A SIMPLE RESPONSE TO ‘WHO IS MOSHIACH?’

What we know from the Zohar and the Midrash is that there is a Rebbe. The identity of the Rebbe, however, is not mentioned there. But when the question is posed, “who’s who?” – there is a simple response… * From Chapter Four of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros Vol. 2. (Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis.)

Translated by Boruch Merkur

1. My revered father in-law, the Rebbe, told that after the first few times the Alter Rebbe visited Mezritch, and his affiliation with Chassidim had become apparent, his father in-law lost the position of honor he had in his community. The Alter Rebbe was clearly met with great antagonization there.

Be that as it may, the Alter Rebbe had a quorum of adherents, and although it was just a “meager minyan” – a term the Rebbe used when telling the story – meaning that among the men that comprised the minyan were simple people, nevertheless, since he had his own personal minyan, a complete congregation, the Alter Rebbe said that he had no fear of “the two.” When telling this story, my father in-law, the Rebbe, never identified these two men.

The Alter Rebbe’s minyan included a man by the name of Reb Shlomo Lekach Macher. He was called by that name as his livelihood was to bake lekach, cakes, for seudos Mitzva, meals in honor of special religious occasions. For at certain times it is simply not appropriate to eat regular cake; it is inadequate for a seudas Mitzva. Thus, he was known by all the Torah scholars of the city, who would be invited to the seudos Mitzva to honor the hosts and the guests.

Reb Shlomo told that in the year 5531, still during the life of the Maggid of Mezritch, the Alter Rebbe farbrenged with his adherents during the Shloshes Yemei Hagbala. In each farbrengen the Alter Rebbe spoke about how the Torah states that G-d told Moshe Rabbeinu during the Shloshes Yemei Hagbala, “And they will also believe in you forever.” The Alter Rebbe then posed the difficulty that at first glance it appears like a form of bribery, for in order for Moshe to do his work of bringing the Jewish people to Har Sinai, G-d tells him that “they will…believe in you forever.”

The Alter Rebbe then cited the interpretation of Even Ezra – that until then there were Jews who were fraught with doubt in the concept of prophecy. And although it says, “They believed in G-d and in Moshe, His servant,” it does not say there that all the Jewish people believed; there was a group who still did not believe. It is regarding these cynics that G-d promised, “And they too will believe in you forever.”

In response to this interpretation of Even Ezra, Ramban asserts that we cannot say that Jews lacked faith in prophecy. Thus, Ramban derives a different interpretation of the verse. The Alter Rebbe, however, took up the position of Even Ezra, explaining that although everyone did in fact believe in the concept of prophecy, there remained a doubt as to whether Moshe was the prophet. As my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, put it: there was doubt about “who’s who.” And to address this lack of faith in the identity of the true prophet, G-d promised, “And they will also believe in you forever.”

The Alter Rebbe concluded: Everyone believes in the concept of Rebbe. We must know that the Baal Shem Tov was Rebbe and in this generation the Maggid is Rebbe.

2. It says in Zohar that “there is an incarnation of Moshe in each and every generation.” Being that every mystical teaching has a counterpart in nigla, the revealed, exoteric dimension of the Torah, it likewise says in Midrash that there is no generation without [righteous Jews] like Moshe and the Avos. This teaching is something that is accepted by all Jews who believe in the words of our Sages, who say that that’s the way it is. But the question is: who’s who? It is obvious that in the generation of the Baal Shem Tov it was the Baal Shem Tov himself [who was the Moshe of his generation]. Following the Baal Shem it was the Maggid, then the Alter Rebbe, etc., until our generation – when it is the Rebbe, my revered father in-law.

Just as this is something that was obvious then – and as the Rebbe said, telling the story, a glimpse from a hundred and seventy-five years ago – now too it is something that is obvious, etc.

At the time when the Rebbe came out with the Kol Koreh, the proclamation that “l’alter l’t’shuva, l’alter l’Geula – immediate repentance will bring about immediate redemption,” Chassidim spread the message, adding that it refers to the Rebbe himself [i.e., he is Moshiach, the one who will bring about the Redemption]. One person came forth with a complaint and presented it to one of the Polish Rebbes, expressing his outrage about this “radical” proclamation. How can we allow Chassidim to publicize this Kol Koreh, especially when they add to it by identifying Moshiach [as the Lubavitcher Rebbe]?! The Polish Rebbe responded: Let’s consider the following. We express our faith every day that Moshiach will come. Some say “Ani Maamin (I believe with total faith in the imminent advent of Moshiach)” verbally, while others fulfill the obligation in thought alone – illustrating our faith that Moshiach is here [now, ready to redeem the Jewish people]. But today, at this time, I know that you are not Moshiach, and I know of myself that I am not Moshiach. So why does it bother you that he is?

So too in our case. What we know from the Zohar and the Midrash quoted above is that there is a Rebbe. The identity of the Rebbe, however, is not mentioned there. But when the question is posed, “who’s who?” – there is a simple response that “he is he.” Early on it was the Baal Shem Tov, then it was the Maggid, then the Alter Rebbe, etc., until [in recent times it is] my revered father in-law, the Rebbe.

(From the address of Shabbos Parshas Naso 5720, bilti muga)