A SCEPTER WILL ARISE AMONG THE JEWISH PEOPLE

From Chapter Six of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis.)

Translated by Boruch Merkur

9. The above can be connected with the time of year when Parshas VaEira is read and we begin Parshas Bo – Shabbos Mevarchim Chodesh Shvat:

Shabbos Mevarchim Chodesh Shvat comes at the end of the month of Teives, the tenth month. On this Shabbos, the blessing and the potential for the month of Shvat is drawn down, Shvat being the eleventh month (as stated in Tanach, “the eleventh month is the month of Shvat” (Zecharia 1:7)). In fact, coming to the end of the tenth month – ten being a whole, complete number – underscores the perfection of the Divine service of the Jewish people. It is our effort that engenders the ultimate perfection of the Future Era, alluded to by the eleventh month, one over and above the ten S’firos (“You are one but not numerically”). This concept finds expression in the two Parshiyos VaEira and Bo (which discuss the avoda that followed Mattan Torah, bringing about the perfection of the Future Era).

The concept of redemption is also alluded to in the name of the month, as the names of the months were called when the Jewish people came out of Babylon: 1) “Shvat,” means “shivtei moshlim – the scepters of rulers.” This is especially evident in the rule of the Davidic dynasty, as it is said, “lo yasur sheivet mi’Yehuda – the scepter [of the dynasty] of Yehuda will never be withdrawn from (Dovid and his descendants – the rulers of the Diaspora in Babylon, who assert their dominion b’sheivet, with a scepter) until the advent of Shilo” (a reference to Melech HaMoshiach), regarding whom it is said, “A sheivet (a king, ruler, and dictator) will rise up among the Jewish people” – “this refers to Melech HaMoshiach.” 2) “Shvat” also has the connotation of the branch of a tree, as it is written, “A shoot will emerge from the stem of Yishai, and a twig shall sprout from its roots” (Yeshayahu 11:1), “a sheivet of royalty will emerge from the root of Yishai, from the seed of Dovid – this refers to Melech HaMoshiach” (Metzudos Dovid on the verse).

10. Especially in this generation – when we mark the tenth of Shvat (“the tenth (of each month) shall be holy,” how much more so the tenth day of the eleventh month), the yom ha’hilula (the anniversary of the histalkus, passing) of my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, leader of our generation:

The concept of a yom ha’hilula, is, as the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya, that “all his deeds and his Torah and his avoda that he worked on throughout all the days of his life … are revealed and illuminated at the level of a revelation from above to below … bringing about salvation amidst the earth.” The main thing is, though, that it includes the granting of the capacity for the continual sprouting forth, with greater strength and greater fortitude, after his histalkus, as a result of the offspring engendered by “all his deeds and his Torah and his avoda that he worked on throughout all his days.” This process gains strength until the sprouting forth of the true and complete redemption by Moshiach Tzidkeinu in this generation (the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption), as proclaimed by the leader of the generation: all predicted dates for the advent of Moshiach have already passed, and everything is ready for the banquet of the Future Era – a table is set for the feast of the Leviasan, the Shor HaBar, and the Yayin HaMeshumar.

Indeed, the general period connected with the yom ha’hilula of the tenth of Shvat (seventy years of his life in the physical world, as well as the continuation of his life thereafter, more than forty years) can be classified by three stages, which correspond to and echo the three general eras throughout history (namely, prior to Mattan Torah, Mattan Torah, and Yemos HaMoshiach), alluded to in the three parshiyos of Shmos, VaEira, and Bo (as discussed in Section 8).

The first era is the forty years of the leadership of his father [the Rebbe Rashab](5640-5680), whence began the perfection of the concept of the dissemination of the wellsprings of Chassidus outward, especially by means of the founding of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim (under the oversight of his only son [the Rebbe Rayatz]). This period embodies the service of the Avos in preparation for and introducing the concept of Mattan Torah, the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

The second era is the thirty years of his leadership in his life in this world (5680-5710), when, as nasi of Toras Chassidus Chabad, his particular contribution emerged in the spreading of the wellsprings outward literally, including the chiddush in the latter decade (the completion and perfection of his service) of spreading the wellsprings outward in the lower hemisphere (where Mattan Torah did not take place). This stage is reminiscent of the innovation of Mattan Torah.

And the third era is the continuation of the leadership following the Rebbe’s histalkus (from the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year (5711). The spreading of the wellsprings outward increased in this period with greater strength and might throughout all the corners of the earth, achieving the completion and perfection of the avoda, being ready now for the banquet of the Future Era – Yemos HaMoshiach.

(From the address of Shabbos Parshas VaEira, 28 Teives, Mevarchim HaChodesh Shvat; Seifer HaSichos 5752 Vol. 1, pg. 264-266)