THE REBBE’S LEADERSHIP CONTINUES ON THROUGH THE GEULA

Yud Shvat of the 10th year (5710) marks the end of the era of my father in-law, the Rebbe, Nasi Doreinu’s service of G-d living in this world. The next day – the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and especially in the eleventh year (5711) – the continuation and innovation of a new era, the seventh generation, began. * Chapter 6 of Rabbi Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros. (Bold text is the compiler’s emphasis.)

Translated and presented by Boruch Merkur

Chapter 5 touched on a major difference of our generation compared to the previous generation: the Rebbe Rayatz, Nasi of the eighth generation, not only suffered a speech impediment (in his later years) – embodying the inability to bring down the ultimate revelation of G-dliness as it will be during the true and complete redemption – he was also subject to the ultimate impediment to his earthly presence: histalkus, the (apparent) total transcendence of the physical dimension. Our generation, however, the ninth generation from the Baal Shem Tov, will not miss out on the revelation of Moshiach; we will experience the full revelation “as souls within bodies,” alluding to the Rebbe MH”M’s leadership continuing on into the era of redemption.

The purpose of Chapter 6 is to assert an obvious underlying difference between our generation and previous generations: the mission of our generation has still not been completed – not now, and certainly not by Gimmel Tammuz of 5754. That is, on Yud Shvat 5710, when the Rebbe Rayatz was nistalek, his purpose and role had been completed and the mantel of leadership was immediately passed on to his successor, his son in-law, the Rebbe MH”M. Indeed, the leadership of the Rebbe MH”M is ongoing even after Gimmel Tammuz, and will continue into the Geula. The following selection supporting this position is from the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Yisro, 20 Shvat, and Parshas Mishpatim, 22 Shvat, of 5752.

***

We have spoken many times about the incredible innovation and special virtue of this generation, the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption (as discussed above). Namely, that we are presently at the finale and end of “our deeds and our service” of the Jewish people throughout the preceding generations to finish the final birurim in exile [i.e., by interacting with the physical world, in accordance with the laws of the Torah, in order to refine and uplift the mundane, worldly existence by inbuing it with G-dliness]. In the lexicon of my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, this final stage is referred to as “polishing the buttons.” Our Divine mission entails bringing the redemption into experiential reality for this generation and for all earlier generations!

That is, in this generation we are completing the “deeds and service” of the Jewish people of all generations to drawn down (by means of Divine service performed in the lower realm, the physical world) the revelation of the aspect of eleven into ten – that the lower realms (ten), while maintaining their own [material, finite] quality, should be prepared and ready to receive the revelation of the very essence of G-d (eleven).

The latter is alluded to in the date of my father in-law, the Rebbe’s hilula (a time when “all of his deeds and Torah and service of G-d” are revealed and attain completion) – the tenth day of the eleventh month: “The tenth day” refers to the revelation of light (day) of ten as it is bound and joined with the (“chodesh, the month,” which is a term that is related to) “chiddush,” the innovation, the novelty, of eleven (which transcends the Seider Hishtalshlus, the natural order of Creation). The (month, meaning the) innovation of eleven is drawn into the revelation of light (day) of ten.

[This generation] the generation of Nasi Doreinu, leader of our generation, is comprised of various stages or periods. In general, there are three stages: 1) the tenth day of the eleventh month (Yud Shvat, Tav-Shin Yud, 5710) – the day that marks the end of the era of my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, Nasi Doreinu’s service living in this world; 2) the next day – the eleventh day of the eleventh month (the first complete day following his histalkus), and especially [10-11 Shvat of] the eleventh year (Tav-Shin Yud-Alef, 5711), when the continuation and innovation of the new period and “natlu ha’meoros” of the seventh generation from the Alter Rebbe (or the ninth generation from the Baal Shem Tov) began; 3) the period following the passing of the Rebbe’s daughter [Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka] on Chaf-Beis of the eleventh month (22 Shvat 5748).

These three stages in general express the three levels in the completion of the service of making for G-d a dwelling place in the lower realms, drawing down the aspect of eleven into ten (for in order for it to take place within the framework of the lower realms, the service must ascend incrementally, in steps):

1) Serving G-d – even achieving the completion and perfection of Divine service – within the context of the world, at the level of ten, in order to prepare the world to absorb and assimilate the revelation of eleven (G-dliness that transcends the world) without being annihilated out of existence (as was the case at Mattan Torah [when the souls of the Jewish people flew out of their bodies with each word uttered by the Alm-ghty]). [Notwithstanding the importance of the aspect of eleven here] this level of avoda mainly emphasizes and reveals the concept of “ten,” but ten as it assumes the role of being a vessel for eleven, while still maintaining its independence, a separate identity from eleven. Its identity is maintained from the very fact that the avoda must take place within the framework of the lower realms, and the lower realms remain at the level of ten (not eleven).

2) The revelation of eleven itself, to the point that ten become elevated to eleven. That is, eleven has an impact even in [the context of] ten, but the main thing that is perceived is the revelation of “eleven” (and ten is absorbed and become a part of eleven).

3) The ultimate fusion and union of ten (while maintaining its identity) and eleven (maintaining its identity). The lower realms as they are in their own framework become a dwelling place for G-d, for His very essence. Together with the fact that it is a dwelling place for G-d Himself (but the world remains a discreet entity, as it were, from G-d, staying at the level of ten, separate from eleven), the dwelling place in the lower realms becomes one with G-d, as in the well know expression: The Yesh HaNivra is (one being with) the Yesh HaAmiti.

(Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 348-349)