל-אֶחָד-וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְהָבִיא אֶת הַמָּשִׁיחַ,

This effort needs to be, if so, not in the direction of revealing Malchus (kingship) in its pure form — the idea of king Moshiach himself,

צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת הַפְּעֻלָּה (לֹא עַל-יְדֵי מַלְכוּת בְּטַהֲרָתָהּ, עִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ עַצְמוֹ,

instead, it should be through “Malchus sh’b’Tiferes” — the idea of Moshiach (Malchus) as it is within the Torah (Tiferes).

אֶלָּא) עַל-יְדֵי “מַלְכוּת שֶׁבְּתִפְאֶרֶת”, כְּלוֹמַר, עִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל הַמָּשִׁיחַ (מַלְכוּת) כְּפִי שֶׁהוּא בַּתּוֹרָה (תִּפְאֶרֶת).

…Simply put: “Tiferes” refers to learning Torah, and “Malchus sheb’Tiferes” means learning Torah ideas on the subjects of the King Moshiach and the Redemption that are explained in many places within Torah:

… וּבְפַשְׁטוּת: “תִּפְאֶרֶת” – הוּא עִנְיָן לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, וּ”מַלְכוּת שֶׁבְּתִפְאֶרֶת” – הוּא לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בְּעִנְיְנֵי מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּבְעִנְיְנֵי הַגְאוּלָה שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֲרוּ בְּרִבּוּי מְקוֹמוֹת,

These places are: the Written Torah (particularly “the words of the prophets… for all their books are filled with this matter”²⁷);

– בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב (וּבִפְרָט “בְּדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים . . שֶׁכָּל הַסְּפָרִים מְלֵאִים בְּדָבָר זֶה”20)

 the Oral Torah, in the Gemara (particularly the tractate Sanhedrin and the end of tractate Sotah) and in Midrashim;

וּבַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, בַּגְּמָרָא (וּבִפְרָט בְּמַסֶּכֶת סַנְהֶדְרִין וּבְסוֹף מַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה) וּבְמִדְרָשִׁים,

and especially the Inner Teachings of the Torah, beginning with the Zohar (“with this book of yours, the book of the Zohar, they will leave their exile in mercy”²⁸),

וְגַם – וּבִמְיֻחָד – בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה, הֵחֵל מִסֵּפֶר הַזֹּהַר (שֶׁ”בְּהַאי חִיבּוּרָא דִילָךְ דְּאִיהוּ סֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר כוּ’ יִפְקוּן בֵּיה מִן גָּלוּתָא בְּרַחֲמִים”)

through Toras Chassidus (that through the spreading of the wellsprings outward the master, king Moshiach, will come²⁹),

וּבִפְרָט בְּתוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת (שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי הֲפָצַת הַמַּעְיָנוֹת חוּצָה אָתֵי מַר דָא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא)

to the Torah of our Rebbeim, our Leaders, and principally in the Torah (Ma’amarim and Likkutei Sichos³⁰) of the Leader of our generation. Learning this material is a sample of and preparation for learning the Torah of Moshiach, “For a new Torah shall go forth from Me,”³¹ meaning he will teach to all the people the Inner Teachings of the Torah (the reasons of the Torah) and knowledge of G-dliness (“know the G-d of your fathers”³²). This accords with the halachic ruling of the Rambam³³ that “in that time… the Jews will be great sages and know hidden matters, attaining knowledge of their Creator, etc.”

בְּתוֹרַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ נְשִׂיאינוּ, וּבִפְרָט בְּתוֹרָתוֹ (מַאֲמָרִים וְלִקּוּטֵי שִׂיחוֹת) שֶׁל נְשִׂיא דוֹרֵנוּ

– מֵעֵין וְדֻגְמָא וַהֲכָנָה לְלִמּוּד תּוֹרָתוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, “תּוֹרָה חֲדָשָׁה מֵאִתִּי תֵּצֵא”, שֶׁיְּלַמֵּד לְכָל הָעָם פְּנִימִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה (טַעֲמֵי תּוֹרָה), יְדִיעַת אֱלֹקוּת (“דַּע אֶת אֱלֹקֵי אָבִיךָ”)

Particularly since we stand after the “forty years” of being in the “desert of the nations” —  a term which is a reference to exile, when we were in  territory “unhabitatetd” by G-dliness which remains under the dominion of the “gentile nations.”

כִּפְסַק-דִּין הָרַמְבַּ”ם שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן . . יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים וְיוֹדְעִים דְּבָרִים הַסְּתוּמִים וְיַשִּׂיגוּ דַּעַת בּוֹרְאָם כו’” –

וְהַהוֹסָפָה בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בְּעִנְיְנֵי מָשִׁיחַ וְהַגְאוּלָה (“מַלְכוּת שֶׁבְּתִפְאֶרֶת”) הִיא הַ”דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה” לִפְעֹל הִתְגַּלּוּת וּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וְהַגְאוּלָה בְּפֹעַל מַמָּשׁ.

Thus we can be in the process of Redemption, but still be in a situation the pasuk describes as “For forty years I quarreled with that generation,” ­— referring to the many instances when the Jews displayed distrust in Hashem while being in the desert.

Now, however, after “forty years,” we have already reached the next part of the verse — “they shall enter My resting place,” which refers to the Holy Land in which the Shechinah, the Divine presence, dwells. “My resting place” is also a reference to Jerusalem, Yerushalayim in Hebrew, which contains in it the word “Shalem – complete,” signifying a level of perfect tranquility which will be achieved at the true and complete Redemption.

אוּן מְ’הַאלְט שׁוֹיְן בַּא “יְבוֹאוּן אֶל מְנוּחָתִי”, אִין אֶרֶץ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וִירוּשָׁלַיִם בִּיז “שָׁלֵם”, שְׁלֵמוּת הַמְּנוּחָה – בַּגְּאֻלָּה הָאֲמִתִּית וְהַשְׁלֵימָה,

It is thereby understood that the Jewish people are already prepared for it and already have “a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to understand” and acknowledge the miraculous events unfolding around them, so much so that one is not ashamed to break out into in lively dance in the street!

אִיז פַארשְׁטַאנְדִיק, אַז אִידְן זַייְנֶען שׁוֹין דֶערְצוּ גְרֵייט, אוּן הָאבְּן שׁוֹיְן דֶעם “לֵב לָדַעַת וְעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת וְאׇזְנַיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ”

Just as was the case in the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt, to which our redemption is likened to].

[אַזוֹי וִוי סְ’אִיז גֶעוֶוען בְּאַרְבָּעִים הַשָּׁנָה נָאךְ יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, וָואס כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת.]

The idea that we are in a generation of Moshiach has been a topic the Rebbe has spoken about frequently since the beginning of his leadership in 5751 (1951), 40 years before this period. This period, however, received even greater importance in this context. The Rebbe, in a footnote, perhaps explains this by making a connection to the “forty years” analogy mentioned above.

It should be noted that forty years have passed since the Histalkus (passing) of my saintly father-in-law, the Rebbe and subsequently, the Rebbe’s ascent to leadership, in the years 5710, as discussed many times.

וּלְהָעִיר שֶׁכְּבַר עָבְרוּ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה מֵעֵת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת כ”ק מוֹרִי-חָמִי אַדְמוֹ”ר בִּשְׁנַת ה’שי”ת, כַּמְּדֻבָּר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים.