MOSHIACH FLOURISHES IN OUR FAITH

Translated by Boruch Merkur

The message here is that the name Tzemach Tzedek expresses the faith of chassidim, the perfect faith of every chassid, that their Rebbe – for example, the leader of this generation [“Tzemach is Moshiach…for ‘Tzemach’ is numerically equivalent to ‘Menachem’”] – is in fact Moshiach, and if we had merited, the matter would have been fulfilled and manifest outwardly; Moshiach would be visible to the human eye.

Regarding the meaning of the name “Tzemach Tzedek” – it is an allusion to Moshiach Tzidkeinu:

The first part of the name, Tzemach, is the name of Moshiach, as said in the liturgy of Hoshana Rabba, “Ish Tzemach shmo – A man, whose name is Tzemach” (Zecharia 6:12, see Targum; Talmud Yerushalmi Meseches Brachos 4:4; also see Zecharia 3:8). Similarly, the second part of the name, Tzedek, is one of the identifying signs of Moshiach, which is referred to in the prophecy of Yeshayahu (beginning with the words, “A shoot shall spring forth from the stem of Yishai, and a twig shall sprout from his roots” (Yeshaya 11:1)). There it describes Moshiach’s distinction of rendering honest judgment: “He shall judge with tzedek, justly, etc., and tzedek, righteousness, shall be the girdle of his loins” (ibid 11:4-5).

The message here is that the name Tzemach Tzedek expresses the faith of chassidim, the perfect faith of every chassid, that their Rebbe – for example, the leader of this generation [see the commentary of Even Ezra on Zecharia 3:8, “Tzemach is Moshiach…for ‘Tzemach’ is numerically equivalent to ‘Menachem’”] – is in fact Moshiach, and if we had merited, the matter would have been fulfilled and manifest outwardly; Moshiach would be visible to the human eye.

(From the address of the fifth night of Sukkos 5747, bilti muga)

No resentment in identifying Moshiach

Every person in this generation was born as the Rebbe’s shliach, the emissary of the leader of our generation, and the Rebbe is the leader of all the people of the generation.

And when the shliach utilizes his 10 soul-powers, “kav shelo” (his measure; i.e., his faculties), in the practical fulfillment of the mission the leader sent him on (as discussed above), the concept of Moshiach is revealed (for “Moshiach” is the numerical equivalent of “shliach” along with (the) 10 (soul-power)). In so doing, he also reveals how he reflects the meshaleiach, the one who sent him (“just as you are members of the covenant, so are your emissaries, etc.”). Indeed, he even becomes one with the meshaleiach (for a person’s emissary is like himself), one with the leader of our generation, who is Moshiach, with all the connotations of “Moshiach”: 1) mashuach, anointed; 2) chosen; 3) guide and shepherd of the Jewish people – including the simple interpretation of “Moshiach”: leader or ruler.

There shouldn’t be any resentment sparked in concluding that the leader of our generation is Moshiach Tzidkeinu in the literal sense, for this is the fact: the leader of our generation is the Moshiach of the generation!

(From the address of the night of Simchas Torah, prior to Hakafos, 5746, bilti muga)

Tzemach, Tzemach, Tzemach

May it be G-d’s will – and this is the main thing – that calling out the name “Tzemach,” the name of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, causes Moshiach to come in actuality.

In simple terms – by calling and crying out the name “Tzemach,” with the intent that by calling out his name certainly he will answer those who call him – they effect the actual advent of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. (The notion that Moshiach will answer those who call is deduced from the effect that results from calling out the name of a living human being, “as the tzaddik, the righteous individual lives upon the earth…within a [corporeal] vessel and garment [the body]…within the dimensions of physical space.” For the results of appealing to a tzaddik who lives in this world is constrained by limitations in the degree of revelation and the capacity of its reach [yet calling out to him is still powerfully efficacious]. How much more is this so after these limitations are negated!)

Thus, when they now proclaim “Tzemach” three times – Tzemach, Tzemach, Tzemach – Moshiach Tzidkeinu will literally come now!

(From the address of the fifth night of Sukkos 5750, bilti muga)