1000: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOLA & GEULA

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

This week we celebrate the special victory of Hey Teves, the day that – in the year 5747 – the federal court ruled that all the s’farim that were taken from the library of the Rebbe should be returned. The next year – Year of Hakhel 5748 – the day of 5 Teves fell out on Shabbos. Chassidim were unsure if the Rebbe wanted the day to be marked with a celebration or not.

Right before Shabbos, a few Bachurim hung up a big sign in 770 that read, “Hey Teves – Didan Natzach.” The Chassidim held their breath for the Rebbe’s reaction. By the Farbrengen that Shabbos, the Rebbe quoted the Gemara (Shabbos 21b) regarding the holiday of Chanuka that “L’shana Acheres Kavum – at the first anniversary of the miracle is when it became a holiday.”

At that Farbrengen the Rebbe spoke extensively about the lessons that we need to take from the holiday of Hey Teves. The main lesson is to acquire and learn new s’farim. This, says the Rebbe, is the true victory of the books. The more they are used and learned, the bigger the victory.

The Rebbe (Seifer HaSichos 5748 Vol. 1 pg. 188) then went on to connect this to Hakhel. The Rebbe quotes the Rambam regarding Hakhel: It is a positive commandment to gather together the entire Jewish people – men, women, and children… so that they hear passages from the Torah that encourage them to perform mitzvos and strengthen them in the true faith, as D’varim 31:10-12 states: “At the end of a seven-year period, at the time of the Sabbatical year on the Sukkos holiday when all Israel come to appear… gather the nation, the men, the women, the children, and your stranger in your gates….”

At that special farbrengen the Rebbe also spoke about making a “big deal” about “big number anniversaries” – like 500 years from the birth of the Beis Yosef and 850 years from the birth of the Rambam etc. – as this encourages people to get involved.

This is especially appropriate, as this article is written for the 1000^th (!) edition of the Beis Moshiach magazine. While on one hand, we scream Ad Mosai!?!, that we are waiting impatiently for the final redemption, led by the Rebbe MH”M, it is also a time to reflect and get others involved in the purpose and goal of this special weekly publication.

After 3 Tammuz 5754, the world thought that the pure Emuna of Chassidim would fade and that we would adapt to the “new reality” of exile and give up on our faith in the clear words and prophecy of the Rebbe about the imminence of Moshiach and that the direct path to bring Moshiach is by learning about Moshiach.

How shocked they are, that over 22 years later (!) we, adas chassidim, are stronger and more determined than ever! One of the reasons and tools that we have is the persistent staff of Beis Moshiach magazine. Week after week, they toil to put together a magazine that is filled with Emuna and Hiskashrus. It fills the homes of the subscribers with light and purity. The staff deserves a tremendous Yasher Ko’ach and you – dear subscribers – deserve the recognition that you deserve for supporting this crucial and vital effort.

A small vort: The Rebbe told us numerous times that the difference between Gola and Geula is the letter “Aleph.” In Hebrew, the number 1000 is “Aleph.” As we reach this special milestone of 1000 (Aleph) issues of Beis Moshiach, this should be the final action to change Gola to Geula!

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.